More of the American workforce is working remotely than ever before. Although many of us enjoy the opportunity to work from home, it comes with some risk. When your work and the rest of your life share the same space, work can seep into everything you do, leaving you feeling stressed and unbalanced. Here are some ways you can maintain a work-life balance, even when you work at home.
- Work in a designated space
When you work at home, you may be tempted to work from your couch or bed. After all, that’s one of the perks, right? However, it’s important to have a designated space for your work to be done. Not only will you be more productive, but you will also help your mind to decipher between workspace and “regular life” space.
- Set work hours
If your job is flexible and doesn’t require set work hours, make some for yourself. If you don’t, you risk allowing your work to take up most of your day. For example, if you need to accomplish 8 hours of work, you might set your hours between 8 am and 5 pm. If you don’t set any hours, you could easily lose focus and end up working until 7 or 8 pm each night, leaving you with little time to unwind.
- Take breaks
On the other hand, it’s also critical that you take breaks when working from home. Small 5-minute breaks can greatly increase your productivity and keep you feeling engaged at work. So, resist the temptation to skip lunch and to power through your workday without any rest.
- Stay connected
Connection with others is an essential part of our wellbeing. Unfortunately, when working from home, you may end up feeling isolated and lonely. To combat this, be intentional about staying connected with others. Even if you can’t physically see people right now, try to reach out via text message or phone call to a loved one at least once per day.
- Don’t forget to relax
When your house becomes your workplace, it’s easy to forget that it’s first and foremost a home. Make your rest and relaxation a priority in your schedule every single day. If you do that, you will be more likely to feel balanced, whether you’re watching TV at home or working to land your next big client.