Oh the days of going into the office, coffee cup in hand and ready for the day. Today, most of us have traded our office cubicles, for a tiny corner at home. When going into the office had a time limit, working from home can be a revolving door that might never close if you allowed it. Being on call all day and all night is now a thing because we have all of our work with us all of the time. It is exhausting! Even if we don’t want to work all day or all night and answer emails on the weekend, jump on a Zoom call after hours, there is almost no reason now to say No, and this is where burnout is happening. So how do we learn to take needed breaks as we adjust to working from home?
Create a Schedule
By setting up a schedule, you can create a plan for yourself daily during each working day and actually plan in a break for yourself. Many times we can get carried away with work and literally never get up from our seat until 5:00. Taking a 10 minute break from looking at the computer to go outside or to rest your eyes is key. Although it is hard to get yourself away from your computer when working from home, find a way to rest your eyes from the blue light at least once every hour, even for a few minutes. Scheduling in those quick 5 minute breaks between calls can help your mental health by the end of the day.
Set Boundaries
Even though we are working from home, we should be able to find work-life balance. Maintain a regular schedule for work hours and respond to emails the next day. We are not machines, we are moms. Being on call for two jobs all day is impossible. Discuss a feasible work schedule with your manager that is most ideal for you. 7am to 3pm is a favorite for many moms because it ends early and starts before the kids start their day.
Walk Away From the Computer Frequently
When working from home, it is really important to take break. The only thing is, when we take a break, it might be like looking at Facebook or reading emails on our computers. Although you are not working, so it is technically a break, it is not a real one. An important way to take a break when working from home is to walk away from the computer frequently.
Looking away from your computer to check your phone is not a break. Maybe you need more water or even to go to the bathroom. Maybe you need to throw a load of clothes in the dryer. Another reason to walk away is to peek in on your children as they homeschool or are distance learning from home. It let’s the children know that Mom is home and active in their school activities. Plus, you can enjoy hugs throughout the day!
Don’t Skip Meals
A great natural break to take during your work day at home is remembering to eat. Meetings run long and they usually don’t account for lunch time. It is important that you look at your daily schedule and determine the best times that you can schedule lunch and/or snack breaks. Choose healthy meals and snacks that will give you the nutritional boost you need to stay sharp and focused. Junk foods zap our energy and leave us groggy and disheveled. Some energy boosting foods include:
- salmon
- brown rice
- eggs
- beans
- apples
- avocados
- beets
- nuts
- oatmeal
- leafy greens
Try oatmeal for breakfast and a spinach and salmon salad for lunch! Top it with avocados, apples, beets and silvered almonds. A handful of nuts for a snack is another good option.
Go Outside
Another great way to take a break when working from home is to go outside. It might sound silly to schedule time to go outside but well worth it. On the daily, make sure you take some time to get outdoors. Whether it be to eat lunch outside or just to walk to the mailbox between meetings, take that needed break. It can give you some new found energy when you are dragging after lunch. Also, you won’t feel so cramped inside all of the time! This is the perfect way to get that vitamin C in and get to spend some time outside.
Read and Pray
There’s no way to say this but…it’s hard. Working from home and managing home life can be difficult. To minimize the stress we must seek God. Take a few minutes to read your Bible and pray each day. There are tons of devotionals available on the Bible App. Some focus on anxiety, motherhood, stress, etc. Get filled on the word of God! When you pray, ask God to help you manage each day, that you focus on what’s most important.
