How to prevent workplace burnout after lockdown
Hong Kong is one of the world’s most densely populated metropolitan areas and home to 7.5 million people. Unlike other large urban centres it has managed to keep the spread of COVID-19 under control - recording just 1,200 cases by the end of June 2020.
Since early May, its workers have returned to offices and other places of employment. Journify user and Hong Kong based entrepreneur Sophie Fujiwara is one of those workers. Here she shares her experience of the transition back into the workplace as lockdown restrictions are relaxed....
We hear the phrase "the new normal" almost daily, but everyday there seems to be a newer normal. With constant change, it's hard to ever feel fully adjusted. Here in Hong Kong, restrictions have been almost fully lifted, so I returned to my normal routine a few weeks ago; embracing the rush-hour commutes and long days in the office. Quickly, I realized that I was only going through the motions, and I was mentally many steps behind, leaving me sleep deprived and unable to focus - an unsustainable combination. To stop myself from burning out too quickly, I decided to take a step back and take the transition at my own pace.
Starting my mornings right
I began to dread starting each day battling crowds on my morning commute, especially since I was hyper aware of being in close proximity with so many people. It left me feeling drained by the time I got to the office, which had a snowball effect throughout the day. So, I changed my journey, and opted to take a longer route that allowed for a secluded walk, using the extra time to audio journal my plans, concerns and reflections or listen to previous recordings. I now feel energized every morning and mentally prepared to take on whatever the day holds.
Prioritizing sleep
In lockdown, I'd devised a sleep routine that was seriously incompatible with my office hours. But when I started going back to the office, I couldn't fall asleep any earlier, so I was sleep deprived and my productivity dropped massively. So, I asked to alter my hours so that I could spend the next few weeks slowly adjusting my sleep schedule and as a bonus, avoid rush hour. Reading Matthew Walker's Why We Sleep reaffirmed the importance of a gradual change in my sleeping hours and how crucial a full night's sleep is.
Social (media) distancing
The inadvertent pressure from social media is one of the worst culprits in making us not take things at our own pace. It meant I would constantly compare my adjustment to others, who seemed to be doing it all, and I felt like I was just being lazy. It's hard to remember that it's only ever a snapshot you're seeing. However, in the few days that I was pushing myself to run at full speed, I got the unintended benefit of having less time to be on social media. I realized how it was keeping me in a better frame of mind, so I'm now actively using in-app limits and pulling myself away when I catch myself aimlessly scrolling. Now, I keep up with people through sending and listening to audio voice notes which document more candid experiences where we support each other and complain and laugh together.
Expecting the unexpected
I get frustrated almost everyday by some pandemic-related surprise at work, and attribute the blame to myself. All of the other changes I've made have helped me curate a better mindset and so I wanted to extend this to the mindset I face work with. I'm learning to use CBT to rationalize these events, both in the moment and while reflecting in audio journals. I'm readying myself to encounter something out of the ordinary at any moment - because these circumstances aren't ordinary.
The physical changes will take a toll on you mentally. For me, it is the right mindset which allows me to persevere while also adhering to my own limits. Although all these steps alone are minor, I identified what was problematic about my transition and tackled those in the simplest ways possible. Rather than fully immersing myself and burning out, I'm slowing down, and that's what's right for me.
If you’re interested in reading more about the importance of rest, check out Matthew Walker’s ‘Why We Sleep’. Walker is the Director of UC Berkeley’s Human Sleep Science Center, and explains how the quality and quantity of our sleep affects every waking hour. He demystifies the concept of a “sleep debt”, showing how we will suffer in both the short and long term by forgoing sleep.
Sophie Fujiwara is the founder of Jira Swim and a student at Stanford University, based between Hong Kong, London and Los Angeles. When she's not tackling period poverty or the climate crisis, she can be found fueling her coffee addiction or exploring her local food scene.
