Setting Boundaries in Your Job if You're Working From Home

Home is a haven for an exhausted employee. It's a safe boundary that separates people from the hectic world of their work environment. However, it seems like that boundary was voided when COVID-19 happened. People's mobility has become limited. This caused most companies to adopt a work-from-home setup.

Months later, the world started to open again slowly. But this seems to be not enough reason for professionals to abandon the work-from-home setup. According to a survey, 74% of professionals expect work from home as the standard work mode. With all the uncertainties concerning the pandemic, remote work won't go away any time soon. Companies have even made hybrid working setups available for their employees.

​For some, working remotely is hard. It's because it blurs the line between work and life outside their jobs. If you're experiencing the same struggle, you may want to practice handling the pressure. 

Here are some useful tips that you can apply to maintain a work-life balance if you're working from home:

Practice Time Management
While this advice has been a common one to beat work stress, this can mean much more for remote work. Since your physical boundary from work is unclear, you have to set boundaries through time management instead. Get your schedules organized and follow them strictly. If you need extra time for work, allot some of your spare time for it. Or you can extend your working time for a bit if you want to finish something important. Just make sure that you follow the schedules you set.
This is a great way to boost your drive to finish tasks on time. Time management is a universal method that can increase productivity and, at the same time, save you from physical and mental exhaustion.

Entertain Diversions
One factor that segregates employees from their normal life is their ability to entertain diversions. These are hobbies and favorite pastimes that you can't do while working. Now, if you're in a remote work setup, you may want to give yourself a break by doing something other than work. Spend the weekend with your friends. Invite them over to your apartment.
You can also reignite a passion that you've always wanted to revisit. Maybe learn how to sew or go big and take academic classes. You can use your free time to get your Ph.D. for a Business Administration course. There's a lot you can do to spend your off days and spare time. Do anything that can cleanse your mind off some things that stress you out at work. Always tell yourself that you deserve a rest.

Learn to Disconnect
Even just the thought of incoming work emails may cause anxiety for you. That's why it's important to disconnect yourself from your job every time your shift ends. You can do this by turning off your work notifications so you can focus on other things. It'll also be better if you have a separate mobile phone for your work. This can help prevent your job from interfering with your personal life.

It may sound simple, but detaching yourself from work can help you to recover from stress. Research saysthat this can also help you recharge to prepare for another day at work. Working at home doesn't mean that your spirit should always be at work 24/7. Enjoy the comfort of your house by disconnecting from work.

Cut Backlogs
Backlogs and deadlines can induce tension. However, these lapses are partly something that isn't totally beyond your control. Start finishing your tasks promptly. It's hard to control your laziness if you can see your bed just across the room. Worse is if you're working inside your bedroom.

It's difficult to resist the ambiance of your cozy workplace if you're working from home. But don't get yourself defeated by these temptations. If you give in to these enticements, you tend to be lax at working. This could start a slow flow of delays that'll eventually make you end up with a lot of backlogs. You have to drive yourself to be in the moment while working. Try your best not to get distracted to finish all your tasks for the day. It'll help you eliminate backlogs so that you can have more time for yourself after work.

Avoid Your Home Office
It's harder to disconnect from work if the only place you can escape from work becomes your workplace. People who love to work tend to just open their laptops and start working even on off days. That's why it's better if you can separate your home office from your bedroom. You can place your home office in a place you don't usually frequent. This way, you can avoid going there unless it's a regular working day.

Don't let work violate your boundaries at home. Work smart to reduce stress. Protect your mental health, so you can do your job more efficiently.

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