If you think you’re working longer and harder during the pandemic, you’re right. A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the average workday has risen by 48.5 minutes and meetings have gone up by 12.9% since before the crisis erupted. Zoom meetings turned out to be a major contributor to extended work hours, the study found.

According to Today, working at home has put Americans under intense pressure juggling work schedules, childcare, and homeschooling. Experts say this pressure can take its toll on our mental and emotional health.

Here are some tips to ease the strain:

1. Cut down on Zoom meetings. Therapists have coined a new term called “Zoom fatigue.” Michael Mazius, a behavioral psychologist, told Today that during these virtual meetings “you have to concentrate more, meaning your brain is working harder. Part of the fatigue comes from having to tune in more deeply than usual.” Try to schedule more phone meetings that can be conducted during a walk outside.
2. Learn to say “no.” With rampant unemployment, workers may feel that they have to work as hard as humanly possible to keep their jobs, said Rachel Dubrow, a licensed clinical social worker. She told Today that constantly trying to exceed expectations is not sustainable. “Take 10% of the things you are being tasked with and say a polite ‘no’ and see what happens,” she advised.
3. Work outdoors whenever possible. Being outside can relieve exhaustion, said Dubrow, because we have access to sunshine which helps produce vitamin D. Research has shown a strong correlation between vitamin D and alleviating depression, according to Psychology Today.
4. Celebrate the end of the day. Signal the end of the work day by doing something you enjoy, Mazius told Today. “Find the source of your pleasure and hold yourself accountable for doing it. You’re wearing multiple hats right now, so don’t strive for perfection. Go easy on yourself.”