How to improve ‘at home’ work life balance

This is a very challenging time we find ourselves in with juggling work life, family life and personal life under the exact same roof combined with the added pressure of having strict restrictions on leaving the house. As a business owner or employee, it’s very easy to grab the laptop every five minutes in a bid ensure clients needs are being met, but this has such a huge negative effect on your own mental health.  It’s important to be able to separate work and home life, so here are my tips for doing just that:

Routine

I am a huge fan of routine, establishing a routine quickly but everyone is very different. Some people are more productive in the morning, others in the afternoon, but finding a routine is key to ensuring productivity and, in turn, improves mood and mental health. Build break times, walk times, self-care and, importantly, meal times into your routine.

Time to Move

So now we have removed commuting time, it’s very easy to slip into bad habits. Get up, dress the top half of us, leaving on PJ bottoms, heading straight for the caffeine then boom sitting down for hours on end. Being active can significantly reduce stress, increase energy levels, and help us sleep better. At home there are plenty of ways to exercise; an online live yoga class from The Float Spa, PE with Joe Wicks on YouTube or some old school daily push ups. I’ve been so inspired by people running marathons on balconies and around their living rooms, so there is certainly enough space in your house.

Office Space

Creating a space in your house which is ‘office space’ as not everyone has the luxury of an office room at home. A lot of people have only one social room where you eat, relax, socialise. This room, when you spend extended periods of time in it, can feel like the walls are closing in on you. So, instead of grabbing the laptop on the sofa every five minutes per day, why not create an ‘office space’?  This could be in your bedroom, part of the dining room table, an arm chair or even in the shed. But saying that you will only check emails and work when you are in this ‘office space’ will significantly improve mood and help you feel like you are working, meaning the rest of the time is your time – this subtle shift in mindset works wonders.

Right to Disconnect

This is a tricky one – plus I often fall into ‘always working’ – BUT understanding that your clients do not expect you to reply 24 hours a day 7 days per week is important. Set up an auto-email advising your revised working hours, leave your ‘office space’ at set times forming part of your routine and clock off at the end of the day. If you are employed, speak to your boss, I guarantee he/she will not expect you to be working 24/7. When you are at home, its vital to disconnect your home and work life and communicating this with your clients, boss and work colleagues will significantly improve mindset.

Communication

We do forget the impact of communication or lack of. As a business owner, I miss the daily chats to clients, team and other business friends. This has been taken away and we are unsure for how long. This leaves your family or the people you live with becoming your work colleagues with every tricky decision, query or challenge being discussed at home.  This can add strain to your relationship. Having regular team meetings, or weekly check-ins with staff, is important. Never shy away from discussing issues with others such as networking connections or Facebook Groups as a lot of people are going through similar experiences and it’s really important to understand you are not alone. Having an external (from the house) person to chat to really improves mental health.

Me-Time

This is my favourite topic. Creating space and time for you is one of the most important things you can do. In an emergency situation on a plane, you are always advised to place your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. This needs to be used daily. How can you do your job properly if you are not looking after yourself?  How can you help your children’s home-schooling without looking after yourself? When you created your new daily routine, did you add in self-care with the same importance as checking your emails? For me, I truly believe that self-care is by far the most important aspect of your day. Taking a bath, going on a walk (alone), doing a 5 minute breathing or meditation, yoga practice, fitness classes, cooking, reading a book, how about taking a nap during the day? These self-care practices do not need to be for very long, but if you advise others who you live with that this is your self-care time, I guarantee you will see and feel the benefits almost instantly.