With the new norm of work and school being online, it’s easy to find yourself feeling burnt out. Many students are being overworked to make up for not having their classes in person. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and not take care of yourself since your main priority is checking off boxes of endless deadlines. Although we are in a global pandemic and have no choice but to go to school or even work online, we still need to be mindful of our physical and mental health. Here are 5 ways to combat online fatigue!
- Schedule in breaks
-
When thinking of schedules, usually due dates and appointments come to mind. But it’s important to schedule free time too. Actively plan your free time into your daily routine. This way you will be more likely to commit to it and actually give yourself a break. Make it fun and log all of these scheduled breaks into a bullet journal. Or, if you are not into journaling, just simply set alarms in your alarm app on your phone.
- Eat something other than just an iced coffee!
-
As a university student, I know how easy it is to drink a large iced coffee and maybe a granola bar and call it a day. Although iced coffee is filled with tons of caffeine and sugar, it will only give you a temporary boost of energy and will result in an energy crash. You can still find the boost of energy you’re looking for in foods that have natural sugars such as bananas, and foods that have protein such as eggs. These will keep you energized all day without the caffeine crash. Make sure you have at least three balanced meals. Thanks to Zoom, it’s easier to have a bite while in lectures.
- Get some fresh air
-
Many of us are staying inside and doing our best to social distance. But it is unhealthy to be staring at a screen all day and not get fresh air from time to time. Back when we were on campus, we still had long lectures but we were still able to go outside and walk to our next class. Since we don’t have that luxury anymore, that doesn’t mean we should stay in for days. Try to plan going out for a walk at least once a day or every other day. You can even walk with a friend or a pet to stay more committed. Walking outside is great for your immune system and will allow your body to not be as tense. Even if you don’t have time to go for a walk, you can take your laptop outside and work while sitting on your porch or backyard.
- Invest in ergonomic products
-
There are many products out there that will help make schooling and working from home a lot more manageable and improve your health. Staring at your computer for 10 hours a day puts a lot of strain on your eyes due to the harsh lighting of your computer screen. To combat this you should invest in blue light blocking glasses. There are prescription and non-prescription options available. You can get them at your local optometrist or even cheap off Amazon. These filter out harsh blue lights on your device which cause restless sleeping, eye strain, and even migraines. Another thing to purchase would be a standing desk which you can get at IKEA. Standing desks help with circulation and help you be “active” even when you don’t have time to.
- Be easy on yourself
-
These are difficult times for everyone and there’s nothing wrong with admitting you are stressed, fatigued, and ready to give up. Don’t push yourself too hard. Know your limits and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your school or workplace should accommodate you. It’s okay to ask for extra time and allow yourself time to address your physical and mental health. Just because you’re home all day doesn’t mean you should only be working all day. Make time to spend with family and friends. Take up hobbies you’ve always wanted to try but never had time to. You can still be getting all of your responsibilities done while doing acts of self-care.
Online fatigue is combat-able! Life is hectic right now and we are all forced to be glued to our screens. We should still make time to eat, sleep, and practice self-care. There are a lot of tools that can help with this and as the pandemic progresses people will need to learn how to adapt to online fatigue rather than succumb to it. Online fatigue is combat-able and you can still get things done without physically and mentally feeling awful.