How To Work From Home Without Losing Work Life Balance
While working remote comes with a list of perks such as no commute, yoga pants paired with a messy bun and having more flexibility - the home office life can also pose some challenges. Besides doing your best to resist eating everything in the pantry, maintaining a sense of balance and establishing boundaries is no easy task.
With the coronavirus outbreak leaving many of us working from home I wanted to share a few tips on how you can work to improve your work life balance and in effort to not cross over into the burnout stage and to keep your sanity.
Reset Your Expectations
Working from home may feel like a whole new world to you and to be fair, that’s because it is. Your routine has been thrown out the window and you’re now doggy paddling in uncharted waters. So, what now?
Adjust your exceptions.
Yup, head back to the drawing board and regroup on what yournewwork day should look like.
When in an office setting, you may be bound to your desk from 9AM to 5PM – regardless if you already completed your tasks for the day. When working from home, if you’ve checked off your to do list by 3PM, DON’T FEEL GUILTY! With less distractions from everyday office life, it’s likely that you will be more productive in less time. So, get your work done and enjoy the extra or two of “free time” and not being glued to your cubicle.
Time To Close Up Shop
Knowing when to call it a day is key. If you’re used to being in an office setting, then you’re probably programed to rely on visual cues letting you know the work day is coming to an end. Coworkers packing up their bags and heading out the door is a signal that you won’t get when working from home which is why it’s crucial to rely on yourself to know when to wrap things up. Try setting an alarm 30 minutes before you’d like to be done for the day to signal that it’s time for you to start winding things down. I also challenge you to turn offyour computer once your work day has reached the finish line. I’m talking straight up hold down the power button (yes, computers have one of those) so you aren’t tempted to check emails or slide back into working on a project after hours.
Plan For Tomorrow
I recently shared 6 ways to work smarter over on my IG feed and one of them was the importance of making a prioritized list. On the same token, planning for the day ahead will help you turn off your work brain so you can give your full attention to your being home brain. I suggest ending each work day by planning for tomorrow. Take 5 minutes before closing your computer to prioritize tomorrow’s task. This will help you feel more at ease about the upcoming 24 hours and lessen the swirling thoughts in your brain during family dinner.
Have A Transition Period
You used to have the drive home from work to act as your transition ritual but now that that’s off the table, it’s time to create a new routine. Even though simple, having a routine that helps you change gears from work to home will help you feel more balanced. Take a shower, go for a walk, change your outfit, play some music or clean up your workspace – whatever may provide space for you to feel a shift in work to downtime!
Refocus Your Attention
Burn out and feeling off balance is caused by a variety of factors but one of them is putting the pedal to metal and pushing our brain straight into overdrive. After a day of demanding work, your brain needs a break from being bombarded with stressful tasks. Dive into a fictional book, turn on a light hearted show or hop on Facetime with your BFF for a virtual happy hour. Point being, refocusing your attention will bring an immense sense of balance to your current work situation.
I know our current reality has shifted our daily routine in many ways so don’t be too hard on yourself. Any transition period comes with highs and lows so as long as you’re doing your best to maintain balance in your day to day then kudos to you. Feel free to share what tips have helped you find work life balance while working from home! OH and if you’re looking for more work from home tips, def check out this post.
