Keeping A Work-Life Balance when your Work Space Is Your Personal Space
Even when the pandemic subsides, certain changes are here to stay, as many businesses have shifted to a remote or hybrid working environment. Many professionals have adapted well to this transition and love working from home. After all, comfy clothes, no commute, and easy access to the refrigerator can go a long way toward worker satisfaction!
With these perks, however, comes the difficulty of separating your work life from your personal life. How are you managing that balance over one year later?
Here are some things to keep in mind going forward:
It’s important to set boundaries. Not just your start and stop times for work, but also where you work in your home and how much time you spend multi-tasking. Although it can be great to do laundry between calls, it can also make it easier to work at your desk after dinner. If you’re constantly switching back and forth between personal and professional tasks, it’s harder to keep boundaries and enjoy your time.
It’s also harder to clear our minds of work when we’re constantly in the same physical space. That’s why dedicating one room to be your office (ideally not your bedroom) is a great approach. It’s also good to keep structure and take breaks for lunch. Switch rooms when you eat, or if that’s not an option, simply switch spots at the table or on the couch. Our minds are quick to associate certain objects with certain tasks or behaviors. Make sure you use this to your advantage instead of allowing it to make you feel stuck.
It’s also important to remember that work will always be there, waiting. When you complete one task, there will always be another. That’s what allows us to keep our jobs! Keeping this in perspective is key. Otherwise, you’re constantly rushing to get the next thing done and not keeping a healthy work-life balance.
You will also sacrifice the quality of your work if you don’t take breaks. Taking breaks allows us to come back to what we were doing more focused and energized, so we can be more productive and efficient.
An important part of a work-life balance is simply taking a break. Letting things go and picking them back up when you have time. In fact, writing this blog is part of me exercising that habit now. Perspective took a social media hiatus for the month of March, but now we’re back and reenergized!
How’s your work-life balance? Are there certain habits or behaviors that you want or need to change? Have you tried to make changes but had trouble sticking with them? If so, we’re here to help! Please reach out for life transitions therapy so we can help you find the balance that works best for you.
Dr. Amelia Powelson is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), and the owner of Perspective Psychology, LLC. She can be reached at 312.588.9672 or amelia@perspectivepsychchicago.com.