Work-life balance has become even more important topic lately as the working space has taken over the home environment.
Living rooms are now converted into home-office areas. It’s not an exception to see a family member as a background in a video-conferencing call and parents are quite often looking for a “quiet shelter” to take the next call.
Do you feel drained and exhausted from work at home?
Here are some tips for people struggling to adjust. This short article is on how to maintain the work-life balance while working from home and tip the scale in your favor. Try to make things one at a time and prioritize your well-being.
Work-life balancing starts with a clear mindset of where the designated area for work would be. It is extremely difficult to get anything done when you’re in the relaxing spot. Working from the couch might sound very appealing - try not to fall into this habit. Creating a working area will help you be more productive, and your work would not spread out to other areas of the home.
As appealing as it may sound to take those ten extra minutes, we strongly recommend not to. Now that you don’t need to travel to the office mornings are quieter and one has more time for other activities but plan them up front. When you choose to wake up late, there are high chances that you head straight to your laptop and start working, before you even had the time to freshen up and have your breakfast. Our bodies love the routine – going to bed and waking up at more or less the same time: this makes us feel relaxed at the evenings, refreshed at the mornings and more energetic during the day.
Start your day with a glass of water. Some prefer it with lemon or a slice of orange, but even plain would help you start your day faster. Drinking water first thing in the morning helps rehydrate the body, jump-starts your metabolism and helps fuel your brain. Breakfast on the other hand provides you the necessary energy to kick start your day. It does not matter whether you enjoy having a heavy breakfast or like to keep things light, according to nutritionists it is important to eat your breakfast within two hours after getting up.
Before you start your work for the day make sure you do some light stretching. It will not only take care of any stiffness that may occur due to prolonged sitting but will also ensure that you do some physical activity before you start your work for the day. There are so many free and paid options in the world of activity and break apps that may help you acquire this new habit easier and faster.
Now more than ever we’re caught up in front of our computers most time of the day. Make sure you catch some fresh air and spend at least some time in natural daylight on a daily basis. If you don’t have access to a balcony or garden where you can safely spend some private time during the pandemic, make it a point to open your windows and let some sunlight in.
Work-life balance should be about you. Your time outside the professional commitments and household tasks might be limited and it may be hard for you to squeeze extra minutes for yourself, but make sure you take out at least 30 min do to anything that stimulates you and makes you feel alive. It might be an activity with your family, something creative or stimulating your brain. It might be a sports activity or just a relax time for you to sit back and relax. Take that time for yourself.