If you are having a hard time setting that fine balance, then this guide will certainly help you.
Maintain Regular Hours
It can be very difficult for you to set your own hours when you are working remotely. It’s vital that you set a schedule and that you stick to it if possible. Having strict guidelines for when you are going to work and when you should be calling it a day will help you to maintain a good work-life balance. That being said, one of the best benefits of remote working is that you have the option to be flexible. Sometimes you may need to extend your day a little and other times you’ll need to get an earlier start so that you can work according to somebody else’s time zone. Of course, when you do things like this, you need to pack up earlier than usual, or you may need to sleep in the next morning so that you can make up for it. Either way, you have to make sure that you do not let your work life get the better of you. You have to make sure that your work life is not interfering with your personal life, and you also need to make sure that you are not working too hard as well. Automatic time tracking apps are ideal as they give you the chance to check-in and check-out. You can also find the times in the day when you are the most productive, so you can plan your family time around this.
Create a Routine for The Whole Family
Deciding that you are going to sit down at your desk at a certain time is one thing, but actually getting it done is another. Believe it or not, a routine is far more powerful than you’d ever think, and it can work wonders when it comes to your family. It doesn’t matter what routine you have either, whether you need to get the kids off to school before you start work or whether you simply go for a jog in the morning. Either way, you have to get a routine that works for you and your family. If you can do this, then you’ll soon find that you are able to get the best result out of your career. You may also find that your family are able to understand your routine as well and this works wonders if you have kids because they’ll know exactly what’s going to happen and when.
Set Ground Rules
Set ground rules with the people who might be in your home. If you have kids who are learning at home or if you have kids who come home while you are at work, then you have to make sure that you have clear rules. If you share your space with another adult who is working, then you may need to negotiate your quiet times. Additionally, you have to remember that just because you are at home and can take care of the washing or walking the dog, doesn’t mean that you always should. You should not allow yourself to be taken advantage of because if you do, then your productivity will almost certainly suffer. Ask your family to be respectful and have everyone know what is expected of them.
Schedule Regular Breaks
If you work for an organization then make yourself aware of their policies regarding break times. You also need to make sure that you take them if possible. If you are self-employed, then give yourself enough time to walk away from the screen and have lunch. If you are working at the computer then it’s so important that you take a break from the computer for at least an hour. This will help you to get your blood circulating and it will also help you to take your eyes off the screen.
Don’t short-change yourself when it comes to breaks. This is especially the case during your lunch hour or even your meal break. There are apps that you can use to try and schedule some breaks in when you need it, not to mention that you can also set an alarm on your phone if you want. Either way, it doesn’t matter how you track your breaks, as long as you are. If you plan for an hour break and return to your desk when you’ve got 20 minutes left on the clock, go back and enjoy your break.
Ask Family For Help
If you have a newborn and you are experiencing newborn growth spurts then you will know what a turbulent time this can be. You should never be afraid to ask for help if you truly need it because it is out there and you would be surprised at how much people are there to support you. If you are overwhelmed with work and you are not able to walk the dog, then try and ask someone else to take care of the walk for you. When you do this, you will soon find that it is much more possible for you to get a good level of work-life balance and that you are also able to feel much more relaxed during the day.
Move Around
You have to remember that your body needs movement, and that blood circulation is so important. The fresh air and the natural light will also do your body a lot of good. Ideally, you need to try and step outside for a short while during your working hours and then after. The same advice applies to those who might work in an office setting too. Make the effort to leave the building once per day if possible, during working hours. You can go to the café down the street, or you can even pay a visit to the local library if you want. When you do things like this, you will soon find that you are able to make the most out of your time away from the office.
Ask your Employer for Help
As mentioned above, it’s very important to ask your family for help if you truly believe you need it. At the same time, you also need to make sure that you ask your employer for help. If you are employed by a company and they are facilitating you working from home then request any equipment you may need. You also need to make sure that you ask for what you need to do your job comfortably. It may be that you need to invest in the right monitor, keyboard, desk or anything else of the sort.
If you are working from home for the time being but it’s not a long-term solution for you, then you need to be able to make some acceptable compromises. The more you are able to work in comfort, the better you’ll be able to balance your home life. If you finish the day feeling stressed and overwhelmed with your situation, then this will make it harder to juggle your home life, so it’s a good idea to be as comfortable as possible at all times. If you can make this happen then you know that everything else will surely fall into place.
Juggling your home life with your work life can be difficult but if you are willing to make the right changes then you’ll soon find that you can easily balance everything.
BY TECHIE MAMMA