6 ways to manage workload and stress while working remotely

Research shows that 41% of employees working remotely experience high levels of stress, in comparison to 25% of those working in office. Additionally, people working from home find it hard to balance the blurry thin lines between personal and professional life due to heightened stress.Remote workforces are increasingly in a dilemma, as they are unable to find appropriate time slots for unplugging and wrapping-up at the end of the day. 

While some of you might have easily adapted to these changes easily, others are still finding this new world very difficult. If that sounds like you, read on for some valuable tips to help you manage your workload and reduce the stress of working remotely.

1. Routine time management

The added advantage of remote working is added freedom and flexibility that you aren’t necessarily afforded in the office.

However, in remote working, employees can sometimes enjoy this flexibility a bit too much, and their productivity suffers. This unbalances the focus and dedication towards work, and can result in toxic stress.

A couple things that could help you form a routine when working from home:

• Follow a soothing ritual before starting your day such as meditation, small walks, engaging in a short conversation with friends, meditation, or stretching.
• Know when to unplug and commit to that routine.
• Make sure you stick to a healthy eating schedule.
• Stand up and stretch throughout the day.
• Compartmentalise your priorities in order of urgency.

2. Create a dedicated workstation

In remote working, we can be lured into working from bed or the couch.. However, as much as this can be comforting,  it runs the risk of letting your workload pile up, adding to your stress.

This can be alleviated if you create a dedicated workstation at your remote location in a similar format to your office This will condition you to distinguish between your professional and personal space the moment you sit down for your day-to-day operational tasks.

3. Stay open to communication

The manner of communication when WFH will of course be different to the ease of chatting to coworkers in office. One way to prioritise communication is by streamlining the platform of communication between all team members, peers, and colleagues.

Being open to different forms of communication will allow you to share your thoughts and opinions while also being approachable to your team members when in need and vice versa.

4. Prioritisation of tasks

Nothing can make you feel as accomplished as wrapping up the day with everything ticked off your to-do list. In order to make this happen, you will have to compartmentalise your existing workload in order of priority instead of dipping into lots of tasks at the same time.

Doing so will assist you in preparing yourself mentally with an estimate as to what can be done quickly and what might take more time and consideration. This will help you not only to balance your workload, but also to reduce your stress.

5. Eat well, sleep well

It’s said that, “Hard work should be rewarded by good food.” While this wisdom is still relevant today, in the never-ending race of work, many of us ignore the most important fuel that keeps our drive going.

A healthy meal restores your burned energy from the day and allows you to reduce stress levels. The same can be said for your sleeping behaviour; your body needs sleep to rest the brain and rejuvenate you with the ability to stay productive throughout the next day.

6. Celebrate your milestones

Humans are not designed to just work without any form of reward or return on investment. When working from home, if you invest your time, skills, and willpower to every single task without any conclusive milestone, you will have nothing to measure your success against.

So, next time when you touch the finish line, reward yourself with something like:       

• A break from the monotonous work environment to indulge in entertainment.       
• Listening to a motivational speech or penning down your achievement for self-appraisal.
• Hanging out with friends Stretching out a bit and warming up for the next milestone.

Closing wisdom…

Balancing your work life and personal life is the key to well-being and stress mitigation. No matter how much comfort and flexibility you acquire, there will always be contingencies that will invite stress while working remotely.

By following these above tips and with routine implementation, you can continue to strive for success without stress!

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash