COVID-19 has seriously altered the way we live and work. The entire populace took shelter at home and work from home became the new normal for months. Working from home (WFH) can seriously impact work-life balance. But, in these stressful times, it is important to maintain a balance for your emotional and physical wellbeing.
While remote working or work from home is not a new concept and was prevalent before COVID-19 struck the world, it became the new normal during the global pandemic. Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages. The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2020 reveals that businesses expect to move around 44% of workers to telecommute during the pandemic. It also highlights that 78% of employers think that work from home will have a negative impact on productivity. And, employees working from home face mental and well-being challenges.
In early July this year, Tribe Inc conducted a survey of over 250 employees who normally work in an office but are currently WFH due to the pandemic. Over 50% of survey respondents said that they’d still prefer a combination of working in the office on some days and telecommuting even after the pandemic is over. 23% said they would like to continue working from home and only 25% wanted to return full-time to the office.
Work-life balance is a factor, the influence of which depends on the personal preferences of the employees and the environment at home. WFH gives more freedom and flexibility to the employees, allowing them more time with their families, which can reduce work-life conflict and boost job satisfaction. On the other hand, if not managed properly, WFH can decrease an employee’s productivity and impact his/her personal and professional life.
When you work from home, there is often a danger of lines between office work and personal life getting blurred. It gets more pronounced in situations like the current pandemic, where it is hard to socialize or go out to relax. However, reclaiming some work-life balance isn’t only good for your productivity but also for mental health too.
If you’re an employer looking to help your employees maintain their work-life balance, then Gemini Consulting & Services can help you. We can offer you digital tools, and customized apps along with other employee engagement and collaboration tools that can help your employees work more productively from home. Click here to know how you can take advantage of our technologies.
Striking a Perfect Work-Life Balance
Here are a few tips on how to maintain a healthy work-life balance while working from home.
- Create a Routine: Fix the number of hours and the timings. Don’t fall into the trap of waking up and heading straight to your laptop to work. Include short breaks in your daily routine. And put your work aside on weekends or day-offs. Plan a different routine on weekends. You cannot go out but can surely plan exciting things at home for the weekend. Read a book, exercise, listen to music or pursue your hobby.
- Create a Dedicated Workspace: One of the disadvantages of this COVID induced work from home is that it did not provide time for us to prepare. But, now that, WFH is going to continue for few more months, find a space in your home and create a dedicated workspace for yourself. This should be the place to work and do nothing else.
- Set House Rules: You may have other family members staying with you. You need to now fit work in your home life and that requires cooperation from family members. Based on the routine created earlier, set house rules on TV times, music times and lunch/dinner time as per your schedule. Share it with your family and ask for cooperation.
- Manage Your Expectations: Working from home is not the same as working from the office. There will be challenges, delays, distractions and a drop in productivity. It takes time for your body and mind to adjust to the new environment. So, be patient.
- Relax and Be Positive: These are stressful times. Many people have faced job losses and pay cuts. Don’t let that affect you and focus on your work. This too shall pass!
Taking a positive approach to maintaining your work-life balance will you not only work well but also help your physical and mental health. Start integrating the above discussed ideas into your life, or those that you think can help you. And balance your work and life!
