Maintaining a work-home life balance helps reduce stress and helps prevent burnout while working from home.
How can you achieve work-life balance in today’s competitive work culture? In this article, we’ll discuss 5 techniques to set healthy work-life boundaries.
1. Declutter Your Workspace
Choose a place with good lighting and least distractions. Set up a table and chair and keep all you need to work in one place. Don’t make your desk messy. Declutter it. This will help you focus better as well as enhance your productivity.
For me, a clean, de-cluttered workspace gives me a feeling of relief and I feel like a stress-filled weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
According to research by Harvard Business Review, a clean desk helps you to decrease levels of stress and anxiety and improve your focus and process information better so that you are more productive at work.
2. Stick to Your Routine
Creating your routine at home and sticking to the work hours is essential and helps you work efficiently and enjoy your time off work.
33% of remote employees insisted that having set working hours was the most effective way to stay productive.
This would mean ensuring that you resist your urge to watch an episode of your favorite show or catching up on a movie that was released yesterday.
Stick to your schedule and finish your work within the work hours. Wake up early as you do for your office and leave your workspace after the office hours.
I have a morning routine: I wake-up at 7:30 AM, do some exercise and yoga, take a shower, make my breakfast, and enjoy my breakfast and tea. And then I jump onto my laptop, check messages and updates in Slack, and start my day.
As an employer, you should encourage your employees to set their working hours and also encourage them to take regular breaks (time-blocking).
3. Have Some “Me Time”
You must have heard the idiom, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” While it might not have made sense earlier, it perfectly applies to the remote work culture.
One of the critical factors responsible for maintaining a work-life balance is sparing some time for yourself. This ensures that your life doesn’t turn monotonous due to lack of experiences such as travel, eating outside, etc.
Take some break from your work and spare this time on self-care and nourish your mind and body. For example, you can do yoga that will help you rejuvenate your mind and body. You can sketch something or read a book. You can also pursue your hobby in your leisure time and light up the creative spark in you.
4. Dress Properly
While working from home has its benefits, don’t make being casual a habit. You might feel comfortable in your pajamas all day, but remember that everything has an aura.
When you put on formal clothes, you automatically start thinking that you’re going to do something essential. Meanwhile, in pajamas, it might feel like a day off. Moreover, if you have meetings, make a point to dress professionally to understand its seriousness.
5. Take Your Days Off Seriously
When working in an on-site office environment, it feels exhilarating to make plans for the weekend. Make sure you have the same spirit for the weekend when it comes to the remote work culture.
Even if you can’t step out of the house and go dancing, organize something at home. Maybe an all-day movie marathon, or some baking classes? Pick whatever you’ve wanted to do and do it for yourself. This will keep your spirits up and mental health in excellent condition.
Article originally published at Springworks Blog