Reduce Burnout With Home Office Organizing Strategies
It has surely been an unusual 7 months. Lockdown. Working from home. Remote learning. Balancing work and life. We may typically associate burnout with our jobs, especially if it has been an extremely busy time taken up all consuming projects. However, the stress and challenges of daily life during a pandemic can also contribute to burnout. This can lead to reduced productivity, difficulty focusing, and little to no energy each day. So, what can you do? Here are 4 home office organizing strategies that will help.
Establish Firm Boundaries
The reality is that many who feel burned out also have overflowing to do lists. Granted there may be a lot more to do these days. The first step is to start saying NO to requests for your time. This can be hard for some people but saying NO actually will free you up to say YES to the personal or professional commitments you really want or need to make. Next, start delegating to other members of your team or family. Sharing the workload ensures that all key tasks will be done by their deadlines. Lastly, be sure to schedule focused time to address important work tasks and to enjoy down time with your partner and children.
Learn How to Set Priorities
It can be overwhelming to sit down at your desk and look at a never-ending to-do list of work and life tasks. Where do you even begin? Combat this feeling by streamlining your list and then setting priorities. Review your list, identify the most important tasks/projects, determine the actions needed, and set their completion date. Schedule time on your calendar and involve other colleagues or family members as needed. Once your priorities are clearly identified, you’ll be more focused, less concerned about tasks slipping through the cracks and ultimately less anxious.
Practice the Art of Self-Care
You hear the buzzword “self-care” everywhere these days, and there’s a reason for it. If you aren’t taking care of yourself, then it doesn’t matter if you have home office organizing strategies in place – there is a bigger picture problem that needs addressing. You should take care of yourself so that you are better able to deal with the constant curveballs that we’re facing. It is especially important these days to eat regularly, sleep the recommended 8 hours each night, and exercise (even if it only means periodic walks around your neighborhood during the workday). With the current restrictions, you may have to be a bit more creative concerning how your time with family and friends is spent… the goal is to make the time.
If your home office is organized and you have systems that keep you efficient in place, you are in a better position to address the other stresses that can contribute to burnout. If this isn’t the case, reach out to this NYC Professional Home Office Organizer today. I’m here to support you.