“Let me just check my work email one more time before I go to bed.”
If you work from home, you’ve probably said that before. Maybe you’ve said it a bunch of times. The point is, it can be a real pain to manage your life and career when everything happens in the same space!
Thankfully, there are ways to make your life easier so you don’t get completely overwhelmed.
Create boundaries
When things start to get overwhelming in your work and you feel like you’re being stretched every which way, you need one thing: Boundaries. Say it with me, boundaries. Without boundaries, you’ll burn out, which is why it’s such an important part of creating a work-life balance at home.
If you’ve worked in a physical office setting before, you probably remember stopping work at a particular time and focusing on personal things until the next workday.
So why is it any different if you work from home?
When you’ve finished working, shut your laptop down immediately, and don’t answer emails on the weekends.
Take your time off seriously and use it to recharge and do things that aren’t work-related at all. Also, let your friends and family know when you’re busy – even if ‘busy’ means taking a nap – and learn how to say that magic word, no.
When you create boundaries, you’ll find it a lot easier to balance your life while working from home. This will, in turn, make your whole life easier.
Get dressed in the same clothes you would wear to an office job
Working in your pajamas with your hair in a messy bun may seem like a dream, but it’ll really mess with your mind and convince you that you don’t really have anything important to do.
When you dress up for work, you’ll be more productive because you’ll feel motivated to do your job. So, train your mind to get up in the morning and put on work clothes.
Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you don’t need to look presentable. When you dress down, you can start to feel lazy and uninspired, which is obviously not the right mindframe for a workday!
You don’t have to wear a power suit and makeup, though – simply wearing a blouse and slacks can do the trick. The important thing is to make an effort and show up, even if your boss and co-workers aren’t physically there with you.
Have your own work space
A big plus of working from home is having a flexible working environment. But, to create a healthy work-life balance, you need a dedicated workspace, even if it’s just a desk in the corner. Why? Because if you don’t have a specific workspace, your entire home might become your workspace – even when you’ve finished for the day.
Think about it: Without a desk, it’ll be more difficult to really focus on your work and then move on to other things at the end of the day. You might be tempted to answer “urgent” work emails while brushing your teeth at night or work on a project while cooking dinner. The result? You’ll be more likely to burn out!
So, having a dedicated workspace will train your mind to associate your workspace with work only, which is very helpful.
Take a break
Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you have to work for five hours straight. Go for a walk, stretch, grab something to eat, and then go back to work. Taking a break will also clear your mind and help you focus for the rest of the day. You’ll do better work when you’re kind to your body and have time to yourself.
Have an accountability partner
It can be hard to stay motivated when you don’t have a boss telling you what to do. That’s why it’s important to have an accountability partner. You need someone to cheer you on, give you advice, and share personal productivity hacks. Having an accountability partner will also help you feel less isolated, which is so important.
Bottom line
Working from home can be a rewarding experience and give you a lot more freedom to organize your time as you see fit.
Of course, creating a work-life balance can be challenging at first, especially if you’re new to working from home. Don’t worry, though – that’s normal. Give yourself some time to adjust, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Once you find a routine that works for you, it’ll get easier and easier.
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