Working From Home? Here’s How You Keep The Balance

Hello my dear readers! In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought this post from last year might be useful to some of you. In many countries (including the Netherlands, where I am) people are strongly encouraged or asked to work from home to help flatten the infection curve. Of course the current situation is different than when you work from home regularly and voluntarily- especially for those of you with children at home. However, a bit of structure can be very beneficial for many of us. Hopefully the tips are helpful for people who struggle to find that structure. Stay safe! <3

As someone who stumbled into the online entertainment business at a very young age, working from home has been all I’ve known for the vast majority of my working life. I wouldn’t have it any other way: the freedom and autonomy that comes with managing your own time and location is absolutely wonderful and in my opinion, one of the best things about living in this day and age.

For all its advantages though, working from home has one major pitfall: losing a healthy work-life balance. It’s very easy to slip into working either much more or much less than you would have done if you worked in an office setting. The more freedom you have, the more discipline you will need to maintain some sort of structure and to have plenty of time for both work and a personal life. That’s what it all boils down to, after all: a healthy dose of discipline. Not the most exciting thing, but necessary.

I’d like to share the things I’ve found most important in keeping a healthy work-life balance while working from home. I’m a small business owner myself, but the same principles apply if you’re working for a company remotely.

Work Hours

The number one priority I’ve found personally, is to have set work hours and stick to them. I like to work the typical 9 to 5 most days with one hour-long lunch break and two 15 minute breaks in-between. This helps me make sure I put enough hours in to get my work done, but I’m not tempted to work evenings or weekends. Of course you could choose to work different hours, depending on what times of the day you feel most active and productive.

Do make sure you give yourself plenty of time off, though. Like I mentioned, I have regular breaks scheduled into my day, and I won’t hesitate to give myself a little time off when I feel the brain fog coming up. Taking regular breaks helps you stay productive and sane, and the same goes for getting enough sleep. Aim for the recommended 7-8 hours every night.

Note: don’t feel guilty about scheduling in some extra me-time these days. We’re going through a stressfull time so be sure to prioritise your mental health as best as you can.

Work Space

Depending on the job you do, it’s likely that you don’t want your work-related items (files, paperwork, electronics, tools) to mix with your personal or family belongings. I highly suggest setting up a designated work space somewhere in your home. It doesn’t have to be much more than a set of drawers where you keep all your work-related items, if your job doesn’t require many physical things. I do personally like to have a separate work desk as well, but my entire home office consist of just the desk and a few cabinets in our bedroom. It’s humble, but it’s what I need to have everything organised in one place and separate from everything else. Sitting down in your designated work space is also a great way to alert your family members or house mates to the fact that you’re working now, and not available for small-talk or domestic matters.

Another great advantage of having any kind of home office, is having the ability to leave it. A short or longer break is much more effective when you actually move away from the space you were in, and being able to “leave the office” at the end of the work day really helps you switch off and get out of work mode.

Note: if your working from home is a temporary situation, consider designating a box or clearing out a drawer for this purpose until you’re able to go back to your office. Place the box next to the dinner table or wherever you plan to do the majority of your work, and tidy your “workplace” after work each day.

Don’t Mix

I’m sure by now you’ve caught my drift: the best way to keep a healthy work/life balance when working from home, is to keep a clear separation of the two. Try to resist the urge to do a load of laundry during work hours, or to keep working deep into the night/on the weekend when you’ve promised to spend time with loved ones. This is the biggest challenge for me personally (I love me some multi-tasking) and it’s absolutely ok if you’re not perfect all the time, but do try to be conscious about how you spend your time.

Try to keep your spaces separate, too. Even if you don’t have a designated work desk or you work in different places each day, make sure there is at least one area in your house where you’re not allowed to work. I suggest the bedroom or at least the bed itself for this purpose. Make the “work-free area” a space that’s purely meant for relaxation and for personal life to unfold in. Try to leave your work at work, as you would if you had an office job.

Stay Fit

When you work and live in the same space, time can pass you by quickly and before you know it you’ll have spent a few days in a row cooped up inside your home. If you notice you’re becoming sedentary, try leaving the house and going for a short walk before and after work hours. Think of it as a sort of commute to and from work.

Note: please heed any current instructions from your government regarding social distancing and quarantine. If it’s allowed and safe where you live and you’re healthy, going on a walk in nature or a quiet area is great for the body and soul, but please don’t take any unnecessary risks. If you’re not allowed to leave the house or not comfortable with doing so, get some exercise indoors by following an online workout routine, doing some vigorous cleaning around the house, or dancing to your favourite music.

Try to resist the temptation of working from the bed or sofa. A lazy position like that might seem comfortable at first, but it’s actually horrible for your back and posture in general. If you’re going to be working from home a lot, definitely invest in a good ergonomic chair and/or a desk you can stand behind. Make sure your computer screen is at the right height, and beware of spending too much time behind a computer. Stretch regularly, and drink plenty of water.

That about covers it, I believe! All these things are pretty essential if you want to make working from home, well… Work. Take care!