The Seven Secrets to Successful Work Life Balance

Life as we knew it, pre-COVID, seems so long ago. For many, the opportunity to work from home was a dream – and when it came true, many thought it would be very short-lived. While working remote was welcomed in March, many are feeling the struggle of balancing home life while working (and learning!) in the same location. The workday seems to slip into our everyday lives, simply because we don’t leave our house!

The good news is that you can achieve work-life balance while working at home! Keep reading to find out the Seven SSSSSSSecrets to achieve balance.

Separation – While this may seem difficult to achieve, it is critical to separate your home office space from your typical living space. Separate yourself from family members who also may be home during the day. Try thinking outside the box to find a space where you can be separate, so that you can truly “turn it off” when your day ends.
Silence – This goes hand-in-hand with the separation you are trying to achieve. When you find your ideal space, make sure you can also achieve silence in that space. If you personally work best with a little noise, you can easily add light music to your space, but it is important that you don’t hear children yelling, a television, or a dog barking during your day – especially if you are on a call or trying to concentrate.
Start/Stop at Regular Times – When you were working from an office, you had a typical start time and stop time to your day. While you occasionally went into the office early or stayed late, typically you followed a similar schedule. You also need to follow a regular schedule at home. Find a start time that works for your current situation. If you need to get children off to school in the morning, perhaps you start after they have all departed. Starting and stopping at regular times will encourage your brain to “turn it off” when you are not actively working.
Stretch – It is critical to stretch during the day. Think of how often you got up from your desk when you were working in an office. You walked to meeting rooms, you went to the office kitchen to refill your coffee/water, you possibly walked to get lunch, you may have even taken a walk for exercise. This time to stretch your legs and your mind is just as important when working from home. You may do intentional stretching (like yoga) for five minutes, or you may simply take a quick break to fold the laundry. Either way, you need to give your mind a break and stretch your legs throughout the day.
Schedule – It may seem intuitive to set a schedule, but often times the obvious tactics are the ones we ignore. Identify your key priorities for both work and home on a weekly basis and ensure that your schedule is properly set to accommodate these. You may have to alter your typical work hours to accommodate but having a macro-view of your week will help you adjust your daily actions.  
Successes – Now more than ever, it is imperative to celebrate successes. When in an office-environment it is easy for successes to be recognized. Recognition lunches, congratulatory notes and a simple “good job” abound in a face-to-face setting. But so often, in this new virtual world, these simple celebrations of success tend to be lacking. Take a moment to celebrate the successes, no matter no small or insignificant. Do something to recognize the accomplishment and reward yourself for the success achieved through hard work and dedication.
Shift Mindset – Finally, this new working arrangement requires that you shift your mindset. Recognize that things will be different, and possibly for much longer than you desire. Identify opportunities to make your life easier and look for the positive in working from home. Allow yourself grace. When things are tough, acknowledge that. We are in unique times that bring unique emotions.

None of us know how much longer we will be working from home. And when we finally go back to offices, there will most definitely be permanent changes because of the pandemic. So, let’s embrace this unique time and opportunity to incorporate the Seven SSSSSSSecrets to achieving work-life balance while also working from home.

Learn how to find a career that offers a better work life balance. Work with The Wilbanks Consulting Group today.

 By Challie Sherrill, Career Consultant, The Wilbanks Consulting Group