When many of us began working remotely at the start of the pandemic, there seemed to be some advantages to working from home: no lengthy and costly commutes, more family time, greater flexibility, and more time to exercise. Since then, though, we’ve discovered there are downsides. The truth is, working from home can lead to overwhelm, exhaustion, and even burnout. That’s partly the result of blurred lines between our work and personal lives.

“‘Working From Home Fatigue’ isn’t all in your head,” says Risa Mish, J.D., a professor of management at Cornell University, “it’s a real thing.” She says telltale signs include: “feeling distracted, unable to disconnect from work, feeling detached from colleagues, and experiencing a sense of ‘Zoom Dread’ — that you just can’t face another virtual meeting.”

The body deals with WFH-related stress with that all too familiar fight-or-flight response, says Mish. She describes this as “our internal Code Red/alert signal, when our adrenal glands produce a surge of hormones (cortisol and adrenaline).” But this system is intended as a temporary response to imminent danger, Mish says. “Being constantly flooded with stress hormones leaves us depleted, which is where a lot of us are right now.”

Here are eight ways to combat WFH fatigue and replenish your energy.

Write down all your concerns

Choose which concerns to set aside

De-clutter your office — and your life!

Set healthy boundaries with your screens

Shift your mindset

Give back

Meditate and/or practice deep breathing

Write a list of things that bring you joy — and do them!

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