With your packed work schedule, there will be days when you don’t have enough time to get everything done at the office. If you’re working remotely now, these tips apply to you too!
Even if your company promotes work-life balance, you may need to bring work home some evenings or over the weekend. Since working from home can increase your stress level, you need to create rituals and enforce boundaries to minimize the impact of taking work home with you.
Here are some tips to set boundaries for taking work home or working remotely
1. Set Aside a Workspace
Clarify exactly which part of your home is a workspace. Anywhere with a flat surface and necessary lighting will do. This may be a desk, your kitchen table, anywhere except your bedroom. This helps your mind and body understand when you’re in working mode and when to transition to being at home after you finish.
2. Communicate with People in Your Household
If you live with family members, a significant other, or roommates, let them know the hours you’ll be working from home. Stress the importance of keeping the noise level to a minimum. Remind them of which interruptions are appropriate and which aren’t. Open communication lets everyone know what to expect. You can get your work done while making sure your home is happy.
3. Focus on Your Work
Since you’re working from home, it’s tempting to think about your personal to-do list rather than the work in front of you. Although you might need to buy groceries, wash the dishes, or do laundry, avoid thinking about these tasks when you should be working. Ask people in your household to complete the tasks. If they can’t, schedule time to do them another day. Your work has to take priority for now.
4. Avoid Multitasking
Keep in mind that multitasking isn’t effective. Your brain can’t quickly jump from one task to another and produce quality work. Because it takes time to transition, focus on completing one activity before beginning another. This means finishing your work before deciding to watch TV. Or, taking a quick break to engage in something fun before going back to your task at hand.
5. Enforce Time Limits
Stick with a reasonable time to put away all of your work. You might choose 9 or 10 pm to avoid using mobile devices before bed. Allow enough time to read or watch a TV show to unwind after work. Give your mind and body enough time to transition into relaxation and get enough sleep. You need to be rested and productive the next day.
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