Finding Work-Life Balance Working From Home
The truth is many of us were catapulted into the world of remote work without warning nor preparation in response to the COVID19 outbreak. It was, and sometimes still is, extremely disorienting. But it seems as though remote work is not just a temporary solution during the pandemic anymore, but rather it is becoming a permanent option for many businesses moving forward. Employers were forced into making the jobs they provided 100% functional from home, and at the beginning many found it to be a barrier rather than a blessing.
As time went on and employees adjusted and grew more comfortable with working from home, many businesses saw how making this permanent could work to their advantage. If every employee is content and able to do their job well remotely, they can completely eliminate the overhead of leasing an office.
Now, where do we go from here? With the possibility that permanent remote work may be in our future we must prepare. Maybe for you, that means it is time to stop working from your dining room table and set up an office space for yourself. It also could be time to upgrade your computer or wifi to be more equipped for working from home. For almost all of us, it means finding a better work-life balance.
We know that finding a work-life balance before remote work became common was hard enough, and now not having a physical separation from where you live and work can make maintaining that balance even more challenging. That is why in this blog we will be giving you five tips to help you achieve the balance you need.
Our first tip is to have a routine or ritual that you do at the end of every work day. It can be something as simple as lighting a candle. After some time of consistently doing this, your brain and body will soon recognize this routine as a signal that it is time to stop working. Once that candle is lit, no more checking your work email or taking working calls.
If you’re someone who has a hard time not ending your work day because a task isn’t finished, so you just continue to work until it’s done, try making plans right after work. This will force you to stop regardless of if you’re finished or not. An example could be a phone call with your friend or spouse, knowing you’ll keep someone waiting by not stopping may be the motivator you need.
Our next tip: block out ten to twenty minutes at the end of your work day for wrapping up before your off. This time can be dedicated to timesheets and emails so you're not stuck working past five.
Another huge reason people work past the time they are supposed to be off, is because they feel they did not get enough accomplished throughout the work day. Try fully maximizing your time on the clock, so when the work day is over you feel comfortable with putting the computer down and enjoying your night, work free.
Our last tip for you is to make sure you’re using your PTO and making time for regularly scheduled self care! This will keep you from burning out in a high stress job that may demand a lot from you, and where you have to work longer hours.
We hope these simple tips can help you develop a better work-life balance as you transition into fully working from home. Hopefully by applying these to your life, you are able to do your job to the best of your ability without it consuming your time off the clock!
