How to Separate Your Work & Home Life When Working Remotely

With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, workers all across the world have been forced to work from home, as organisations moved quickly to minimise the risk of spreading the virus through confined office spaces. This has meant a rapid adjustment for lots of people, as for some, suddenly their desk became situated right next to their chest of drawers! And lots of folks have reported that it is quite difficult to separate their work and home life when working remotely. 

Working from home has become the new normal for many, but maintaining a clear boundary between professional and personal life can be challenging. Setting up a dedicated workspace, sticking to a structured schedule, and taking regular breaks can help create a better balance. For those looking for flexible job opportunities that fit around family life, there are plenty of mums remote roles available to explore in London, offering the convenience of working from home while managing daily responsibilities.

Create Routine and Rituals to Keep Things Apart

You may want to consider doing some things in the morning to get your head into work mode while also creating a separate psychological space that is different from your home “headspace”. For example, you might want to get up and get ready for work, as usual, keeping to your normal morning routine, then walk around the block a few times, to create a physical commute to work.

Similarly, when you finish for the day in the afternoon you may want to take another walk around the block, or jump in the shower, or find some other way of separating your work and home life when you knock off.

Have a Dedicated Office Space at Home

If you don’t have the space for this, that’s fine. What you can do instead is invest in a small white desk that does not encroach too far into your space and then pack away your work things when you clock off in order to create a sense of separation. For example, you can put your laptop in a drawer, turn your work phone off, pack away your paperwork and walk away from the space.

Make sure you don’t start working from bed, because that will lead to reduced levels of productivity as well as back problems. Speaking of back problems, it’s ideal to alternate between sitting and standing during your workday, which is why investing in a standing desk and a pair of Protalus shoe inserts is a great idea.

Take Regular Breaks

It can be tempting to push yourself to work harder when working from home, and skip breaks and eat lunch at your desk. This is the wrong attitude. It’s more vital to take frequent breaks when you’re working from home, so you can create a sense of time out of your work. So, try to emulate what you would do at the office – go get a drink of water and walk around, or take a quick walk outside. Call a friend on a break, have a coffee and relax for a few minutes. Make sure that you take lunch away from your desk, as you would at work, giving yourself the full allocation of your lunch break under your relevant workplace contract or agreement. 

Make the Most of Family Time

Finally, once the day is over, turn off all your work devices and focus on your family. Play with your children, talk to your partner, cook a meal and have some family time in the evening. Avoid the temptation to check your emails or finish that last task – it can wait until tomorrow. If you live alone, use this time to call a friend or family member, so you get that sense of social connection another way.

Summing Up

Create a routine and small rituals that help you to keep your work and home life separate, like walks around the block before and after work. Try to have a dedicated office space at home that you can leave when you need a break, and if you don’t find other ways to “pack away” your work life at the end of the day. Make sure you take regular breaks and a full lunch break and dedicate your evenings to social time.