Without a doubt, the biggest workplace trend of the last two years has been the increase in people working remotely. Of course, much of this came out of necessity due to the COVID-19 lockdowns. However, with the convenience and cost-savings, many organizations have indicated that they plan to continue with remote or hybrid working arrangements even after the pandemic.
Working from home can increase an employee's work/life balance greatly, but it also comes with the risk of greatly eroding it. So, with working from home looking like it is here to stay for the foreseeable future, it is becoming more important for workers to set their work/life boundaries while doing their jobs from their homes.
When you are putting in your hours at the physical workplace, those boundaries are usually more well-defined. You show up at the beginning of your shift, put in the hours you are paid for, and then head home to enjoy the rest of your time. It is true that in our constantly connected world with smartphones, laptops, and Wi-Fi everywhere, many workers find themselves doing work long after they've left the office for the day.
But still. There is a delineation between being at work and being at home. When your workplace is your kitchen table, your couch, or your home office, things are less clear.
It can be a challenge to separate your homelife from your worklife when they are both taking place in the same location. It might be nice to always be at home – but the danger is that you're also always at work.
Without those physical boundaries, it is important to set up your own ground rules for accomplishing everything you need to get done for your employment while still giving yourself time away from work to enjoy the rest of your life. To make sure you’re maintaining the balance you need to relax, recharge and have a personal life, you need to be adamant about setting boundaries and sticking with them.
Personal boundaries
Have a workspace
Set up a professional space that is your dedicated workstation within your home. A spare room with a desk and a closing door would be ideal, but not everyone has the luxury of an extra room. If you don't have the space, set up your desk in as quiet a corner as you can find. Remind others that when you go to your workstation, you are at your job.
It can help your focus when you – and your household – separate your working time from your personal time, even if you are at home for both.
Get dressed for work. It's harder to focus and get into the work frame of mind when you're in your pyjamas. Plus, then you'll be prepared for unexpected Zoom calls.
Maintain a schedule
Set your working hours. Much like you would spend your shift at the workplace if you weren't working from home, determine your working schedule from home and stick to your plan. One of the dangers of remote work is that without the physical separation from the job, people can find themselves working longer and longer hours without even noticing – until they hit the point of burnout.
Remember to take breaks during the day. You wouldn't sit at your desk for eight hours in the office without standing up, getting a coffee, having lunch, or taking a break. However, many people working from home feel the need to be at their computer constantly for fear that if they miss an incoming message or take too long to respond to an email it could give the impression that they are slacking off, taking advantage of working from home.
You have nothing to feel guilty about if you are doing your job.
Be professional, and take your normal breaks. You won't be able to do your best work, or focus much at all, if you sit staring at a screen for the whole day without a stretch.
Another way to maintain productivity, especially when you are on a schedule that is divided between your job and personal responsibilities such as childcare, is to set a list of deliverables for the day. Determine what you need to accomplish to put in a full day's work, make a list of tasks, and call it a day once you've crossed off the last items.
This is a perfect solution for a Results Only Workplace environment (ROWE), where your employer isn't concerned with how much time you put in or where you work from as long as you deliver the accomplishments that you are responsible for.
Set boundaries with your employer
As much as you need to set personal boundaries to maintain your work/life balance while working remotely, it is even more important to establish those parameters with your employer. The fact that you are working from home – so always at your workplace – doesn't mean that you are always working.
Determine your deliverables
Like how a daily task list can keep you on track for your workday, having an agreed-upon set of deliverables with your manager can help you ensure that work is being done on schedule.
Clarifying what you are responsible for in a given time period also helps to protect you from taking on too much and not knowing when to stop. That is always a risk when you are working on your own schedule.
Schedule regular check-ins
One of the drawbacks to working from home can be the lack of feedback on your work. Another negative can be feelings of isolation and the lack of motivation from working in a vacuum, not seeing how your efforts contribute to the bigger picture. Having regular team meetings to compare notes with your coworkers and one-on-one update meetings with your manager can help mitigate these.
Team check-ins are encouraging as coworkers see how their work helps achieve the department's overall goals. Plus, regular conversations with your supervisor can help keep your work on track, allow both parties to ask questions, and course-correct for any issues or difficulties that emerge.
It's motivating to know that your work is on track and your contributions matter.
Set expectations for your availability
Just because you work from where you live doesn't mean that you are on the clock every minute of your life. So, set the boundary. If you can work from nine to five, then let your employer know this. If you need to work a different schedule to accommodate your home life, then have that conversation with your boss. Talking about boundaries with your supervisor might feel awkward at the moment, but that conversation will eliminate future awkwardness and misunderstandings once accomplished.
Assure your manager that you can be available for regular team meetings and check-ins, and then negotiate the hours you'll be on the job throughout the week. Work that out with your employer if you need to arrange these around children's school schedules or other priorities.
If your work schedule differs from the norm, consider putting your hours into your email signature so that your availability will be clear to the people you work with. Something like this:
John Smith
555-1234
[email protected]
Working hours: 6am-3pm Monday to Friday
Setting expectations and letting others know when you will be available can make remote work more effective. Even before the pandemic, the lines between people's work and personal time were starting to fade. Being always connected makes it increasingly difficult to maintain work/life balance. Setting boundaries from the outset can help you keep your professional life on track without sacrificing your private life.
Looking after yourself is vital. You can't do your best work if you are not at your best. Burning out won't do you – or your employer – any good.
