The Complete Guide to Work Life Balance and Ways to Make it Happen
Introduction
Over time, a lot has changed in the ways that we work, rest, and play. In the 21st century, the modern family will frequently have both parents working to fulfil the financial pressures of life. And those difficulties may be considerably more severe for families with only one parent.
Any feeling of “myself” has frequently been lost in the pressures placed on our life. such as a home loan or rent, food and clothing, electricity expenditures, child care expenses, class schedules, kids’ extracurricular activities, and more. Is it surprising that, with everything going on, you frequently forget about yourself?
It’s not only a matter of time and money with all these requirements and difficulties. According to research, persons who have a lot of family and professional obligations are more likely to experience mental health problems. In today’s world, stress, anxiety, despair, and other mental health issues are all too prevalent.
So how can we address these issues? Finding the optimum work-life balance is a common goal for those who want to improve their quality of life and lessen their risk of developing physical or mental health problems. The kind of equilibrium that will free up more time for time with the family or leisure pursuits, and to reclaim that sense of “me.”
What exactly is work-life balance, though? Does hybrid working provide the best means of achieving this? With time divided between the office and the home, it would seem to be the case. But it’s not always as simple as it seems. We examine ten strategies to establish and keep that work-life balance while working from home because it won’t just happen spontaneously.
What Does Work-Life Balance Actually Mean?
Finding the ideal balance between your work-related activities and those in your personal life is what the term “work-life balance” refers to. The latter could be engaging in hobbies and sports, spending time with family, or simply finding “me” time to unwind and do nothing.
Prior to the development of video conferencing software, and associated solutions, it was nearly difficult to work from home for protracted periods of time. The idea of the house as an office has become a reality thanks to cloud-based computer technologies, and the distinction between personal and work time has blurred.
Top Ten Advice for Finding Work-Life Balance When In a Hybrid Workspace
So your business has made the decision to switch to a hybrid working model. That implies that you will spend a considerable amount of time working remotely. You see this as a chance to achieve the elusive work-life balance, and you know exactly what that entails for you.
But how can you go about doing that? And perhaps even more crucially, what can you do to keep it up?
# 1 Be sensible
It will never be quite the same as working in your workplace when you work from home. You do not only not have your coworkers physically nearby, but you also do not have access to the same tools. Set aside specific duties for when you are at home or the workplace and compartmentalize your workload.
If you need to print off a lot of physical documents for your assignment, it might be easiest to do so at the office (if possible). Set attainable objectives and keep in mind that working from home won’t always result in perfection, but you can strive for greatness. Make the most of your designated workspace, and be ready to modify it as you advance.
# 2 Exercise.
In any setting, sitting at a desk all day is not very healthy. However, you have more chances to end that pattern if you work from home. You will benefit from this in a number of ways. It breaks up the monotony of the workday, boosts endorphin production, lessens stress, and aids with concentration when working on challenging tasks.
It doesn’t have to be a rigorous workout. Take your dog for a stroll, if you have one, or go for a walk by yourself. Perform some simple stretches (if you are unsure of how-to, there are many how-to videos on YouTube). Exercise in little bursts throughout the day is an excellent method for achieving work-life balance.
# 3 Eating.
Working from home actually gives you the chance to eat healthier. However, that will only be effective if you resist the temptation of all the harmful snacks and foods that are hiding in your refrigerator or pantry. When working in an office, many people will eat unhealthy foods, such as fast food that will save them time or snacks like chips or chocolate that will keep them going till lunch.
Keep a regular eating routine if you work from home. When leaving your workplace, schedule a lunch break. Even better, if you can, prepare and freeze some nutritious meals in advance. A better work-life balance can be attained by following a balanced diet.
# 4 And…relax.
You do not have to be always connected to work just because you are working from home. Make sure there are times when you completely unplug from your work and obligations. If it’s not absolutely necessary, resist the impulse to check emails after “business hours.” Working remotely makes burnout at work much more preventable.
Be sure to break up your workday. Even though you may have followed a defined schedule while working, in a sense, you are your own boss when you are at home. You can choose your own working pace during the week as long as you are finishing all necessary chores and achieving any objectives established. Give yourself some time to disconnect from work, unwind, and take breaks.
# 5 Avoid wasting time.
In any workplace, time wasters can be a significant obstacle. In an office setting, it can be that colleague who is constantly itching to “talk,” even if it means taking you away from your work. But it also applies if you work from home. The same person can choose to use your video calling system to carry on the same annoying talk.
