A regular work day is structured around your daily commute. Employees leave the office for other activities once they are done with work to wind down, such as having dinner, playing sports or watching a movie with friends or loved ones. However, when we no longer need to commute to and fro the office, we end up spending more time working.
Sitting down for long hours has proven to negatively affect the quality of an employee’s work and health. Taking periodic breaks might seem obvious to most, but many people struggle between taking regular breaks as they don’t see a need to. They are also less likely to take a break to go for a walk in the middle of the day to get another cup of coffee or a snack.
It has never been more important to reinstate these social habits and behaviours. Stop replying to emails at 6am or 10pm! Make dinner plans with your friends to catch up with them, hit the gym or watch a newly-released movie on streaming sites - having such ‘me’ time is important for maintaining a balanced lifestyle.
3. know when to take a break and log off
The increased reliance on technology has unintentionally peeled back a layer to expose the unhealthy side of an employer-employee relationship amidst this pandemic. More often than not, your manager may send you an email, giving you a non-urgent task to complete outside of working hours, because they have chosen to work after hours. And if you are already watching YouTube videos on your laptop, you are more than likely to just switch tabs and start responding to these emails. And the next thing you know, it’s way past your bedtime.
Being able to work helps create a sense of security, as you may feel that your contributions are being valued and you are therefore less likely to be retrenched. Many employees are also happy to step up and provide support during this period of time as well, particularly those in essential services. It is also difficult to say whether the amount of work will subside in the near future with the evolving situation.
However, it is important to take a break. A machine can’t run for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no breaks. At some point, they need to be oiled to ensure more consistent and better outcomes or be rebooted for a software update. The same applies to humans. It is critical for employees to take care of their own physical and mental health. If you’re on an overdrive and feeling extremely productive at work, make sure you plan for some leave dates ahead of time before you burnout from work.
how can employers help ease their employee’s stressors and workload?
As much as it is the staff’s responsibility to manage their own time, it is also the employer’s responsibility to manage their team’s time.