The pandemic has compelled many companies to let their employees work from home to avoid getting sick. The situation was a win-win situation for both the employer and the employee. The employer saves on operating costs while the employee doesn’t have to travel to and work every day.
But the working from the home situation has made the principle of work-life balance quite interesting. The situation has redefined work-life balance since you’re essentially working while you’re at home. While it may be challenging to define it due to the situation, employees can still maintain a work-life balance by practicing a couple of things.
Follow a Work Schedule
When the employees were still working at the office, they followed a schedule at work. The same thing should be done while working from home. Following a schedule also allows you to be productive while working at home. It also allows your body to adapt to the new situation since you don’t have to travel to and work.
The schedule also allows you to go into work-mode. It will also limit distractions at home, especially if you have kids at home. The kids should also be briefed that during your “work time,” you shouldn’t be disturb. They can talk to you when you have breaks.
Designate a Work Area
Aside from following a work schedule, you should also designate a place in the house as your work area. The work area should allow you to be productive while working. If you need to make or receive calls, it’s best to have a separate room as your work area to avoid getting interrupted by someone shouting inside the house. If this isn’t possible, you can inform the people in the house of your work schedule and that they should avoid making too much noise during that time.
But the important thing about designating a work area is it allows you to follow a similar routine when you were still going to the office for work. It also tells your mind that once you’re in the work area, you should focus on work and nothing else.
Have a To-Do List
A schedule and a designated workplace are good to have while working from home. But this will become better if you get organized and create a to-do list. The list allows you to aim for something to accomplish at the end of the day or the week. It also feels fulfilling when you’re able to cross out an item on the list. This is particularly true if you’re working in sales and going after a specific account for your company. Once you cross out that item, you’ll find yourself wanting to celebrate.
When it comes to organizing your day, you can use several online organizational tools if your company isn’t using one already. Organizing your work allows you to have a smoother workflow and enhance your productivity.
Celebrate Small Victories
Like working in the office, you should also celebrate small victories at the end of each day. This is particularly true if you’re able to reach the sale quota you have for the month. Or when you were able to finish a project ahead of schedule. Celebrating your success allows you to let your hair down and take away some stress from work.
You may have a bottle of your favorite wine for major successes. Just make sure that you avoid overdoing it so you won’t end up committing a misdemeanor that may require a court date and a bond. But if you celebrate small victories at home without having to disturb your neighbors, who may also be working from home, you’ll be fine.
Take Breaks
Taking a break is also important even if you’re working at home. You should stretch for a bit and take your eyes off the computer for a while. If the workload for the day isn’t heavy, you may even want to get up and perform some stretching exercises. You can also move around the house. The important thing is that you take a break every so often. Aside from resting for a bit, taking breaks also allow you to maintain your productivity.
Take Your Lunch
Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you don’t have to take your lunch. You may have some snacks beside you while working, but it’s still important to take a break for lunch. You may not want to eat. So, you can use the lunch break for something else. You can perform light stretching or a yoga exercise. You can even use your lunch break to connect with a colleague who is also working from home.
Practicing a good work-life balance while working from home can be challenging. But if you can follow the tips provided above, you’ll find yourself less stressed from the situation we’re in right now.