However, you are also capable of wasting time, especially if you work alone at home. If something distracts you, your ten-minute coffee break might easily extend into an hour. A more flexible schedule is one of the main benefits of working from home, but that does not imply you should frequently take time off.
# 6 Decide on a working day.
Although one of the main benefits of hybrid working is flexibility, you should still stick to a schedule. Even while your schedule at home might not be as rigid as it is at work, having some broad guidelines will help. There should still be some order in both home life and time spent working from home.
This may be especially true if spending more time with your family is one of your personal goals for achieving work-life balance. What you weren’t looking for was to remain seated at your desk while the rest of your family was there. Make a rough timetable for when you’ll stop working and transition into leisure mode unless you have an impending deadline. Unless there is a need to reply to replies, that duty may be postponed until the next day.
# 7 Commuting.
Yes, working from home eliminates your commute! This reduces your stress levels while also saving you time and money. Consider this knowledge when planning out your workday. But it’s also important to keep in mind that many people use their commute time to get ready for their upcoming workday (or fully wake up).
Have a routine at the beginning and the end of your workday, but especially there. Some of your faculties may wind up being limited by going straight from bed, shower, and office. Spend some time waking up, eating breakfast, and perhaps watching the news. You can start working as soon as you feel prepared, which is one of the wonderful benefits of having more flexible working hours.
# 8 Interactions with others
Interactions with coworkers are one of the things that many individuals love about working in an office setting. The subject of conversation need not necessarily be work-related. Often, although being superficial and lacking in depth, they provide a satisfying experience. Team spirit is frequently fostered during those conversations at the water cooler.
This does not have to be lost just because you and those same coworkers are now working remotely. Organize a group of close friends to “meet” as frequently as you like each week. The use of video conferencing software is not limited to business-related tasks. Additionally, if there are any team members with whom you are particularly close, you can use VoIP for private talks.
# 9 Avoid overthinking.
Do not anticipate everything working flawlessly on your first effort if you are new to hybrid working. The concepts of hybrid work and work-life balance are relatively new to many people. Getting oneself up to the desired speed and acclimating to this new method of working, could take some time. Working from home (WFH) may take some getting accustomed to.
Don’t overthink it and don’t be concerned if it initially doesn’t feel right for you. Discuss your approach to the issue with your coworkers while also taking a personal approach. And keep in mind that this also affects your family and other people you care about. It could take some time to find the ideal work-life balance for everyone.
# 10 Relish the occasion
Perhaps having fun is the most crucial thing to remember when adjusting to a hybrid working environment! Yes, you still have chores to finish, due dates to meet, and job to perform. However, you are more flexible than you have probably ever been, so make the most of it. For many workers, this may possibly turn into the new standard.
If you have extremely small children, you can decide to work some evenings while spending time with them during the day. If you have older kids, you can work “regular” hours and free the evening. And if you’re single, you might decide to divide your work between different times of the day and engage in sports or other leisure pursuits
The Lesson
Give most of your attention to the LIFE component of the equation since work is nothing new in many ways, even though the work-life balance is not a wholly new notion and is, in many ways, an attainable reality. You need to consider what you’re hoping to achieve. Are they geared toward spending time with your family or for personal leisure activities?
Once you are aware of your goals, you may consider how to achieve them and weave them into your daily plan. There are many things we might lose out on when on a rigid 5-day, 9-to-5 routine. You may still be required to work a certain number of hours each week, but you now have greater control over how those hours are distributed.
The mass adoption of hybrid working may have been sparked by the COVID pandemic and any lockdowns, but technology is the enabler that makes it possible for us to do so successfully. Hybrid working will advance and develop alongside technology as it does so. It will get simpler, and maybe more crucially, we’ll get better and more adept at it.
This has become much easier with hybrid workspace tools like meeting room booking systems, hotdesking, visitor management systems and more!
Neoffice Hybrid Workplace Management Solution
Neoffice is built with a suite of workspace tools that help employees choose how and where they work while providing organizations with a platform to manage their hybrid workplace with ease and complete control.
The solution comes with 9 features on one single app – Team planner to manage a collaborative effort for a team, Seat Scheduling, Meeting room Booking, Hot Desking, Car park Slot Booking, Digital cafeteria to pre-order your meals at work, Employee commute solution, Survey forms. All Features are modular and the client can choose to subscribe to the relevant solution.
To know more about the solution, do drop a mail to [email protected] or a call us on our Helpline +91 80 4680 5757
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