I thought working from home was the dream. No commute, ultimate flexibility, and the ability to create my own schedule. But somewhere between rolling out of bed and rolling onto my laptop, I lost sight of where work ended and life began. Before I knew it, burnout had crept in, and I didn’t even realise it was happening.
For months, I ignored the warning signs. I told myself I was just tired, that I’d bounce back soon. But looking back, the signs were glaringly obvious:
No transition between work and home – My laptop followed me everywhere, from the kitchen table to the couch and even to bed. There was no clear start or end to my workday.
Working late into the night – I convinced myself that answering “just one more email” at 11 p.m. wasn’t a big deal, even as my sleep suffered.
Ignoring physical symptoms – Eye strain, tension headaches, and an aching back became my norm, but I kept pushing through.
Lack of routine – Without the structure of an office, my days blurred together, making it harder to set boundaries.
Dismissing the exhaustion – I told myself I just needed a weekend to recharge, but every Monday felt like starting from zero again.
Eventually, my body forced me to listen. I hit a wall—mentally, emotionally, and physically. My cycles stopped, my energy tanked, and I found myself running on fumes. What I thought was early menopause turned out to be chronic stress shutting my system down. My body was waving a red flag, and I had ignored it for far too long.
Six Ways to Get Through Burnout When You Work from Home
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Here are six things that helped me shift from burnout to balance:
Create a clear transition between work and home. Create a workspace that is dedicated to work only in our home i.e the kitchen table. No devices in the bedroom, chill out areas like the sofa etc. Also if possible go and work from a local cafe or library for the first part of your day so you get out, see other people and have a break from your home.
Set realistic expectationsYou are not a machine.
Adjust your workload to fit your current energy levels and responsibilities, instead of trying to meet impossible standards.
Know when to disconnect
Set a firm work schedule and stick to it. Set an alarm in your phone for lunch time and break times and get up, shut down your laptop and go outside. Let your team know your hours, and respect them yourself. No checking emails at midnight!
Prioritise sleep
Stop sacrificing rest for “just one more task.” Your body needs sleep to function properly. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Something that helped me was to set an alarm at 9pm every night and this meant it was time to brush my teeth and start my evening routine.
Watch for unhealthy habits
Stress makes it easy to lean on caffeine, junk food, or skipping workouts. Your body craves foods that are packed with nutrients and minerals and vitimins, if you start craving sweets, sugar and junk food then your body is trying to get fast energy into it because it’s running on empty. Pay attention when your food habits start to lean towards junk food.
Honour your values
If family and personal time matter to you, protect them. Put the laptop away. Be present. Your work will still be there tomorrow.
You Don’t Have to Handle Burnout Alone
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, reach out to me for support. I know what you’re going through and I know some epic tools on how to slow things down so you can still ‘do what you need to do’ but do it from a place of ease, peace and calm.
BE the kind of person who looks after themselves and their health first and everything else will flow.
With Love,
Em x
For months, I ignored the warning signs. I told myself I was just tired, that I’d bounce back soon. But looking back, the signs were glaringly obvious:
No transition between work and home – My laptop followed me everywhere, from the kitchen table to the couch and even to bed. There was no clear start or end to my workday.
Working late into the night – I convinced myself that answering “just one more email” at 11 p.m. wasn’t a big deal, even as my sleep suffered.
Ignoring physical symptoms – Eye strain, tension headaches, and an aching back became my norm, but I kept pushing through.
Lack of routine – Without the structure of an office, my days blurred together, making it harder to set boundaries.
Dismissing the exhaustion – I told myself I just needed a weekend to recharge, but every Monday felt like starting from zero again.
Eventually, my body forced me to listen. I hit a wall—mentally, emotionally, and physically. My cycles stopped, my energy tanked, and I found myself running on fumes. What I thought was early menopause turned out to be chronic stress shutting my system down. My body was waving a red flag, and I had ignored it for far too long.
Six Ways to Get Through Burnout When You Work from Home
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Here are six things that helped me shift from burnout to balance:
Create a clear transition between work and home. Create a workspace that is dedicated to work only in our home i.e the kitchen table. No devices in the bedroom, chill out areas like the sofa etc. Also if possible go and work from a local cafe or library for the first part of your day so you get out, see other people and have a break from your home.
Set realistic expectationsYou are not a machine.
Adjust your workload to fit your current energy levels and responsibilities, instead of trying to meet impossible standards.
Know when to disconnect
Set a firm work schedule and stick to it. Set an alarm in your phone for lunch time and break times and get up, shut down your laptop and go outside. Let your team know your hours, and respect them yourself. No checking emails at midnight!
Prioritise sleep
Stop sacrificing rest for “just one more task.” Your body needs sleep to function properly. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Something that helped me was to set an alarm at 9pm every night and this meant it was time to brush my teeth and start my evening routine.
Watch for unhealthy habits
Stress makes it easy to lean on caffeine, junk food, or skipping workouts. Your body craves foods that are packed with nutrients and minerals and vitimins, if you start craving sweets, sugar and junk food then your body is trying to get fast energy into it because it’s running on empty. Pay attention when your food habits start to lean towards junk food.
Honour your values
If family and personal time matter to you, protect them. Put the laptop away. Be present. Your work will still be there tomorrow.
You Don’t Have to Handle Burnout Alone
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, reach out to me for support. I know what you’re going through and I know some epic tools on how to slow things down so you can still ‘do what you need to do’ but do it from a place of ease, peace and calm.
BE the kind of person who looks after themselves and their health first and everything else will flow.
With Love,
Em x
