With the end of the pandemic in sight, many are talking about a return to normal. But the reality is that not everything that’s changed in our lives will go back to the way it was.
One part of our pandemic lifestyle that’s likely to stay is remote work. Many companies are choosing to turn this into a permanent arrangement, or at least start a hybrid work plan where employees will split their hours between their home and the office.
Although there will be benefits from doing remote work, it will also make it difficult to find work-life balance. And many of us are now familiar with what happens when we don’t have that balance: sleep deprivation, poor posture, depression, and even burnout.
In the interest of finding a balance between remote work and home life, here are four tips that will help maximize your productivity while avoiding burnout.
Take a break and go for a walk
When working from home, make sure to give yourself a break. That means stepping out of your home office and going for a walk. Even if it’s just for five minutes, walking will not only help you relieve your mind, and improve your overall productivity, but it will also give you a break from sitting too long in front of a screen.
Keep a schedule
Remote working makes it so easy to go back to work, even if it’s our day off, or if we’re meant to be offline. With work emails connected to our smartphones, and our laptop just steps away from us, it’s easy to check for updates or complete a task which we might’ve left incomplete.
One way to limit your screen time is by keeping a schedule. For example, if you have the ability to schedule your meetings, be strategic about it: insert breaks in-between, so that you aren’t continuously looking at your screen.
Keeping a schedule can help limit you from turning on ‘work mode,’ and make it easier to maintain a healthy home life.
Turn on the Do Not Disturb function
Technology can sometimes be a wonderful thing, and it’s best to take advantage of it when you can. One way is by turning on the Do Not Disturb function on your phone for work-related applications. This can keep you “offline” and help reduce the temptation to access those apps.
Take short breaks to keep up with household chores
Although this is something not many people enjoy doing, chores can help create a barrier between work life and home. Even if that means scrubbing your stovetop, doing your laundry, folding your clothes, or just quickly reorganizing, tending to your living space will help you take some moments away from the screen. It’s also an opportunity to refresh your mind.
Doing any sort of physical activity will also help create balance between work life and home life. It will improve your productivity, boost your creative thinking, and help you stay calm during stressful situations.
