WFH Burnout Is Real, But We’ve Got Ways To Fight It

Unsplash/Christian Erfurt


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OH MY GOD IS IT FRIDAY YET?

Hey there, not sure if this has sunk in yet, but you’ll be working from home for the foreseeable future. Do you find yourself screaming into the mirror every Monday at 9:07 AM? Good! That means you’re a healthy adult human. 

For those of us who have been fortunate enough to still be able to work from home for a few months, it’s safe to say the novelty has worn off. There are only so many seasons of a Madden franchise you can play during work hours. Now we’re onto the WFH burnout period, if you weren’t already there by the end of March. 

But just because you’re not chained to your desk, doesn’t mean that burnout doesn’t exist in the comfort of your home, it just means that it’s easier to start drinking at 3PM and hoping your boss doesn’t schedule a video call. WFH burnout is a real thing, but there are a few ways to overcome it, and luckily I’m here to break those ways down for you. Not that you need it, but I’m always happy to help a fellow cog in the corporate machine. 

Rest

Numero uno here might seem like a no brainer here, but it’s not as commonplace as you’d think. Everybody from Ariana Huffington to the Dalai Lama (not entirely sure about that second one, but he seems pretty chill) tout the benefits of getting those sweet, sweet, eight hours. Plus some of you could use the beauty rest, the facemasks don’t cover everything.

As tempting as it may be to stay up until 2:30 on a Wednesday to watch that episode of The Office you’ve seen 47 times, you know the one, try to keep a regular sleep schedule. Trust me, it’s a lot easier to listen to your boss chew you out on a conference call when you’re not running on 3 hours of sleep.

Take a vacation

What? Where the fuck am I supposed to go? Nowhere. And that’s the point. Just log off your computer, pop on your OOO, and get to doing whatever you want to be doing instead of working. Seriously. It’s that easy. Just because you can’t take legs or hot dog pics in the Maldives doesn’t mean you can’t pop a hammock in the back yard and just hang at your house. Pina coladas taste just as good on your porch, I promise.

Stop listening to hustle porn 

Gary Vee has a lot to say, but he’s also a massive dickhead. You can “hustle” I cringe writing that, but you don’t have to. Seriously, you can go on LinkedIn and every recruiter and middle management “guru” is on there touting how they never take days off and frequently work through the weekends. You’ll also notice, with a little digging, that that’s exactly why they’re divorced and their kids hate them. Work hard, sure, but there’s no need to sacrifice your personal life. Even if your personal life lately consists of long, passionate nights with a large pizza and a 12 pack of White Claws… by yourself… just like you’ll always be. 

Just Chill

That’s it, get rest, stop watching so much (hustle) porn, and take some time for yourself. If you’re feeling really burnt out? Just quit your job. OK, maybe that last tip isn’t very helpful, but it’s always an option.

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The Water Coolest is a daily business newsletter consisting of business news, financial advice, and unfiltered commentary. Delivered fresh in your inbox every morning so you're ready to snap necks and cash checks. Written by Tyler Morrin, AJ Glagolev, Nick Ellis, and Ian Barto.