Eight Effortless Ways to Improve Work-Life Balance for the Working Woman
It’s not a myth!
Nine months into a pandemic and with many of us still working from home, a healthy work-life blend may feel impossible to achieve. Surveys show that on an average four out of five respondents find it challenging to shut off from work in the evenings. From fear of losing out on promotions to impending deadlines, the factors for this are manifold.
And things don’t get easier for women. Maintaining corporate lives at home while ensuring things are equally smooth at the said casa can be daunting, especially if the share of domestic responsibilities is asymmetric. Here are some tips on how one can implement good habits that make finding and maintaining this balance easier in a remote work space.
Start early
Starting your day early gives you an edge over the chores and tasks that pile up as the day progresses. Begin early and ensure you cut off at 8 hours. This will help you stay focussed on finishing the day’s work while giving you an easy half of the day for yourself and your family.
Create a workspace
When in the office, we have a dedicated space for work – a comfortably adjusted desk and chair that enable long hours of work. It is important to recreate this space at home especially since work and comfort spaces are under the same roof. Investing in the right furniture and equipment will help demarcate the two spaces better while still maintaining physical comfort. Pick things that suit your lifestyle – a comfortable chair, standing desk, or a support stand for the laptop.
Fortify personal life
Ensure that when you step away from work, you leave it there. While we learnt how to include professional spaces in our homes this year, it’s important to remember that easy access to the office does not mean that it should be accessed 24x7. Shut that laptop, don’t take meetings while you fix dinner, have your tea, or catch up with the folks. This helps you recharge and get back to work with a fresh mind and perspective. The active turning on and off will also give you a sense of control that will keep resentment at bay.
No eating on the desk
Eating while working seems like an easy option when we work from home. An absolutely bad habit to inculcate, it must be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Giving yourself a meal break that does not involve inhaling the food is a must. Experts say this ensures eating healthy and feeling nourished. Your mind also de-stresses during a meal break. Grab a chair, enjoy the balcony view, and soak in those endorphins.
Ban phones in the bedroom
This is a difficult one. However, on days one does manage to keep the phone away after calling it a day and getting ready for bed, it’s blissful. A modern and toxic relationship with our gadget means we are always scrolling, checking our social media, or just reading work emails at odd hours. It also means you’re never fully present with the kids, partner, or parents. Banning phones in the bedroom ensures you don’t wake up to the panic of pending tasks and keeps stress at bay before you begin your work day.
Also read: Work-From-Home Gigs For Women Who Possess Technical Skills
Take a break
Create a timeline of your week and day in advance to add a designated me-time. Include meetings, catch-ups, and family commitments such as birthdays and anniversaries while carving out this hour or two for yourself. This will help you understand and choose the best time for a break during the day other than meals and also accommodate other activities in your schedule.
Baby steps
Do not be in a hurry to make all the changes at once as this can overwhelm you and push you back into old habits. Pick two new tasks or changes each week and keep adding a new one every fortnight or so. This will help you breeze into a new routine and remain consistent. Do not box yourself into an expectation of doing things like your peers. Everyone’s got different needs, priorities, and pace.
Delegate
Have no shame in acknowledging that one can’t do everything by oneself. A little help from colleagues, spouse, and family has the potential of lightening your enormous workload. By doing everything yourself, you’re nose diving into fatigue. Decide what you must do yourself and what tasks can be handled by others and delegate away.
(Edited by Varsha Roysam)
