Feeling burned out? Strategies for setting boundaries for digital wellness

The transition to remote work at the outset of the pandemic was a welcome one for many-- we believed we would reclaim that elusive work-life balance. We envisioned spending the hours normally spent commuting or preparing for the work day baking bread, learning a new hobby, putting a dent in our to-do lists or simply relaxing.

What we didn't expect was that pandemic life would last for so long. 

Going into our third year, the option to stay remote is still welcome, but balance is still elusive. Work hours bleed into all hours of the day, as we find ourselves technically always available. We are unable to focus while working, so tasks take longer than necessary to complete. And even when we're not at work, we're too often still online, subject to a relentless news cycle-- 44% of 18- to 49-year-olds say they are online almost constantly. 

This inability to unplug and recharge is a perfect storm for burnout and anxiety:

• 77 percent of respondents to a Deloitte poll said they experienced employee burnout at their current job. More than half said it had happened more than once. 91 percent said having an unmanageable amount of stress or frustration negatively impacted the quality of their work, and 83 percent felt burnout from work negatively impacted their personal relationships.
• More than 50% of U.S. employees feel like they have to check their email after 11pm, according to Harvard Business Review.

And these numbers are from BEFORE the pandemic! 

If you're finding yourself consistently stressed and distracted because you're "always on", these tips may help you find online-offline balance.

1. Do a digital audit.

🔸Your phone probably already tracks how much it's in use on a daily or weekly basis. This number is likely to be startling, but it's a starting point so you can set goals to reduce your online time.

2. Establish screen free times and stick to them! 

🔸Try going device free first thing in the morning, at mealtimes, while you're with friends and family, and during the hour before bed.

🔸When you're feeling overwhelmed, do a hard stop: an afternoon, a whole day or a weekend without checking emails or social media. Let loved ones know to call you instead in the event of an emergency.

3. Minimize distractions during the work day so it doesn't extend beyond established work hours-- by which I mean both literal time, and time spent thinking about work when you should be off the clock. 

🔸Turn on Do Not Disturb mode on your phone or otherwise disable notifications, so you're not tempted to check social media or text messages. Studies show it can take as long as 23 minutes to refocus after a distraction.

🔸Try an app in your browser that blocks time-wasting websites while you're working.

4. Take short breaks regularly.

🔸Set a timer to remind you to get up and walk away from your devices on a regular basis. In the long run, these "brain breaks" help you to decompress and restore energy for better focus and productivity.

🔸These breaks also combat the muscle stiffness and circulation issues that accompany sitting for too long. Get your heart pumping!

5. Stop the "doomscroll."

🔸Does it seem like all you see is bad news? "Doomscrolling" is genuinely stressful, provoking the "fight or flight" response and producing adrenaline and cortisol. Be selective about what you watch and read, and who you engage with online (and don't read the comments!). 

🔸If you find that you tend to pick up the phone and mindlessly scroll, look for something else to do with your hands-- in the same way that an ex-smoker might chew gum instead. Keep a book nearby, journal, doodle, knit.

6. Embrace screen-free activities.

🔸It is understandable that resuming pre-pandemic activities might feel unnatural after spending so much of the last couple of years indoors. We've become unused to meeting with friends "just because," but time together is almost always worth the effort. Remember what you used to love to do with your time before Facebook existed, and try doing that! 

🔸Allow yourself to be bored. We don't have to fill every moment of every day. 

On the page, white space feels less crowded and more calming. It makes it easier for us to process what is written on it.

White space in our minds functions in the same way. I hope these tips help you to better create boundaries for more white space in your life!