A work/life balance was a state that most were striving for before the Covid-19 pandemic but within a matter of weeks, the way we work and do routines has changed. The transition to working from home may have hindered the progress of achieving this balance. Working from early until late is easier without facing the forced breaks of the bus or train to and from the office each day. We want to share some tips and tricks we’ve been working on to keep up this important balance:
What is a work/life balance?
Spending time doing things you love without work crowding your mind is important not only for your mental health but to increase productivity when at work. Working more hours without giving yourself adequate breaks has proven only to decrease productivity.
Everyone has their own way of creating balance. You could be spending more time with your family and friends, watching your favourite series, spending time on hobbies, and anything else you love doing. This is significantly harder when we aren’t taking part in these outside of our own homes.
Work/life balance during Covid-19
What does this work/life balance look like when in the midst of Covid-19?
A work/life balance usually involves a degree of separation from work and our personal life. This is less possible with many of us housing offices in bedrooms or lounges – spaces that are supposed to be solely for relaxation.
A new work/life balance routine could see you turning the desk to face the wall for the night, closing your laptop and removing any notes from sight. If you spend the night in the same space as working, this increases the amount of time it takes to turn off after a workday. Creating a routine where you physically leave work for the day creates a mental barrier between your personal and work-life. You can then take part in any home activities you love doing before turning your desk back around in the morning!
Always available
We commonly feel obliged to answer messages or do a quick task on days off or after hours. Since we aren’t out doing something, we feel as though we have time to do this, so we may as well. This adds a barrier to switching off when out of work. If you’re always available, then you don’t feel reap the positives of that work/life balance.
Throughout Covid-19, being more available for clients is great, they need to consult with others as their business may be under strife. These clients will understand if they need to wait until the next morning to receive a response and colleagues will understand if your calendar is blocked out!
This new normal has many of us neglecting the work/life balance as there’s no longer the separation between work and personal life. Focusing on ways to create a mental barrier between the two will leave you feeling more productive for the day. Being ‘always on’ is not great for our mental health. We need to be focusing on how we can include friends and family into our daily lives to feel supported and connected to the ‘real world.’
