Working Remotely: Separating Work Life from Home Life
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped social landscapes on multiple levels, and many industries were forced to either close their doors or find different approaches to getting things done.
Although some self-employed individuals worked from home pre-COVID, the pandemic opened a broader scope for remote work. Even after life settled back into its normal ebb and flow, many companies chose to maintain their remote work policies to take advantage of the cost and productivity benefits.
There are plenty of reasons this arrangement works so well for some people, including the time saved traveling back and forth, flexible schedules, and savings on expenses such as office utilities. However, there’s a big drawback to keep in mind.
When one’s workplace and home are in two different physical locations, it’s much easier to leave work at work. Working from home can erase the walls between your professional and personal life. It has a way of subtly infiltrating family, rest, and relaxation time. You start working more and more, and before you know it, you're handling administrative tasks in bed into the small hours of a new day. Living rooms and kitchens become workspaces, and no matter where you turn, work is staring you in the eye.
For these reasons, it’s imperative to draw a definitive line between your work life and your home life. Balance is what makes this strategy successful without sacrificing your personal well-being.
We’ve rounded up some excellent tips to help you achieve this harmony.
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped social landscapes on multiple levels, and many industries were forced to either close their doors or find different approaches to getting things done.
Although some self-employed individuals worked from home pre-COVID, the pandemic opened a broader scope for remote work. Even after life settled back into its normal ebb and flow, many companies chose to maintain their remote work policies to take advantage of the cost and productivity benefits.
There are plenty of reasons this arrangement works so well for some people, including the time saved traveling back and forth, flexible schedules, and savings on expenses such as office utilities. However, there’s a big drawback to keep in mind.
When one’s workplace and home are in two different physical locations, it’s much easier to leave work at work. Working from home can erase the walls between your professional and personal life. It has a way of subtly infiltrating family, rest, and relaxation time. You start working more and more, and before you know it, you're handling administrative tasks in bed into the small hours of a new day. Living rooms and kitchens become workspaces, and no matter where you turn, work is staring you in the eye.
For these reasons, it’s imperative to draw a definitive line between your work life and your home life. Balance is what makes this strategy successful without sacrificing your personal well-being.
We’ve rounded up some excellent tips to help you achieve this harmony.
Build Boundaries
When you work at home, there’s no tangible separation between the two at the end of the day. Without clear boundaries, you are setting yourself up for some struggles.
It is mentally more difficult to “switch off”, which can be psychologically draining and contributes to burnout. This mental exhaustion leads to a decrease in productivity and work outcomes.
For many, working from home turns into a situation of 24/7 availability. It affects all the people sharing your home and can gnaw away at your personal relationships.
Here are some boundary-setting strategies that can help you create and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Manage Your Schedules
Establish work schedules and stick to them. Implement start, break, and stop times to boost productivity and protect your mental well-being. Setting time frames gives your brain a reference framework, much like turning a work switch on or off.
Don’t start work the minute you open your eyes. Having a fixed morning routine helps ease you into the workday. Get ready for work in the same way you would prepare for a normal day at another location. Exercise, shower, get dressed, have a cup of coffee, and eat breakfast, for example, before turning on your computer.
The same goes for break times. Give yourself fixed 15- or 30-minute breaks and lunch time to pace yourself. When your workday is done, go through the motions of turning off your systems, cleaning up, closing your laptop screen, stepping away, and calling it a day.
These routines and rituals can boost efficiency and output while minimizing burnout and stress.
Create a Workspace
If your laptop and files are scattered all over the house, you’re never truly “away” from your work. Dedicate a specific space in your home to work. It can be a room, such as a home office or a den; a certain corner of the living room; or even a section of the kitchen counter. Regardless of your setup, you should be able to carve out a space that’s just for work.
This is your productive corner, where you’ll fire up the work cylinders and get things done. Make sure it doesn’t “touch” your other personal spaces, where you relax, dine, and sleep.
At the end of the day, leave this space just as you would leave a normal workplace and commute back home. If possible, avoid working where you relax. Keep your job out of the bedroom and living room. If you have no choice, ensure that you turn everything off and pack it away when you’re done.
Change of Scenery
It’s a good idea to get out of your home for a brief period after finishing your workday. Taking a short walk, driving, cycling, or even going to a store gives you the change of scenery needed to turn your mind off from work.
Any exercise is good for the body and mind. Many people enjoy a workout to get rid of the day’s stress and promote restful sleep. It’s especially helpful for those in stressful positions. Some people prefer cooking or playing with their dog.
No matter how you do it, find a way to create a transition between your professional and personal activities. This helps to draw a proverbial line in the sand between your work and home life.
Dress Up
For many people, one of the greatest perks of remote work is that it can be done in sweats or even pajamas! Your casual, sleep, and workwear are intangible boundaries that help shape your mindset toward certain activities. However, experts recommend getting out of those comfy yoga pants and dressing the part when working. It’s a simple yet effective barrier.
Don’t Let Work Interfere With Personal Time
It’s easy to give in to the urge to make just one last call, send off a few emails to make tomorrow easier, and respond to after-hours messages, especially if you think it will only take a minute to quickly check a message. But what starts as a minute can unexpectedly turn into an hour in the blink of an eye.
Discipline yourself to keep your personal time personal. Setting up availability statuses on shared calendars and virtual platforms helps with this. Be sure your boss knows exactly when you’re available.
Likewise, it’s important to inform the people you share a home with about your work hours. This saves a lot of unnecessary stress, professional embarrassment, and arguments.
Manage Your Virtual Office
Your computer or laptop is like your virtual office, but it is also likely a private space where you interact on social media and play games.
If you have a single device for everything, set up different accounts, creating one for work and one for fun. This allows you to create a boundary between your job and personal life in your virtual spaces. That way, you won’t see work tabs when you're browsing in your leisure time.
Have Something to Look Forward to After Work
If life is a cycle of work and aimless social media scrolling, it’s easy to get caught in a rut. Engage in activities you enjoy to motivate yourself to work hard, get it done, and do something that interests you.
This can be anything from spending time with friends to engaging in a hobby. It’s also advisable to vary your activities. Doing the same things day in and day out can become monotonous and emotionally draining.
Don’t Be Afraid to Say “No”
Many people struggle to say “no”. They tend to take on the responsibilities of 10 people and just keep piling more on. Being clear about what you can and cannot do is essential when you’re working from home. When it’s right there on the nearest device, it’s easy to lose yourself in work. You should not be required to be available 24/7, and you should not self-impose this obligation
Separating your professional and personal lives is essential for your productivity, well-being, and the relationships that matter most.
By: @Brian
(Brian Rogers)