According to a report, over 40 percent of remote workers struggle with unplugging after work. When your work and home life happen under the same roof, it can be challenging to fully disconnect after office hours and walk away from the laptop.
Many people who were accustomed to working in a traditional office were forced to work from home for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To say that it has been challenging would be an understatement.
When you are at home all the time, it’s easy for work to overtake your home life. Luckily, there are some easy tips that you can follow to take control and bring back your work-life balance.
1. Create a dedicated workspace in your house
Remote work can often blur boundaries between your office and personal life as you stay at home all the time. The best way to implement boundaries is by creating a separate workspace in your house where you only go to do your office work. It can be a whole room in your house or just a table at the corner of your living room, depending on how much space you have.
You can get a good desk, a comfortable chair, and even some indoor plants to make your workspace more lively. Your home workspace does not necessarily have to resemble your office. Create a space that is practical and works for you.
Visual cues can encourage the mind immensely. It will help you be more productive during work and unplug from work easily.
2. Designate a break area
So, you already have a workspace in your home. But where do you go when you need a break from work? Do you slump down on your bed to grab a quick nap or do you scroll through your phone to check social media?
Creating a break area in your home is just as important as a designated workspace. Without a productive and fun break area, it’s easy to fall into the laziness spiral which will only make it more difficult for you to restart work after the break.
Develop a break routine that gives your mind and body a break from staring at the computer screen all day. You can take a walk outside, stretch a bit, or just meditate. You can also set up a break timer which prompts you to take small breaks every other hour so you don’t end up working non-stop all day, which can eventually lead to burnout.
3. Fight technology with technology
Working from home means you can open up your laptop any time and check important emails whenever you want. But that doesn’t mean you should. Work during your office hours and close down your laptop around the time you usually leave the office.
You can use technology to successfully unplug after work and create a better work-life balance. Schedule family dinners, movie times, workout sessions, or virtual Netflix parties with your friends on your calendar the same way you schedule important work meetings.
Putting these events in your calendar will help you remember that your life after work is just as important.
4. Control communication and notifications
Receiving important messages and emails from colleagues constantly all day, even before you start your work, can be incredibly overwhelming. The first thing you should do is turn off email notifications on your phone so that you aren’t bombarded by emails all day long. When you want to take a break, you should actually be able to disconnect.
You should also discuss with your manager and set communication guidelines for your team so everyone is clear about expected response times and the right time slot to talk. It will help you create a better work-life balance and concentrate better at work.
5. Create an ending ritual
When your workday is finally over, close down your laptop and walk away from your desk. If you are lucky enough to have a home office, shut the door to it and don’t open it until the next morning.
It’s also a good practice to let your team members know when you are about to shut down work. That way, they won’t be caught by surprise when they send you an important message only to realize you have already logged off. Also, make it a habit to not open up work until the next morning unless it is very urgent. Whatever it is can wait until the next day. You deserve some downtime as well.
Your home life is just as important
Working from home can feel liberating and overwhelming at the same time. Not only are you forced to work from a space that has always been your comfort zone and a place to unwind, but you also need to learn how to use new technologies to make the whole remote thing work more seamlessly.
Moreover, what works for some may not work for you. Experiment with different remote work strategies, change your office desk location or try working at different times of the day—with a few tweaks, you can make the most out of remote work and reap its benefits.
