Working remotely, as many of us have discovered, is both a blessing and a curse. Flexibility, yes. Longer work hours, almost certainly. And when your “to do” list never seems to end, it’s easy to spend more hours at your desk trying to check off every task.
Balance is the answer, and finding interests outside of work that recharge you. For example, if you spend your day using the left side of your brain sorting through spreadsheets, look for an interest that’s the exact opposite. One friend in this situation chose to learn to ride a unicycle. He found it challenging and it forced him to be completely in the moment, using the body instead of the mind. So many people got into sourdough bread baking during the pandemic that it became a joke. But this interest also creates balance for those of us who spend our days at the keyboard. Baking is intensely tactile. It stimulates many of the senses – smell, sight, touch – and encourages creativity (“Should I make a rye raisin bread next? Or maybe a garlic asiago?”)
Working from home can also be lonely. Many of us are missing the social interaction that normally comes with working in the same physical space. Finding hobbies that add that social buzz back into your life can recharge you. Interests can be a way to find new community—dance class, hiking or walking groups, cycling clubs, golf or basketball. It’s an opportunity to not talk about work and just focus on the landscape at hand.
Alternately, you might need a hobby to give you a break from human interaction. Consider swimming, meditation, art, knitting, yoga or playing an instrument. And while binge watching a reality TV show can be relaxing, in the long run, finding an interest that stimulates a different part of your brain or body is the healthier way to go. The most important part is finding something that lets you stop your “work” mind and come back refreshed.
None of this will happen if you don’t take it as seriously as your daily work. That’s the tough part. Each day we plan our activities around work priorities—appointments, tasks, meetings, goals. Now, add to that process what your “interest” goals will be. What do you need to do for yourself, to recharge and add balance? It’s so easy to push aside an exercise class or meditation to make room for yet another work priority. Take a good hard look at your daily schedule and build in time for your interests. For example, maybe Fridays are a quiet day with no meetings. Schedule a block in your day for that class or bike ride, and let coworkers know you’re not available. And just as you do with work priorities, hold yourself accountable to accomplish those personal goals. Find a planning tool that reminds you to focus on all aspects of your life as you construct your daily task list (Rocketbook’s Panda Planner is one example).
It’s been a long, hard couple of years. Many lives have been upended. Workers are reconsidering their careers, looking for something new. But whether you’re staying or going, your mental health needs tending to. One answer to avoiding burnout is to give expression to all parts of your personality. Find your passion, your interests, whatever recharges you, and give it the priority it deserves in your daily life.
