Traditional business hours have been thrown out the window since the Corona Virus outbreak began, as employees began to work from home, and in many cases, around their families. Employees are embracing remote work as more and more businesses are embracing it. In fact, some employees are requesting to continue to work from home or they’ll go elsewhere.
Work-life balance gets blurrier when you are working from home. You may feel like you’re always working if you are at home and in your home office. Do we just take it for granted that working from home helps us achieve a better work-life balance? As the number of remote work grows, finding a proper balance is more vital than ever. In this article, we’ll look into how to better manage your life and work. With the help of advanced tools, cloud solution, video conferencing, remote employee monitoring software businesses are also able to better manage their remote employees. So now, it is your turn to work efficiently and help your business grow.
Why is a good work-life balance so essential?
While working from has its advantages, it also has its drawbacks. It’s always a good idea to take a step back and consider how to best maintain balance. Thanks to technology which has made it possible to reach out to employees at any time of the day. Fear of losing one’s job keeps employees from working longer hours. The stress of a never-ending work schedule can be harmful. Such situations can have a negative impact on relationships, health and overall wellbeing.
Work-life balance means different things to different people, but here are some ideas from professional experts to help you discover the proper balance for you to remain productive during working hours and live a better life.
- Create A Morning Routine: You might have observed how working from home affects work-life balance. You probably begin your day seeing email and finish with emails. One easy method to achieve work-life balance is starting your day the right way. Instead of checking emails or work updates, do something that makes you feel calm.
Don’t start to think about work as soon as you wake up.
Before you start to work, here are few things that you can do to refresh yourself for a whole day of work:
- Start your day with some basic warm up session- good for your mind and body
- Take a healthy breakfast
- A cup of tea or coffee
- Create a steady schedule: To maintain a proper balance while working from home, you should keep a steady schedule. A fixed schedule can help you maintain a consistent work and off-work routine and also helps to control the number of working hours. If you find yourself working extra hours daily, adjust your hours to better meet your work day. Finish your work at the same time you would if you were at work, even if it involves wandering a few feet to your living room.
- Create a dedicated work-zone: It is essential to follow routine for a healthy work-life balance. The office atmosphere constantly reminds you of work, but things are different at home. This is because people feel relaxed at home and prefer to spend their free time at home. However, creating a dedicated work-zone at home becomes necessary when the workplace shifts to home due to remote culture. Choose a place with adequate lighting and few distractions. Set up a table and chair and tailor the workspace as per your requirements. Make sure your desk is not a mess. This will help you concentrate better and increase your productivity. Don’t do anything else in your workspace but work.
Creating a separate work-zone tells you when you are at work and when you aren’t. You can also free yourself from work-related thinking when you get up from your desk after the day’s work. - Take a Lunch Break: Working from home versus working in the office is never the same. When you work in an office, you probably take a lunch break. Whatever the situation may be, make sure you take lunch breaks daily while you’re working from home. Without the lunch break, your daily responsibilities would become one large chunk, which isn’t very balanced.
- Don’t mix work and play: While remote work allows you to do some personal tasks during normal working hours, such as taking care of the kids and preparing a quick meal, it doesn’t mean you should do a lot of personal activities in the middle of the day. Make a timetable that divides your time between work and relaxation. It will be easier for you to improve work-life balance if you stick to it.
- Limit the use of social media platforms: working from increasing the temptation of being connected to social media platforms at all times. You have to resist the temptation to stay productive during your working hours. Turn off visual notification from all your devices. The screen light keeps you engaged in your device. Check devices at an hourly break and work your way down.
- Exercise daily: Working at a desk all day long is not only stressful for the mind but also for your body. You should exercise every day to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Exercise does not necessarily mean you have to go to gym, you can try something easy like going for a walk with your dog or doing simple home workouts. According to studies, 1 15min daily exercise can help improve concentration, memory and creativity. It also helps to reduce stress.
- Be flexible to changes: While working from home has its advantages, it can be difficult to always stay creative. If this is the case, try switching up your remote work setup after a period of time to break the monotony. If you feel too bored at home, you can work from a local cafe or co-working space for a change.
Working from home has never been easier, with more businesses offering remote positions. By now, it is a proven fact that employees who work from home are more productive and happier than office employees. With modern technology that enables businesses to implement software for monitoring employees working from home to know their employees better. With tools like instant messaging, online collaboration, video conferencing, remote employees are more engaged than ever. Working from home doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a healthy work-life balance. You can still enjoy the advantage of working at home while limiting the drawbacks.
