3 steps to stop remote work burnout

Too much screen time, too many video calls and too few boundaries make working from home hard for all of us. Podcast host and writer Morra Aarons-Mele shares honest advice on what you can learn from the introverts in your life about protecting your energy and your limits.

You might think that working remotely
is an introvert's dream:

you're in your own home
hidden behind a computer,

possibly in your pajamas.

But the truth is,

for many introverts,
remote work is kind of a nightmare.

[TED: The Way We Work]

[Made possible
with the support of Dropbox]

Now that the pandemic
has chased many of us out of our offices,

we're chafing under the new
remote rules of work:

too much screen time;

a lack of boundaries
between work and home;

endless video calls.

The same things that make remote work
difficult for introverts

make it difficult for everyone.

Far and away, the worst part
of remote work is video calls.

Being on camera is a performance.

Thoughtless scheduling can mean
you're basically onstage performing

for eight hours a day.

There are none of the nuanced cues
that help you read a room.

Staring at disembodied heads on a screen

offers only a pale imitation
of real human connection.

Social anxiety only makes this worse.

When you have a camera in your face,

that can really trigger
your social anxiety.

It takes energy to be on.

So the key to managing remote work
is to protect your energy.

First, pay attention
to ritual and routine.

As much as we hated our commutes,

they were a ritual that created
a boundary between work and home.

And we need that.

For many of us, those little breaks
that we would build in to the work day --

going to get a cup of coffee
or a chat with a coworker --

those are gone, too.

For me, those rituals are when
I gather my energy,

assume my work character

and get into the right headspace

to dive in.

So how can you recreate those breaks
and boundaries at home?

The key is to be intentional.

It could be music or lighting,

a pep talk with a friend.

You could take a walk around the block
at a certain time of day

or even a breathing or stretching routine

before you sit --

whatever it takes for you
to delineate the transition

between work and home.

Second, we need to manage
our pace, place and space.

You can think of pacing
as managing the interactions

that tax your energy

versus those that recharge you.

You could schedule fewer videoconferences,

because remember, those are performances.

You could schedule downtime
or recharge time after performances.

Oprah does this,

as do many introverted
performers and CEOs.

You could consider the time of day.

Think about when you can
typically summon the energy to be on

and save other times for quiet work.

For place, use your workspace

to help you enforce good boundaries.

Even if your desk is in your kitchen,

make it feel like a workplace.

For space, build in
some alone time every day.

And this includes
time away from your kids.

It's really key to avoiding burnout.

Finally, if you're a manager,

you have a special role to play

to help employees protect
their pace, place and space.

Manage the room during video calls.

Even remotely, chatty extroverts
tend to dominate.

To create a space
where everyone can be heard,

structure agendas,

assign presentation rules

and minimize brainstorming.

Brainstorming can trigger social anxiety,

and it can freeze up introverts.

Instead, create a shared space
where people can write their ideas

before a brainstorming session.

Favor audio over video calls.

Research shows that we actually
communicate more emotion and nuance

via audio alone.

Try asynchronous communication

for more complicated
or provocative one-on-ones.

You can steal this idea
from author Robert Glazer:

record a voice memo or video on your phone
explaining your perspective

and send it to a colleague.

And that way, they can respond
and react in their own time.

Along with a lot of challenges now,

we have an opportunity.

Remote work is here to stay,

so don't just transfer old habits
and old company culture

to remote work.

Build something better.

To get started,

ask the introverts in your office
what their ideal day looks like

and take your cue from there.