Adjusting to Life and Work at Home

We are adjusting to the new normal. Working during the COVID-19 pandemic, those lucky enough to have avoided layoff are more likely than ever to be adapting to a working environment. It can be extremely difficult. A partner on endless noisy team calls, a child who needs guidance on their homeschooling assignments, the loss of structure and continuity: they can all be disorienting and exhausting. 

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Here are 4 tips to help you improve your work-life balance when you work at home:

1. Create (and maintain) a designated work space.

Rather than working from your bed, dedicate a workspace that separates work from your personal space. Once you have your work space setup treat your day as if you have left your house and started your day. Keep the doors shut to avoid distractions, no TV, no radio and make sure others in the household respect your space and don't interrupt you like they would be disciplined to treat your office at work. 

2. Block out your time to focus on specific tasks. 

Having distractions coming up throughout the day can make it very difficult to accomplish a task. Wanting to give your fullest attention to your family and your business can be hard to do at the same time, especially when working from home. Set your priorities and stick to them. Set aside specific times on your schedule for personal and professional to-dos. That way dedicating time to one area helps you stay focused on that exact task to ensure you're giving your all.

3. Learn to “turn off” your business. 

Being connected with your team is important, but it is equally as important to shut it off when the day is over. If you’re available all hours of the day, it will quickly become an expectation and work-life balance will be nonexistent. Let your team know general working hours that way you're not expecting people to be available around the clock. This helps you stay connected, while at the same time, setting and respecting each other's boundaries and need for work-life balance. Managers tend to model this behaviour to their remote teams, to avoid confusion, overwork, and a burnout. 

4. To help you work remotely long term, find something you love.

Without a daily commute and the events with social activities everyone is finding themselves with an excess amount of free time. It doesn't have to be a frustration. Find something you love and enjoy. Whether that's taking a break to go for a walk, or blowing off work stress by working out at home. Movement is key. Different people like to exercise in different ways but making sure that we stay moving is important for our overall health.