Working from Home? Maintain a Healthy Balance

The COVID-19 pandemic forced people to adjust in many ways, including shifting to remote work. Working from a home office has its benefits – saying goodbye to a long commute, for example. But it also comes with some challenges. Longer workdays, limited socialization, and difficulties in balancing an overwhelming slate of professional and personal tasks can blur the lines between work and home.
One possible solution to the imbalance? Focus on melding your professional and personal worlds. In other words, don't treat them as conflicting things, but as areas that can compromise and co-exist.
Finding the right mix of strategies is highly individual. But the following tips from some of the experts at Mayo Clinic might help you strike the balance you're looking for.
Create a daily schedule that includes work and personal events
Creating a schedule and maintaining a routine are crucial steps in achieving good work-life integration. Dr. Adam Perlman, director of Integrative Health and Well-Being at Mayo Clinic in Florida recommends making a list of the things each day that you need or want to do – for work and yourself. Then build a schedule around them.1
He explains, "Before working from home, you might have gone to the gym and worked out, then showered and driven to work. But now that home is your office, you regularly skip the gym, don't shower and, instead, turn on your computer and get straight to work."
If this sounds familiar, it’s time to reset your routine. Dr. Perlman recommends adding a specific time to your calendar that you’ll go to the gym. Then, come home, shower, and start work.
Can’t get to the gym or gyms aren’t your thing? Schedule a time to go outside for a walk or a run.
Don’t be afraid to schedule the smallest tasks, such as snack and stretch breaks. It’s easy to miss a meal or not move from your desk for hours when you’re busy working. But stepping away from your desk, even for five minutes, can help recharge your mind and prevent discomfort associated with sitting for a long time.2,3
Make a to-do-list, then "delegate, delete, or do."
Another strategy to help you better achieve good work-life integration is to adopt the time management strategy that Dr. Pearlman calls "delegate, delete, and do."1
People often begin to feel anxious or overwhelmed when they are juggling too much. Try pausing and taking stock of all the things on your plate.
- Make a list and include small and large work-related and personal tasks. Having a list helps you plan, maintain focus, and protect your time so you can accomplish your priorities at work and home.
- Look at each item on the list and ask yourself if this is something that you can delegate to another person, delete from your list that day, or something you need to do. It may seem like a small thing, but being able to remove items from the list can help make you feel less overwhelmed.
- The “do” part is about understanding priorities. That is, certain things must be done no matter what else is happening. For example, putting the finishing touches on a presentation due by the end of the day or picking up your child from school.
Keep and maintain important boundaries
Integrating work and personal lives doesn’t mean always being on-call for work. Dr. Clayton Cowl, chair of the Division of Preventative, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine at Mayo Clinic stresses the importance of setting and maintaining boundaries to feel more organized and in control while working at home.2
- Create a dedicated workspace.Clutter and noise can make concentrating difficult, potentially affecting productivity. Although it’s challenging to eliminate all distractions at home, having a dedicated spot for work might help. Also, make sure your workspace has adequate lighting, is properly ventilated, and is ergonomically correct. For example, use a chair that supports the lower curve of your back, has armrests, and allows you to rest your feet flat on the floor.2
- Create physical boundaries.You might need a visible reminder that the workday is over. If you have an office space where you can physically do so, then close the door at the end of your work time. This symbolic action can help signify that it is now personal time.3
- Create mental boundaries.Resist checking email at the dinner table, when you're watching a movie with the kids, before going to bed, or when you can't sleep.
Dr. Laura Breeher, a Mayo Clinic occupational medicine specialist, suggests building in a "walking commute" at the end of the day to transition between work and home time. She says, "This will give you a mental and physical break between finishing work at five o'clock and immediately stepping into home or family life and responsibilities."2
Additional tips for working from home
Try these suggestions that can help you maintain balance and avoid burnout while integrating your home and work lives.
- Bolster your support system. Join forces with co-workers who can help when you might need some tasks taken off your plate. At home, enlist trusted friends and loved ones to assist with childcare or household responsibilities.4
- Nurture yourself. Trying to balance your work and personal worlds can make it easy to forget to take care of yourself – which is a direct route to burnout. The following tactics can help:3,4
- Take time off when you need to
- Get at least seven hours of sleep each night
- Exercise regularly
- Eat a well-balanced diet
- Spend time outdoors
- Learn to say no to requests that strain your time or energy
- Keep in touch with friends and family through visits, phone calls, emails, or video chats
As the line between work and home has bent and blurred, upholding your personal boundaries while meeting the demands at work isn't always easy. But it is attainable. Maintaining a healthy balance is an ongoing process that will shift over time as you adapt to a continually changing work and home life.
Keep in mind that everyone needs help on occasion. And that's ok. When life feels too chaotic or burdensome, talk with a professional counselor or mental health provider to help you feel better.
References
- How to integrate work, home life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayo Clinic. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-to-integrate-work-home-life-during-the-covid-19-pandemic. [Accessed August 25, 2023]
- Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Tips to stay healthy while working from home. Mayo Clinic. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/7-21-ready-to-schedule-mayo-clinic-qa-podcast-tips-to-stay-healthy-while-working-from-home/. [Accessed August 25, 2023]
- Working from home: How to optimize your work environment and stay healthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2020/11/20/working-from-home/. [Accessed August 25, 2023]
- Work life balance. Mental Health America. https://www.mhanational.org/work-life-balance. [Accessed August 25, 2023]