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Amid a year that has called for many to face significant challenges, such challenges may have required you to transform your home environment into your workspace. While there are benefits to working from home, you might be continuing to find that this transition is leaving you feeling burnt out, overworked, and stressed. If working from home is not new to you, you might be guilty of developing some bad habits.
Finding the balance between your workday and home life is essential to making the “work-from-home lifestyle” function in harmony. To do this takes some planning, persistence, resilience, and patience. Here are some ways in which you can create boundaries to not overwork at home.
Manage Expectations
Among the many misconceptions and mistakes you can make when working from home is to look at your free time as an opportunity to maximize productivity. This can lead to hard and fast burnout. One of the first things you should consider when working from home is managing your expectations and giving yourself understanding and forgiveness. Working from home is unique, and it takes practice to form healthy habits. If you have been used to working in an office, ask yourself, would you use the free time you have at home to stay after hours and on weekends?
You likely enjoy your time away from work. It is even necessary to help you balance all things in your life and help keep you feeling fresh when you return to work. Just because you have extra time does not mean you need to devote it to work. Don't be hard on yourself if you feel that you are not as productive as you can be. Exercise grace and allow yourself time to enjoy the things that aren't work-related.
Create a Dedicated Workspace
Creating a dedicated workspace can be one of the essential measures you can take in separating your work from your home. Sure, you're at home, but setting up a desk that is remote from distractions in spaces such as the living room or kitchen helps keep you focused and free from distraction. It also helps keep you organized because you know where your “tools” are at all times.
If you are raising children, they need to understand that this is your workspace, and they are not to bother you when you are in there. Creating a workspace helps make a clear boundary between “work hours” and “free hours.” If you cannot find space, then utilize a corner of the living room or bedroom, so long as it offers you a quiet area to focus on your work and make sure others in the household understand that this is your space.
Take Breaks When Necessary
Taking a brief recess, even if for only five minutes, to enjoy a few sips of coffee, chat with someone, or look out the window are essential to helping your brain refresh and refocus when you do get back to work. It is necessary to schedule regular breaks throughout the day, including 10 minutes in the morning, a half-hour to an hour for lunch, and 10 minutes in the afternoon. By moving away for 10 or 15 minutes, you will discover that you have more focus and energy when returning to your work.
Establish a Routine
Routines and schedules help lend a sense that you are in control. When routine becomes significantly altered, such as working in an office to working from home, you can feel like you don't know where to begin to be productive. Creating a schedule can be beneficial to take back control of your day. Consider keeping certain elements that signal you're entering and exiting work mode.
For example, you might still wake up early, shower, and dress for the office. These actions help set the tone that you are about to go to work. Just as at the end of the day, you have cues to let you know you're heading home. However, maybe you used your commute to begin de-stressing and thinking about your evening. You can still make time. After work, you might leave your workspace and listen to your favorite podcast that you usually listen to on the drive home. You might even sweep or fold clothes while you listen. This transition activity helps your mind go through the process it needs to unwind. Of course, maintaining these transitions as you continue to enter and exit the workday at home relies on sticking to a schedule.
Working from home in any situation is always a unique and challenging endeavor. Remembering to take time to focus on the things that bring balance to your life outside of work is essential such as exercise, meditation, or pursuing a hobby. Adopting an attitude of “I don't have time for myself” is the wrong attitude. Keeping commitments to yourself is the key to maintaining your mental and physical health. If you find yourself forgoing self-care, then it is time to enlist in others that help hold you accountable. At START UP RECOVERY, we offer the support network needed to help you bring balance to your life and your accomplishments. There is no facility like us as we are motivated to help you grow personally and professionally no matter where you're in life and recovery. To learn more, reach out to START UP RECOVERY today by calling us at (310) 773-3809.