Keeping work-life balance is a must if you want to be healthy and happy in life. So how do you do it? Well, here are some simple steps you can take to make it work:
Fix A Stopping Point To End The Work Day
Losing track of time while in a work-from-home setup is easy, and more often than not, you end up working longer hours than intended. However, overextending yourself can throw your body off. The best thing to do is to set up a fixed stopping point for yourself. If it’s 6 PM, then stop at 6 PM.
If you ever feel the temptation to check “just one more email” or work “just five more minutes,” remind yourself that having a fixed stopping point to end your work day actually benefits your job in the long run.
Set A Trigger To Begin Your Personal Time
Want to know aneffective way to form new habits? Triggers (or cues). When you have a daily routine that you’re set to do after finishing the day’s work, it becomes a signal from your brain to your body that you’re officially done working for the day—and you can finally relish your own time.
Whatever it is that you want to do as a routine to trigger starting personal time, it’s up to you. It can be a five-minute meditation or walking your dog. It’s as simple as that!
Close Your Office Door
When it comes to your work space, one saying that applies is “out of sight, out of mind.” If you have a designated room that you use as a home office, get out of there as soon as your work day ends. Leaving all work-related things there will help you focus on pursuing personal projects, bonding with friends and family, or simply unwinding.
No sealed off workspace? No worries! Make use of a screen or a well-placed bookshelf as a form of physical separation. And if those aren’t available either, what can help is to just clean up your ongoing work to avoid getting pulled back to your work station.
Have A Screen-Free Schedule
Perhaps the biggest struggle when it comes to separating your job from your home life is being constantly glued to screens. Whether it’s your laptop or phone, it can be difficult to fight the urge to take a peek at your emails—even when you’re off duty and supposed to be revelling in your downtime.
Although tuning into work 24/7 is easy to do when you work from home, you have to remind yourself that your home is your home first—and your workplace second. So if you’re serious about having the work-life balance you desire (and deserve!), then treat it in that manner.
A couple of useful podcasts for your commutes or for when you want to get some inspiration:
Hundreds of interviews with leaders from all industries (including Nobel Prize winners, Olympic gold medallists, inventors and leaders): Innovator Diaries
Hundreds of short and relaxed conversations related to Travelling, International Education, Professional development and Studying: TIPS Podcast