2 remote workers explain how to fight burnout while working from home

• There are different things workers can do if they are feeling burned out while working from home.
• One worker would pack her bag, get dressed, and do other things to get ready before signing online.
• Another remote worker suggested time blocking, such as for "true work time."

Roxy Couse's starts her mornings by getting changed into an outfit for work, picking out a bag, and putting her laptop in its cover. The 35-year-old then makes the "commute" to her workspace — a designated home office that is just a short walk in her Indiana house from where she gets ready for the day.

All of these different ways to get ready for the work day have helped Couse with her self-described work-from-home fatigue.

"I was in the cycle of going from bed to desk, from desk to dinner table, from dinner table to couch, and then repeating the cycle again," she said in a TikTok video from July.

But Couse wanted to make changes.

"I have all these clothes I haven't worn in three years, and that's how I started," Couse told Insider. "I just decided I was going to show up. I was going to get dressed and just sort of change my mindset a little bit."

Gleb Tsipursky, a behavioral scientist and CEO of the hybrid work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts, told Insider in an email that the rise of remote work has many advantages but also introduced problems "that have contributed to increased levels of burnout and fatigue."

"Key factors such as the erosion of work-life boundaries, extended work hours, and the isolation of working alone can collectively contribute to work-from-home exhaustion," Tsipursky said.

Sherri Carpineto, 47, has been working from home in various jobs for nearly two decades. She said work-from-home burnout is low at her current company.

"Having a culture and supportive team that works remotely and understands the unique challenges, helps cut down on burnout and isolation," Carpineto said as one tip for remote workers feeling burned out.

Carpineto and Couse shared several tips about working remotely and alleviating burnout, based on their experiences.

Workers should try to have a separate space for work and get ready for work each day

Couse said having a designated workspace has helped her. It is a bedroom that has been converted into an office space filled with motivational quotes and photos on a wall.

"Part of reducing my WFH fatigue included ensuring I had a comfortable, inspiring, and motivating space," Couse said.

Some of the things on her desk include pens, a fan, and a laptop riser.

"I try not to go into the living room in front of the TV or in the spaces where we do our living," Couse said. "I try not to work from there. I really want to create that separation."

Workers also should still make an effort to get ready for the day even if they are working from home, she said.

"People talk about romanticizing their life and the little moments," Couse said. "So I get dressed up, I pack my bag, so my laptop goes in my laptop cover, which goes in my bag."

Couse also does her hair before logging on to work and also said she would sometimes put on shoes. Additionally, she said she doesn't always use the same bag.

"I leave my bag in the kitchen area after work so I can grab it off the kitchen table when I'm ready to go into the office," Couse told Insider.

Workers should time block their day

Carpineto said that especially for parents, having work and home balance is hard — and the balance is "even rougher when you don't have delineated lines."

"The key in eliminating work from home burnout is really about time blocking," Carpineto said.

There are different types of time blocking and it's defined as "a scheduling format that helps boost productivity by dividing your day into specific blocks of time," according to project-management software company monday.com.

"You need definitive guidelines and boundaries that you set and ensure you abide by," Carpineto said. "Just because work is always there doesn't mean you always need to be 'on.'"

For example, Carpineto uses time blocking to focus on getting work done as her days can fill up with meetings and work calls. She also uses it to get outside when the weather is nice and to just step away from a computer screen. She tries to block off time where she can "really try to disassociate myself with work for a little bit, just like you would in an office where you'd go for lunch" or for breaks.

Carpineto suggested time blocking for "true work time" where you can designate time "to actually get your stuff done, not just be on calls."

Tell yourself 'it's time to shut down'

One thing that helped with Couse's mindset shift, she said, was vocally saying to herself "it's time to shut down" before turning to after-work activities and tasks. That can mean walking her dogs or doing golf training.

"There's something happening where I need to leave work and actually go do something," Couse said. "Maybe we had busier lives before COVID, I don't know, but I just felt like I always had something to do after work. And I try to make that my thing now as well."

Try to plan time to connect with coworkers

Carpineto said getting work done from home doesn't mean you can't work on relationships with your colleagues.

"Connecting with co-workers at work, and chatting about things outside of the job, helps build relationships and teams," Carpineto said. "In addition, team building activities or even starting Zoom meetings off with a more friendly banter helps build those collaborative relationships in a remote setting more easily."

Overall, there are a few different things remote workers can do.

"For those grappling with work-from-home fatigue or burnout, structured routines, the demarcation of physical workspaces, organized social interactions, and the use of telehealth services for mental health support can be effective solutions," Tsipursky said. "I also recommend leveraging technology for automating tasks, setting reminders to take breaks, and encouraging asynchronous communication to lessen the digital interaction overload."

What is your job like working from home or in an office? Are you feeling burned out at work? Share your story with this reporter at mhoff@insider.com,