Working from home is great. You can set your own hours, work in your pajamas, and escape the stress of having to return home from your 9-5. However, it also has its challenges… How do you balance work with life?
Keep in mind that, work-life balance means making sure that the time you spend at work isn’t so much that it interferes with other aspects of your life like family, hobbies, and outside interests.
If this has been a struggle for you, know that you’re not alone!
Here are some tips on how to achieve a healthy work/life balance while working from home.
Create a schedule and stick to it.
The first step to achieving work-life balance is to create a schedule that divides up your work time, personal time, and downtime. I enjoy posting my schedule on the wall by my desk. This helps me know what I need to do next without forgetting or allowing myself too much free time.
(Just don’t overschedule yourself!)
Next, try to complete tasks that you don’t enjoy doing during the morning hours when you’re fresh and full of energy.
Also, block out distractions while working- Whether it’s the noise coming from the TV in the background or an endless stream of notifications filling your phone screen, these distractions can hinder your productivity by pulling focus away from your work tasks.
Take care of yourself by eating healthy, exercising, and getting enough sleep.
Getting the right amount of sleep is crucial for your physical and emotional well-being.
Sleep deprivation can have negative consequences on your mental acuity and physical health. It also reduces your productivity levels.
Find time for your hobbies- Hobbies are activities that can help bring balance to your life. Hobbies are also something you enjoy doing outside the context of your job which is ultimately good for both your mental and physical wellbeing.
Eating healthy is also important for maintaining good energy levels while working from home. Eating unhealthy snacks all day can cause weight gain which affects mood- or lead to headaches or stomach aches.
Join a community or find an accountability partner
The third step in achieving a healthy work-life balance while working at home is to find a community or an accountability partner who can help push you through when you’re feeling most drained.
Many communities for remote workers exist online which is helpful if you’re looking to find information on how to get remote work or need encouragement in continuing your own remote employment.
Your accountability partner can be someone you meet up with occasionally during the day, someone who calls or texts you regularly, or someone whom you email about your progress often.
These options can help you maintain a healthy work-life equilibrium.
Get out of the house – take on some freelance work for clients in person or go to networking events
The fourth step is to get out of the house. One way to do this may be to take on some freelance work for clients in person or go to networking events.
See, clients are more likely to pay for conference calls, meetings, or other appointments if you can show them examples of what you do and help them visualize their own “completed projects.” You may also be able to negotiate a salary increase by meeting with them face-to-face.
Another way to get out of the house is to go to networking events. Networking events are great for meeting other people in your industry, building connections, and getting tips on how others have succeeded in their fields – all while still being able to work at home! Lastly, try joining any groups that your company may recommend.
Set boundaries
The fifth step for achieving a healthy work-life balance while working at home is to set boundaries with your family members. They must know when you’re working and should respect those times.
One way to do this is to change the status message on your phone, email, and social media accounts to let people know when you’re unavailable in order to create a boundary between work and home life. You might also want to invest in some noise-canceling headphones so that you don’t have disruptions from family members or roommates if they’re not aware of your boundaries.
Efficient time management skills are also helpful for establishing boundaries. But you should plan out each day so that it reflects both personal/work needs as well as the needs of your loved ones.
Let go of perfectionism
The final step is to let go of perfectionism. It’s important to remember that there is no such thing as perfection.
Set realistic goals for yourself and try not to set too many goals at once because this will make it more difficult to achieve any of them.
These tips always work!
Creating that work-life blend can be challenging, especially when you have kids in the picture. But with these tips, you’ll be able to create that balance and enjoy your work from home.
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