Working from home is an amazing benefit for so many reasons. You have more flexibility to set your schedule, no commute, and you can work anywhere that has internet! However, the work from home life can become a slippery slope if you neglect to set boundaries for yourself. The lines between work and home can blur quickly, and what was originally a great benefit can become a detriment to your overall mental wellness. Starting with a few simple rules, you can make sure you have a positive work from home lifestyle.
Set Working Hours and Have a Hard Stop
This is arguably the most important self imposed rule when you work from home. You should always have a hard start and stop time when it comes to your work day.
This should start first thing in the am. Rather than grabbing your phone and immediately checking emails right after you open your eyes, allow yourself a morning routine. Enjoy your coffee at HOME before you go straight into work mode. Adapt the same mentality to your end of day. Maybe you aim to stop working by 6 pm each day, and then an email rolls in that you want to reply to after your set hours. Sure you can be flexible when it makes sense but don’t allow yourself to fall into the habit of being regularly available by email from your couch during your personal hours!
Stick To One Dedicated Work Space
Your home should be your oasis, your place to retreat after a long day’s work. That can seem impossible when your home is also your place of work but the secret is to designate one specific space in your home to be your place of work. The key is to do your best to leave work ‘at the door’ once you leave that space. That means no emailing in bed and on the couch. No taking calls in the kitchen while you make your lunch. Create boundaries for yourself so that spaces in your home can remain your personal place to retreat. If you don’t have the luxury of a home office and you find yourself set up on your kitchen table, make sure to clear the space at the end of each work day so that your home isn’t taken over by your work during your personal hours. Such a small habit of putting work away can make a huge difference in helping you shut down for the night!
Schedule Your Breaks
I can’t stress enough how important it is to your mental health to take breaks during the work day! Sometimes when we are on a roll we forget to take a pause or maybe we intended to but then a colleague throws an invite on your calendar for the time you had planned to get outside or make it to the gym. Do yourself a favor and add your breaks to your calendar so that you can ensure they happen daily!
