With so many people working from home, keeping a healthy work-life balance is becoming increasingly important. Especially for those who aren’t used to working in their own home or taking a lunch break in their own kitchen. Seventy-two percent of people consider work-life balance a very important factor when choosing a job. And companies that promote work-life balance record two times more productivity than those that do not. Help your employees find balance with these tips.
Keep morning routines
To prevent burnout and stay motivated to work, urge employees not to open their computer the minute they roll out of bed. Instead, have them follow the same morning routine they had while working in the office. Sticking to a daily rituals allows them to separate “home time” from “work time”—especially when the new commute is just down the hall. Help staff keep up with their morning rituals by sending them a coffee mug with a note attached about embracing a daily routine.
Eliminate distractions
It helps to associate a workspace only with work. Distractions like non-work-related notifications, social media pings and texts from friends can take up a lot of time. If employees don’t need their phone for work, have them place it in another room (out of sight, out of mind). Send weekly planners as a work-from-home giveaway to help them stay focused during work hours.
Set—and enforce—boundaries
Working from home requires good boundaries. The line between home and office can get blurred when no one is actually leaving the building at the end of the day. Encourage good communication among your team. Have them set daily schedules and stick to them. And ask about workloads so no one is overwhelmed.
Remind your team to unplug. It can be tempting to keep on working an extra half hour every evening “just because,” but that type of habit can quickly lead to burnout. Remind them of the importance of boundaries by sending them an inspiring calendar they can hang in their work area.
Create a shutting down ritual
Similar to keeping up a morning routine, a shutting down routine signals to the brain that it’s time to transition from work mode to home mode. Have employees set a 15-minute warning bell. When it goes off, they know to wrap up any unfinished business, shut down the laptop and put it out of sight. Work-from-home giveaways, like a desktop clock with alarm, can help remind them to shut down. Other end of day rituals include squeezing a light-bulb stress reliever a few times before closing the computer, turning off the light and leaving the work area, and beginning non-work activities like yoga or reading.
Keep a healthy remote work/life balance
With ideas like keeping daily routines the same, eliminating distractions and setting good boundaries, you and your staff will be on your way to a healthy remote work/life balance.