The attack of COVID-19 has caused a shift in culture for millions of people to work remotely. The home trial work has proven to be more successful, with more than 77% of employees preferring to continue work remotely. But, while working from home, most of us are content to achieve a good work-life balance. We almost forget to draw a line between our office and home.
So, what should be the practices to have a better work-life balance? Here are a few ways to achieve work-life balance while working from home.
Importance of balancing work and life
People believe that working from home is easy, as it takes fewer efforts. Although there are some benefits of remote working practices, creating a balance in one’s life makes it more challenging. Maintaining harmony is much more difficult when you are working for yourself. When you are on your own, some things push down your productivity, making you feel stressed. So, it is always advisable to make a proper work-life balance that is best suited to your lifestyle. One can go with a trial and error process to find out the best-suited procedure.
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How to improve work-life balance
Some of the accessible work-from-home tips to maintain a proper balance are:
Get in proper attire: It may be tempting to work in your favourite pyjamas when working from home. But it is advisable to get dressed just like your routine of going to a physical office. There is no requirement to wear a suit or high heels, but don’t stay in a night suit either. Proper dressing helps you get mentally prepared for being productive, and you will be less tempted to hang out on your couch during work hours.
Maintain a designated workplace: A private desk with necessary items and proper lighting helps create a better space to get office work done. Choose a specific location that is distinct from other sites of your home. Also, make it a point to unplug once your workday is over and leave the spot, packing up your items, just as one leaves a regular office. This exercise sends your mind a signal that the office work is over for the day, and it is the time for other daily activities.
Set your routine: A proper work-life balance is set to get disturbed while managing work from home. Prepare a fixed practice and stick to your schedule. Wake up early and start your day with some yoga or light exercise. Take a shower, and after breakfast, start your day at the dedicated workplace. A well maintained, rigid schedule helps maintain productivity and ease up the stress level of working all the time. Your team must be well informed that exactly when they can reach you as per your working hours.
Take good care of your health: Remember that work stress in the long term will influence your mental health. Physical as well as mental health is an essential factor while working remotely. Prolonging over a computer screen is undoubtedly going to affect your eyes and spinal cord. Make sure to leave your chair after short intervals and go for quick breathing and eye exercises. Follow a good nutrition plan and work out regularly. Lesser sugar intakes and more vitamins will help prevent employee burnout with low energy levels. Keeping up with high spirits with excellent mental health is the best mantra to achieve a better work-life balance.
Start your day strong: First half of your day is most important. Make sure to utilize the first hours of your morning with zeal to ensure high productivity all day long. A good start will influence your entire day working and prove better employee productivity. Make yourself in charge of the morning hours and avoid interruptions of any kind. Try to answer the messages and emails in the later hours. Well planned early hours ensure higher productivity levels and give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.
Take frequent breaks: The most critical key while balancing work and life is taking small breaks from your desk. Most of the time, while working from home, people lose track of time. Like in the office, moving from your desk to the colleague’s desk or going for a coffee break is often left out while working remotely. So always take out sometime between the work, like taking 10 minutes to break with your family or roommate. A stroll around the block is also a good idea to freshen up and stay connected with the world around. Make it a point to leave your mobile at your desk and come out of the working atmosphere to refresh you and help to gear up for the next session.
Forget to be perfect: Target for excellence instead of perfection. Employee engagement is most important to maintain a work-life balance while working from home. With limited resources, it is always not easy to perform a job exactly as in an office. Adapting to work without required files, scanners, printers, etc., is tough, and one may not meet the standards when working remotely. Deliver the best with what is available to you and adapt to the new work system.
Don’t forget the social activities: Working from home gets cut off from the rest of the world. The daily casual interactions are out and may make you feel lonely. Come out of the isolation with a video coffee break, or discuss a TV show with your friends. Be in touch, and you will find that the small interactions help take your spirits to a higher level.
The best benefit of working from home is that you have the freedom to manage your time as per your needs. But, remember to set up strong boundaries to get a healthy work-life balance and make you productive.
References:
- 5 Remote Work Practices for Better Work-Life Balance | Marcel Shwantes | November 2020
- 7 Ways to Improve Work-Life Balance When You Work at Home | Shannon Gausepohl | 24 February, 2017
- 5 Ways To Improve Work-Life Balance When You Work At Home | Micheal Gilmore
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