Dr. Maneet Bhatia spoke about tips to avoid burning out when working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic in a recent interview with 770 CHQR. You can listen to the interview here or view the transcript below.
Andrew:
Rolling out of bed and getting straight to work might seem like a dream come true, but it could cause serious burnout. Clinical psychologist, Maneet Bhatia, joins us now with some tips to stay fresh when working from home.
Good morning to you Maneet.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
Good morning. Thanks for having me on.
Andrew:
Thanks for being here. It’s interesting because for those who have not done it, outside looking in, it does indeed look like the dream, but it might be more challenging. That’s something you’re here to tell us, is that right?
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
Yeah, absolutely. As you said in your intro there, it sounds like a great idea. Work starts at eight o’clock, you roll out of bed at 7:30, 7:45 and hop onto your laptop and start your day. But what I’m finding is, clinically what talking to people and patients is… Jumping into your day without a transition into work. And then at the end of your day, transitioning from work to home is creating a lot more stress. We’re creatures of habit. We need our routines. What happens in the past, prior to COVID, we would get up at a particular time, make our breakfast, get ready, perhaps do an early morning workout, listen to a podcast or a radio show as you’re driving into work or taking public transportation. And these transitions allowed for you to build in some healthy, physical, and mental wellness checks, as well being out in nature, getting fresh air. And also provides a sense of buffers from getting ready for the stress that is work.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
I think it’s really important for us to reassess this idea of just jumping into work and then jumping out of work. We really need to create those routines and those transitions that we took for granted when we were working from the offices rather, and that we thought would be a nice luxury to not to have when we started working from home.
Sue:
Makes a lot of sense, Maneet, really just easing into that workday, right? Where we have to buckle down and really just focus on the job and the task at hand. And I would imagine, too, people being at home, you don’t take those breaks that you might at work where someone comes by, you stop to talk to them, or you get up and stretch your legs. Are people locked in at home and they don’t give themselves a little bit of time to breathe here and there through the day, either?
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
Absolutely. I think it’s a really good point and I think it’s so important now, especially because it’s you and the laptop in a room, perhaps, or computer, and you can get really bogged into your work. It can be very isolating and quite frankly, lonely to be working from home and not being around your team or coworkers and colleagues.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
What I talk about is a virtual water cooler, where at the office, you get up for 10 minutes, you stretch, you go have some water, chat about something social and have conversations and connect with people. What I’m encouraging people to do in their days, working from home is create those 10-to-15-minute moments where if you got to take an audio call at work or some meeting, do it while you’re taking a walk outside or have a phone call with a friend for 10, 15 minutes or a Zoom call to break up your day. But to create those 10-to-15-minute breaks that you would otherwise have had at work, but implement them and make them a priority as part of your day from home so that you’re breaking up your day, creating some social moments, some changes in your schedule. And also, if you can, to do things outside as we’re getting into winter and I know it gets really cold, but with COVID and lockdowns and all that, we need to try to find ways to also have those water-cooler moments, even outside to get that fresh air.
Andrew:
You’re mentioning all these different elements to make it feel more work-like and more like the office environment. But I would think that from what you’re saying, we literally have to put this in the calendar or on that old school day-timer and follow it, not just do these things Willy-nilly whenever we want through the day.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
I absolutely, I think there needs to be a real intention and attitude towards setting healthy routines and boundaries. And like you said, great point, scheduling it into your day and it may sound very basic, but it’s important. So at 10 o’clock, I’ll take a 10-minute break.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
And also it’s very important, the key word here is to be able to create boundaries around your day. For example, working from home, you need to prioritize obviously your work, but do you prioritize your mental health? And also being able to create those boundaries where, if you’re living with a family member or your partner or kids or a roommate, it’s starting to create that space that’s separate from work that is strictly home and work… You can create that balance and that separation and making sure that even at the end of the day, I want to make this point, which is so important tying it back to transitions is, the past you finish work at five o’clock, you catch the bus, you catch your ride and you had that transition, but working from home, the flip side also happens at the end of the day where you can just continue to work indefinitely into the evening.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
It’s really creating those hard-line boundaries and saying, “Okay, I’m checking out right now. I’m logging out. I’m done for the day.” Or, “I’m taking my break here and I’m not going to negotiate that. I’m going to actually make that as part of my required routine.”
Sue:
And maybe that’s as simple as setting your alarm for that 10-minute break, whatever time you want to schedule that in, and setting your alarm for when your workday should end, that sort of thing.
Sue:
Are you also a big proponent of getting up in the morning, brushing your teeth, getting dressed, even if it’s just throwing on your sweats, that sort of daily routine, as well, to get yourself into the work mode?
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
Absolutely. I highly encourage people to do that and even, to some extent, dress like you’re going to work, right? Especially the tops, right? Because nowadays with the computer and the Zoom, we can maybe keep our sweats but will put a dress shirt or something on, but really there’s a psychological component to that. Obviously taking a shower, brushing your teeth, you feel better, you feel re-energized, charged, and dressing up. Psychologically, it can also give you a sense of confidence, you feel like you look good. Those are healthy boosts for your self-esteem and it also gives you a different attitude and outlook on your day and it gives you a sense of, “Okay, I’m actually going into work.”
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
And then also at the end of the day, when you then have to change out of it, it’s also in addition to what you said about setting an alarm, or having a buzzer to log off, you’re also then changing out of your work clothes, which again, programs your brain to say, “Okay, Maneet, you’re done for the day, take off your dress shirt, put on your sweats and now have your evening.” That also can create and force almost that kind of separation in our mind about work and home.
Andrew:
Maneet, how can we recognize signs of burnout in ourselves or perhaps in our spouse or our roommate that we can see working from home that may have taken it too far and might not realize it?
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
That’s a really important question. There are several layers to burnout and it can start off with physical, emotional, mental exhaustion. If you’re noticing you’re more tired, you’re not sleeping well, they’re noticing things like headaches. You’re a little more irritable. Also, you’re starting to feel a sense of cynicism and doubt with your work and maybe more pessimism. I also hear people are starting to lose meaning in their work. And they’re just feeling overwhelmed, things like feeling sluggish and dragging your feet and just trucking along, but not in a way that is energizing or rewarding. And if that’s all relative for everybody, everyone has a different relationship with work. But it’s really looking at how you used to be versus where you are.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
The thing I always tell people is to continuously check-in and ask yourself this question every day is, “How am I feeling today? How’s my body feeling? And how am I taking care of myself?” And also paying attention to people in your life, whether it’s your partner, roommates if you’re noticing changes in their behaviors, as well. And that’s likely a sign that obviously they’re dealing with some stress and we live in such an uncertain time. I want to say this, as well, this is not something to be ashamed of or worried about in the sense of being, “I’m not normal.” This is very normal to feel these things right now, given the weight of the world that we’re all experiencing and we’re trying to process.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
Paying attention to those kinds of symptoms and those experiences, and that’s likely a sign that, perhaps, you’re maybe overworking, not creating healthy transitions and having a good work-life balance, and trying to start with implementing these steps. And of course, if you need some help you can always call someone, a mental health professional to get some support.
Sue:
Great information, Maneet. Thank you so much for joining us, an important topic to cover. Appreciate your time.
Dr. Maneet Bhatia:
Thank you for having me.
Sue:
That is clinical psychologist, Maneet Bhatia.
*Learn more tips for working from home in a healthy way during the COVID-19 pandemic here or reach out to book a phone or online therapy appointment.