Do you find it challenging to establish boundaries while working from home?
If so, you're not alone! 58% of participants in a remote worker survey shared that the lines between work and personal life are blurred.
What can you do to stop your job from taking up your personal time while working from home? You can establish boundaries!
Meet Joanie, a Remote Worker
Photo by alex starnes on UnsplashJoanie is a software engineer.
Recently, her department moved to a remote work environment. Joanie wrote the following list of pros and cons regarding things she has noticed since working from home.
Pros of Working from Home
extra time to spend with friends
more flexibility throughout the day
no commute or sitting in traffic
less fuel and travel expenses
spending less money on lunches and coffee
Cons of Working from Home
the workday doesn't seem to end
often still dressed in pajamas at 3pm
checking email, even on days off
often feeling sore and tired
feeling overwhelmed with daily invites to coffee chats and virtual lunches
Joanie needs boundaries!
4 strategies will help her find a better work/life balance while working from home.
1. Set Up a Home Office Space
Photo by Collov Home Design on UnsplashJoanie needs a dedicated office space to provide separation between workand home. Without this, her entire home becomes a workspace.
What Joanie needs to set up her home office space:
an entire room, a closet, or a corner of a room
a quiet environment that is clean and where she can work best
an organized workspace with personal pictures, music, a pet fish, etc
an ergonomic setup to reduce muscle soreness and increase energy
2. Create a Work Routine
Photo by Icons8 Team on UnsplashA proper work routine will help Joanie to be productive, promote energy, and improve her work/life balance.
Joanie can create a work routine if she:
gets dressed in comfortable work clothes each morning
has morning coffee, tea, or breakfast
stays hydrated throughout the day with a water bottle
sets designated work hours for her needs
takes a regular lunch break away from the office
takes short morning and afternoon breaks
3. Establish Personal Time to Avoid Burnout
To avoid burnout, Joanie needs to develop work boundaries that respect her personal time while working from home.
To prevent burnout, Joanie can:
turn off her email and phone notifications outside of work hours
remove her work email from her personal phone
set away notifications outside work hours
use her paid time off days throughout the year
schedule social time with friends and family outside of work hours
Sharing her work schedule with family, friends, and co-workers will ensure her work time is respected!
4. Find Balance With Coworkers
Photo by Chris Montgomery on UnsplashSetting boundaries with coworkers will allow Joanie to feel less overwhelmed when she receives daily messages for coffee chats and virtual lunches.
To set social boundaries at work, Joanie can:
decide on a set number of coffee chats/virtual lunches per week
set away notifications on work communication platforms during breaks
create a polite "No" template that she can copy/paste into messages to turn down requests for her time
plan lunches with her family and friends away from her office
⚡Help Joanie Create Some Boundaries
After a long day of meetings, neighbors dropping in unannounced while she was working, and a late night working to meet a project deadline, Joanie is ready to make some changes that will improve her work/life balance.
Here's a reminder of Joanie's "Cons of Working from Home" list:
the workday doesn't seem to end
often still dressed in pajamas at 3pm
checking email, even on days off
often feeling sore and tired
feeling overwhelmed with daily invites to coffee chats and virtual lunches
Quiz
What action can Joanie take to create boundaries while working from home? Select all that apply.
Take Action
Are you ready to create some boundaries while working from home?
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