Remember back in March when we thought the world would be back to normal by Summer at the latest? Joke’s on us, since we’re halfway through August and the pandemic is still going strong, at least for those of us in the U.S. (anyone else contemplating a move to New Zealand?). In the early days of quarantine, I basically threw any concept of work-life balance out the window, considering myself lucky to still have a job and happy to work 12 hours a day if it meant the company would get through these unprecedented times. I still consider myself lucky to have a job, but given that there’s no end in sight to us all working remotely, it’s important to establish some work-life boundaries so we don’t all completely lose our minds by year-end. The boundaries that used to exist while we had an office destination everyday are long gone, but they’re still important. Here’s some tips to make sure you’re maintaining a sense of balance and keeping yourself from crossing over into the burnout stage.
- Close Up Shop. Shut down your computer around the same time that you used to leave the office each day. The pandemic has shown me that while working remotely, I have the tendency to work way longer hours and do “just one more thing” late at night. I’ve come to realize that anything I’m doing at 9 pm can likely be done at 9 am the following day.
- Replace your commute with a walk. If you have to be online at 9 a.m., don’t set your alarm for 8:50. Just because your commute has gone from a 30-minute drive to a 30-step walk to your kitchen, doesn’t mean your brain and body don’t need that sense of routine. Replace your morning drive with a morning walk, listening to a podcast or radio show. Do the same when it’s time to shut down in the evening, and get outside and enjoy some fresh air. That will tell your brain it’s time to shift focus away from work for the day.
- Take advantage of the newly freed up time. Working from home can actually make us more productive and efficient because we don’t have as many distractions and colleagues to chat with. However, it can also be lonely, so instead of jam-packing all 8 hours of your day with work assignments, take 10 minutes to video chat with a family member or friend the same way you would take a break to chat with a coworker.
- Get ready. Whatever you do, do not sit down for work for the day still in your pajamas. If jeans are too much to expect (which is fair), put on a comfy sundress or cute yoga outfit. It takes less than 10 minutes of effort but can have a huge impact on your day.
- Make plans for after-work hours. The world is still shutdown, but there’s slightly less restrictions in place now than there were in March and April. Grab a socially-distanced drink with a friend at a restaurant with outdoor seating, or ask someone in your area to join you for your evening walk. Force yourself to have a hard stop to your day and give yourself something to look forward to.
- Take a lunch break. I used to always make sure I took at least 20 minutes to not eat lunch at my desk. Stepping away in the middle of the day was one of the best things I could do to make sure I was refreshed and productive the rest of the afternoon. When I started working from home, I not only didn’t take lunch breaks, but most days I’d forget to eat lunch at all because my routine was so out of whack. Put a lunch break on your calendar and force yourself to completely step away – even if it’s just a foot or two away to your couch.
