Working from home: how to manage to maintain a work/life balance?

If the remote working has many advantages, it does not always make it easy to define a clear border between private and professional life. What reflexes should be adopted to maintain this balance?

The health crisis has caused the use of remote working in companies to explode. Although this practice presents recognized benefits : no travel time, better concentration, reduced stress, increased productivity, the full-time systematization raised a real problem: work-life balance.

A study conducted by researchers from the Harvard Business School And of the New York University shows that remote workers work on average 50 extra minutes per day compared to their office hours. The dangers are real: the Mental health of employees has never been this low, with 50% in a situation of psychological distress, particularly affecting women and managers (source: Opinionway Barometer for Empreinte Humaine, December 2020).

Succeed at find and maintain a balance becomes essential. Here are some practical tips for better segmenting professional and personal lives.

Set schedules and stick to them

Attach time limits is fundamental, even if replying to a “quick” email or finishing a file seems trivial. Without these limits, work can Phagocytize your personal sphere.

At the office, your day is punctuated by arrival, meetings and breaks. When working from home, this rhythm becomes unclear. Have a Clear schedule, with start and end times, allows compartmentalize professional life and personal life. Once the computer is turned off, Don't turn it on again and resist the temptation to work on the weekends.

La disconnection also involves the fact of tidy up your workspace at the end of the day, in order to no longer have a constant reminder of professional tasks. If you have trouble stopping, plan personal activities : sport, meditation, creative hobby... with a reminder in your agenda.

Establish rituals at the beginning and end of the day

Commuting to and from the office is a Transition room between private and professional life. En teleworking, this passage disappears, but you can recreate it with personal rituals :

• Get dressed as if you were going to the office, or choosing a specific outfit to work
• Start the day through a yoga session, meditation, or a few pages of reading
• End the day by taking a walk outside or walking around the neighborhood

These routines make it possible to mark symbolically the start and end of your professional day.

Have a dedicated space to work

Ideally, reserve a room for your office. If this is not possible, set up a table or a work corner with Sufficient storage to separate professional equipment and personal space. Working on the couch or bed can be harmful to your Relaxed feeling at home.

Setting aside files and computers at the end of the day helps avoid visual stress linked to professional tasks and facilitates disconnection.

Plan real breaks

In the office, breaks are natural: coffee, lunch, informal exchanges... When working from home, it is essential to Take these moments for yourself, without feeling guilty.

Plan regular breaks in your agenda: 5 to 10 minutes for a coffee or a full lunch break.

Warning: starting a machine or vacuuming is not a break, it's still time domestic work. Waiting until the end of the day for these tasks allows you to respect your work/life balance.

Communicate

Teleworking often reduces informal exchanges and promotesseclusion. It is therefore essential to:

• Share your technical constraints and difficulties with your team and hierarchy
• Open the dialog on your mental load and your needs
• Encourage colleagues to express themselves as well

This proactive communication helps to alleviate the mental load and create a more pleasant environment cooperative and empathetic.

Communicate with those around you

Communicating with your professional circle is one thing, but you should also not forget to start a dialogue with your loved ones on the subject. Working from home doesn't mean you're always available. During working hours, you are busy and cannot constantly respond to personal requests. Share your work schedules with those around you and tell them what time slots you are available.

Preserving your balance when working from home: the essential keys

The teleworking offers numerous benefits, but it can quickly blur the border between professional and personal life. Attach timetables, establish rituals, arrange a dedicated space, take Real breaks and communicate effectively are essential actions to maintain this balance.

By applying these best practices, you are not only protecting your sanity and your wellness, but you also improve your productivity and your overall quality of life.

Give yourself the means to disconnect and compartmentalize its professional and personal activities is now essential to take full advantage of the benefits of teleworking, while avoiding exhaustion and stress.

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