How You Can Learn to Have a Healthy Work Life Balance by Telecommuting
You spend lots of time at work. It’s estimated that most Americans work around 90,000 hours throughout their lifetime. Add in another 100 hours of commute time each year, and it’s easy to understand why so many people feel stressed, tired, and burnt out by the end of the workweek. This is exactly how I was feeling after years of tedious commutes and disruptive company workspaces before I had the opportunity to work from home.
With recent advancements in technology, opportunities to telecommute have increased exponentially. On top of saving time and money, working from home can have a positive impact on your physical and mental health. So, if you’re workplace leader considers a remote workforce, you might want to give it a try. I did, and I’ve never looked back.
Let’s discuss a few of the ways telecommuting is helping the American worker and how it might be an excellent option to keep you healthy and balanced.
Current State of Telecommuting
Since 2005, work-at-home opportunities for people who work full-time for an employer have grown 140%. Over 3% of the American workforce enjoy working from home at least half of their work week and about 7% of all employers offer flexible workplace options. While these percentages might seem a bit low, it appears the growth of telecommuting is still rising rapidly, so more opportunities might be on the horizon.
Telecommuting doesn’t only benefit workers. Teams around the globe are working remotely and achieving high productivity and collaboration. Adopting virtual teams in the global economy can increase the hiring pool, as well. Staff can call any country home while still being connected to a U.S. based employer. Technology allows teams to work together on projects regardless of physical location. Many employees remain at their jobs longer when they telecommute, which can decrease turnover.
While many companies offer flexibility to attract and keep employees, telecommuting can save businesses money, too. Allowing one employee to work from home can save about $10,000 a year. Those employees who work from home often put in more hours than their commuting counterparts, and they tend to work when ill or on vacation because their office is more convenient.
However, data like this can raise concerns for some people. If your office is just down the hall from your bedroom, can you still have a healthy work-life balance? Here are a few ways to set yourself up for telecommuting success.
Create Home Office Ground Rules
When I first started working from home, I was happy. However, the kids and pets seemed to believe that I was at their disposal all the time. While I certainly could run out to help with something on a break and have lunch with them, I just couldn’t get much done if everyone was piled in my office asking me about soccer practice, outfits, and a myriad of other kid problems.
When you work in your employer’s space, you probably don’t have to worry about the kids running into your office or the cat traipsing across your desk in the middle of a video conference call. These distractions can lower your productivity and happiness. If you want to make working from home work for you, you need to set up some healthy boundaries with the family so that everyone has some realistic expectations about what it means to work from home.
Try to take lunch and breaks at the same times each day. If others are home while you work, this lets them know when you might be available to talk or answer questions. Keep distractions like televisions out of your workspace. Identify any other common distractions and create a plan to address them quickly.
Organize Yourself
Your home office space might run double-duty with other household functions. Be sure to set yourself up for success by investing in a desk, filing cabinets, and other office supplies you might need. Being organized can increase your productivity and satisfaction with working from home. If you’re anything like me, you will welcome a trip to the local office store to buy colorful paper, files, and other fun office supplies and find satisfaction in a tidy desk.
Schedule Time With the Team
Technology allows you to enjoy the zen of working in comfy slippers while still being a collaborative team member. Set up meetings with co-workers and other colleagues to keep your company culture alive. Be sure to take time zones into consideration so that no one is meeting too early or late in the day. You might also consider a few “virtual lunch” meetings with friends at work.
Get up and Move
Many friends think that I sit on the couch doing a little work while eating chips and ice cream all day. However, the reality is that I’m more physically healthy today than ever before.
You might be tempted to spend your breaks and lunches throwing in laundry or starting dinner. While these activities are enormous time-savers, they might not always be the best use of your time away from the desk. Schedule in time to take a walk during work. You can also get plenty of exercise by using the extra time you save by not commuting to join the gym or stream a virtual exercise class and sweat a little at home.
Ditch the PJs
As much as it might sound like fun to wear your PJs every day, you need to maintain as much of your normal routine as possible. Getting dressed and having a few morning rituals lets your brain know that it’s time to be productive and meet your daily goals. Putting on comfortable clothes that you can wear around the neighborhood can help boost your mood and get into a workflow.
Adopt a Closing Time
Every healthy business knows that you need time to turn off the lights and flip the sign on the door to “See You Tomorrow.” Having an office in the corner of your house doesn’t change your need for downtime. Be sure to set office hours and stick to your closing time for your health and happiness.
Enjoying Work-Life Balance
Mobile technology can be a curse and a blessing at the same time. You can work from anywhere, but without discipline and a plan, you might find yourself working from everywhere. Using these strategies and more have helped me and can help you, too. Be sure to use these strategies to create an environment that lets you be the person who gets things done at work, even at home.
