Zoom Fatigue and Coffee Breaks: The Ultimate Work From Home Survival Guide

Working from home is the dream until you’re 5 Zoom calls in, eating cereal for dinner, and wondering if pajamas count as pants. But don’t worry, we got you. Here’s your ultra-easy survival guide to beating Zoom fatigue and staying productive and sane while working from home.

The Burnout-Proof Desk Setup

Desk therapy is real, and it starts with creating a space that supports your brain and back. Because your desk isn’t just your workspace, it’s your daily launchpad, and it can make all the difference when you’re working from home.

- Keep things clutter-free and tame those unruly chargers and wires using cable management sleeves, trays or clips.

- Get those extra books, folders and files off your desk, and if your drawers are full, you can always try things like storage baskets, because a clear space equals a clear mind.

- Add a few personal touches like a desk plant, photos, a pen stand in your favourite colour.

- Invest in comfort: a supportive desk chair with cushioning, a footrest, proper task lighting and a monitor riser to keep your screen at the right height for your posture.

The Perfect Midday Coffee Recipe To Save Your Sanity

Coffee breaks aren’t optional, they’re sacred. Step away from your screen, breathe, and treat yourself to a moment of peace and caffeine-fuelled clarity. Here’s the perfect brain-boosting brew to power you between your online meetings:

Start with a dark roast, not just for the bold flavor, but because it’s secretly a cognitive powerhouse. While the caffeine content is similar to a light roast, the longer roasting process produces phenylindanes which support memory, focus, and overall brain function. Translation? It wakes you up and also sharpens your mind to increase productivity.

Bonus: It brews faster, so you won’t lose track of time.

Add milk and sugar to taste if that’s your thing, and sprinkle in a pinch of cinnamon for that cozy kick and its memory-boosting superpowers.

And, of course, feel free to experiment. Try different grind sizes, brew times, ratios, or water temps until you find your perfect cup.

This Kitchen Snack is Your Best Friend

When that 3 p.m. slump starts creeping in, your brain feels like it’s buffering and you feel like Googling ‘how to stay awake while working from home,’ step into your kitchen. Here’s an ideal focus-friendly snack recipe for your in-between kitchen breaks:

A chilled bowl of overnight oats made with almond milk, and topped with peanut butter, nuts, granola, berries and a touch of jaggery. The fibre will help to regulate your digestion, will keep you feeling full with sustained energy for a few hours. The natural sugars and protein will prevent energy crashes. And the best part is that there is zero prep stress because you can keep this recipe refrigerated.

Take Mini Movement Breaks, Because Your Body Isn’t a Desk Ornament

Sitting for hours isn’t just boring, it’s a fast track to burnout. So take those mini movement breaks throughout the day, jump around, stretch it out, dance to your favorite song, try podcast pacing, or even just walk around during calls. And if taking too many breaks isn't an option, consider investing in a standing desk so you can switch between sitting and standing like the WFH pro that you are.

Whatever gets your blood flowing, do it, because a bit of movement can boost your energy, sharpen your focus, and keep burnouts at bay.

Some quick low-effort desk exercises:

- Neck rolls and shoulder rolls

- Chest stretches

- Chair dips and squats

- Seated leg raises

- Desk push-ups

And if walking in circles around your home is your kind of cardio, here are some perfect podcast companions:

- My Therapist Ghosted Me – Comedian Joanne McNally and TV host Vogue Williams serve chaotic best-friend energy and give their brutally honest takes on life, love, and more.

- Wolf and Owl – Tom Davis and Romesh Ranganathan deliver top-tier banter in a conversation that feels like hanging out with your funniest friends.

- 2 Dope Queens – Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams host this live Brooklyn comedy show with hilarious guests.

- The Having Said That Show – Adi and Jeh mix friendly banter with thoughtful takes in this oh-so-relatable hybrid of a podcast and a talk-show.

- A Moment of Silence – Sakshi and Naina say what every woman’s thinking, and they do it with wit, honesty, and a healthy dose of rage.

Not your vibe? Check out Wired’s ultimate podcast guide for every genre under the sun.

Pro tip: One good stretch + one good episode = a whole new you.

The 5 Minute Rule and Quiet Hour Code

Sometimes coffee breaks, food and stretches aren’t enough to get you through your day while working from home. And that’s when you know you need a little bit of a digital detox. Before and after every virtual meeting, give yourself a 5-minute buffer, a quick mental reset before diving into your next task. And every day claim one sacred Zoom-free hour and guard it like it’s your last French fry. Because let’s be honest, you’re not a TV host, and your brain wasn’t built to perform on screen all day.

Create a Daily Routine With Healthy Work Hour Boundaries

Build a routine that includes the basics, and stick to it: eat your meals at regular hours, schedule your workouts, schedule meeting timings, make time to hang out with your people, and set a hard stop for your workday. That means no “just checking one last email” at 10:47 p.m. Your eyes, brain, and relationships will thank you.

Here are some tools that will help you create your daily routine checklist and stick to it:

- Use Google Calendar to block out meals, movement, work meeting timings and socializing plans, and to structure your day in general

- Add reminders using Notion or Todoist

- Use Focus Keeper for time-blocking

- Set a digital sunset alarm with Forest or iOS Screen Time to cue your evening shutdown

Dress For the Day

Last but not the least, no judgment, but pyjamas are for sleeping. Dressing for the day, even just a little, can shift your mindset and boost productivity. Try The Twelvth Edit’s streetwear collection for working from home.

Here are the editors top picks for what I would wear:

Zoom Fatigue and Coffee Breaks: The Ultimate Work From Home Survival Guide

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