How to Maintain a Work/Life Balance While Working From Home
How to Maintain a Work/Life Balance While Working From Home
When you work from home, either because you’re self-employed or your job has you in a remote workspace, it’s integral to separate your work life from your personal life. Finding ways to do that and creating routines to keep your life segmented takes time, though, and you may struggle with it at first — and even as the months and years go on. Luckily, there are a number of methods to try out so that you can pack up work for the day and resume your normal personal life when it’s time.
Designate a Workspace
If you’re lucky enough to have a dedicated office in your home — one where you can shut the door when the workday is through — that’s great. But even if you don’t, it’s important to create some type of work-only space. Don’t do non-work tasks there, like opening the mail or browsing Netflix for your next watch. Your workspace should be solely for your job, and when you’re finished with your day, shut it down somehow. If you can’t close a physical door, you may at least be able to shut your laptop, turn off the light and straighten up your desk so it’s neat for the following day. Essentially, you need to signal your brain that the workday is through and that your workspace is no longer available, just like if you were leaving the office at the end of the day.
Keep a Work Schedule or Routine
If you’re a remote worker for a company, you probably have a set schedule that you have to adhere to. If you’re not, though, you can still designate working hours for yourself. Consider your energy peaks and valleys: When do you have the energy and focus for work, and when do you naturally start to lose your drive?
If specific hours don’t feel flexible enough for you (a common problem for freelancers), come up with a routine instead. You may not want to start work at the same time every day, but you can follow the same routine, which may look something like this: Wake up, make coffee, read for half an hour, work for four hours, take a half-hour break, etc.
You can also create times when you’re available to clients, and that doesn’t necessarily have to be during your work hours. For example, you may want to make yourself available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to respond to emails and answer questions, but you may want to buckle down and do the work from noon to 6 p.m.
Set Boundaries With Loved Ones
It can be difficult for the people in your life to understand that when you’re working, you’re not able to deal with personal to-dos. You’re home, after all, so why can’t you take a break from work to run to the grocery store or answer a personal phone call? By setting boundaries early, you won’t hurt anyone’s feelings when you stay focused during work time. Plus, when it’s time to stop work, you’ll be able to truly commit to your personal life. Explain to the people in your life what it means when you’re in your office. For example, maybe you need to keep the door shut the entire time, and you’re not able to answer personal texts or phone calls during the workday. Telling everyone what to expect can go a long way, and you allow them to give you what you need so you can power through work and then switch off when you’re ready.
Shut Off Notifications After Hours
One of the most difficult components of working from home is that work is always available, so you feel like you should always be doing it. Even if you’re able to firmly stop working at some point, getting a notification from a co-worker or client can easily rope you back in. Also, when you answer emails or even check notifications outside of your designated communication window, it sends the message to everyone — including yourself — that you’re never truly off the clock. Set up your notifications so that they’re quiet during your off-hours, and consider keeping those apps off your phone so you’re not tempted to continually check them throughout the evening or first thing in the morning.
Final Thoughts About Striking a Work/Life Balance
Working from home has many perks, but one of its biggest drawbacks is feeling like your work life and personal life are inextricably wound together. When you’re able to set clear boundaries, though, with yourself and with everyone else, you give yourself permission to focus on what’s most important during those times. Both work and your personal life deserve your undivided attention.
Brian Meert is the CEO of AdvertiseMint, a Hollywood based digital advertising agency that specializes in helping successful companies advertise on Facebook. Advertisemint has managed millions of dollars in digital ad spends in entertainment, fashion, finance, and software industries. Brian is also the author of the best selling, The Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising, and the innovative The Complete Guide to Digital Advertising Policies infographic. He is a 15-year digital advertising executive and a member of the Forbes Agency Council. Prior to founding Advertisemint, Brian built and sold Gofobo.com, an online ticketing system that revolutionized the entertainment industry and is now utilized by Warner Bros. and Disney.
