Remote work, once seen as a dream of flexibility and freedom, has quietly blurred the lines between home and office. The shift to working from home promised comfort no commute, flexible hours, and the freedom to dress down. But as days turned into months and laptops became permanent fixtures on kitchen tables, many began to feel an invisible weight: burnout that doesn’t always look like exhaustion, but rather, a slow fading of energy, focus, and joy.

    

The real challenge lies in the lack of boundaries. With no physical office to leave behind, the workday stretches endlessly. A quick reply to an email after dinner becomes a habit, weekend check-ins start feeling normal, and the pressure to stay available creeps in quietly. Over time, this constant state of being ‘on’ drains more than just time it chips away at mental well-being. Unlike traditional burnout, remote work fatigue hides behind a screen. You’re home, yet not at peace.

To fight this, the answer isn’t more productivity apps but its permission. Permission to log off, to reclaim mornings, to pause without guilt. Remote work can still be freeing, but only when we remember that rest is not laziness. It’s the reset our minds need to truly show up not just online, but in life.

Remote work Burnout: The invisible strain of always being ‘On’