If you’re someone who has worked from home for a while, or who has recently started to do so, you’ll have noticed that you very often find yourself working long after work hours are done. Here’s the thing: when you’re working from home, it’s easy to blur the lines between work life and the rest of your life, after all, your dining table is now your desk!
So how do you keep the two separate? How do you make sure that working from home doesn’t take over your life?
Use time to make boundaries
It’s easy when working from home to find yourself getting up to throw the laundry in, or finding yourself texting more than usual. Try and keep the same boundaries you would at the office. Start at the normal time, only check your phone on breaks, finish when the office typically does.
Stop and eat lunch
One common phenomenon is the sad desk lunch.
Break the pattern, you‘re working from home now! If your desk isn’t your dining table, move your lunch to your dining table, grab a book or a magazine, and enjoy your meal without periodically tapping away on your keyboard. This is a break, treat it like one!
Create post-work plans
If you’re someone who is good at starting on time but often finds themselves finishing later than they should, this is a game-changer. Finish work at 5? Tell your mom you’ll call her at 5:15. Or if you have kids, start prepping their meal. Arrange to have your PT sessions right after work is done, or sign up for workout classes that start at that same time. Using plans as blockers is a great way to give yourself the hard boundary you need to stop working.
Tidy up
When you’re done with work, clear it away. Out of sight, and out of mind. This is especially important if your desk is your main dining space, but even if it isn’t, putting all things work behind closed doors means it’s harder to go back and continue where you left off.
Are you working from home? How do you keep the balance between life and work?
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