Finding Balance – Part 1: Work/Life

Somehow, it’s almost 2021. This weird year has gotten away from us. And a shift in our normal life, it certainly was. Have you figured out a way to balance it all yet? I know I’m still working on that myself. But this post should lend a hand to that.

We all know, it’s important to find a balance both at work AND at home. And for many right now, work is at home or a mix of home and office. People are trying to figure out how to remain productive while attending to home life. And organizations are trying to figure out how to safely support workers in the office with the flexibility their employees need.

Balance is the solution to COVID’s complete disruption of our world (both in the workplace and at home) and the continued changes sure to follow. Now is the time to take control of your work/life balance to be productive yet still present with your personal life. And now is the time for the organization to balance the freedom, flexibility, and productivity of employees while maintaining safety, security, and optimization.

We can’t give you all the answers to achieving balance, but we can certainly help with some tools and tips in this two-part guide. Share the Work/Life tips from Part 1 with your employees or use them for yourself and bring the Workplace tips from Part 2 to your next back-to-work planning meeting!

The Need for Work/Life Balance

Let’s start with your people first because health and happiness are critical to productive employees.

Work/life balance has become more important than ever. With so many working from home, employees are working earlier in the morning because there is no more commute, into the evenings because their computer is right there, emails just begging to be read, and late through the night because “what is one more thing?” … over and over until you realize it is 3 am.

According to internal data, NordVPN found the average workday in the US has increased by almost 40% this year, making our 8-hour workdays now 11-hour workdays. People are burning out and they are burning out quick.

Here are some tips for creating a balance and avoiding WFH Fatigue.

How to obtain a work/life balance?

1. Start by setting some boundaries with your coworkers, bosses, and yourself. Write them down to remind yourself not to give in.

2. Compartmentalize in time and space. Have an “office,” some space designated for work. Give yourself office hours and tell your family to limit interruptions during those times.

3. Sign on and off at the same time you did when you were in the office.

4. Limit the number of emails you reply to after work hours. Set a time in which you will no longer read or reply.

5. Set scheduled focus time. The uptick in emails and chats since working from home can cause a real distraction. Put those on do not disturb during certain times of the day so you can focus on the tasks at hand.

6. Take care of yourself. Find your support system. Whether it’s coworkers or family. Make sure you have someone to talk to and do just that, talk.

7. Relax. Put the work away. Put the at-home tasks out of mind. And relax in whatever way you can.

 

With this work/life balance in mind, head over to Part 2 – Finding Balance: The Workplace.

 

What other tips do you have for creating work/life balance?

Comment below and let us know!