These days, one major issue remote workers continually face is difficulty maintaining a healthy work/life balance. They begin to ask them selves, “Am I working from home, or am I just living in my office?” Without the clear separation between work and home that comes from commuting to a dedicated office space, work can easily bleed into personal time. This lack of boundaries can lead to longer work hours, burnout, and overall poorer wellbeing.
That’s why it’s absolutely essential for remote workers to be intentional about setting boundaries. Having clearly defined rules and limits allows you to protect your personal time and prevent work from taking over your whole life. Setting boundaries helps remote workers maintain that crucial work/life balance, improving productivity during working hours and letting you fully recharge with quality personal time. This blog post will explore different ways remote workers can establish healthy boundaries to avoid burnout.
Define Boundaries
Boundaries are the guidelines and rules we set for ourselves to determine what we will accept or tolerate in different areas of our lives. Boundaries apply to your time, physical space, energy levels, workload and more.
Boundaries are crucial for remote workers because without the structure of an office setting, it can be easy to let your work life bleed into your personal life. This lack of separation can quickly lead to burnout. By setting clear boundaries, remote workers can protect their personal lives and maintain a healthier work-life balance.
Boundaries might include not checking email after 6pm, taking regular screen breaks, or not answering work calls during dinner. The specific boundaries will be unique to each individual. The key is being aware of your own needs and establishing limits that allow you to operate sustainably in your remote work arrangement.
Strong boundaries are an act of self-care. They enable you to devote focused time and energy to work when “on the clock”, and fully relax and recharge when “off the clock”. Boundaries benefit both your productivity and your mental health.
Common Boundary Issues for Remote Workers
Remote work provides many benefits, such as flexibility and no commute. However, it can also create issues with work-life balance if boundaries aren’t set properly. One of the most common boundary issues for remote workers is always being available or connected via technology.
With no office to leave at the end of the day, it’s easy for work to bleed into nights, weekends, and vacations. Being permanently available via chat, email, or video call means there’s no real “off” switch. Without conscious boundaries, remote workers may end up working longer hours and constantly checking messages after hours. This can lead to stress, burnout, and poor work-life balance.
Some ways remote workers can set boundaries around always being available include setting designated work hours, turning off notifications after a certain time, and having an auto-response that states you’ll reply the next business day for messages received outside work hours. Communicating availability expectations with co-workers is also key.
Set Your Hours
When working remotely, it can be tempting to work longer hours or let work bleed into your personal time. Without the structure of a typical 9-5 office schedule, it’s easy for the boundaries between work and life to get blurred.
That’s why it’s crucial for remote workers to establish a set schedule and stick to it consistently. Decide what your ideal work hours are each day and hold yourself accountable to those times. Treat your work hours the same as you would if you were commuting to an office each day.
For example, if you aim to work from 9am to 5pm, avoid checking emails or taking work calls outside those set hours. When 5pm hits, step away from your computer and focus on personal activities. Setting these boundaries will help prevent burnout and allow you to be fully present and engaged during working hours.
Schedule breaks within your work hours as well. Taking a real lunch break away from your desk will provide a reset. And don’t forget to factor in buffer time between meetings and tasks. Having set work hours enables you to maximize productivity and focus when “on the clock.”
Sticking to a consistent schedule also helps with communication. Coworkers and clients will know when you are available versus off work. Holding firm to your predetermined work hours, even when tempted to work late, establishes important work/life separation as a remote employee.
Create a Dedicated Workspace
Working remotely means you don’t have a physical office space separating work from home. Without defined boundaries between your work and personal spaces, work can begin to invade all aspects of your home life.
When you work in the same environment where you relax and sleep, it becomes increasingly difficult to “turn off” at the end of the day. Your brain doesn’t get the normal signals to switch out of “work mode,” making you prone to burnout.
That’s why it’s critical to create a dedicated workspace just for work, separate from where you unwind and rest. Here are some tips:
- If possible, convert a spare room into a home office. Having a door you can close at the end of the day establishes physical and mental separation.
- If space is limited, try carving out an office area with room dividers or bookshelves. Use decor like plants, artwork, and ambient lighting to design an inspiring workspace.
- Make sure your office has a proper desk and ergonomic chair to support prolonged sitting. Don’t work hunched over at the kitchen table.
- Resist the urge to work from your bed or couch. These should remain restful, relaxing spaces.
- Set expectations with family that when you’re in your workspace, you’re “at work.” Limit disruptions and background noise.
Establishing a dedicated workspace is essential for maintaining work/life balance as a remote employee. It’s your on-site office away from the office. Treat it with the same respect.
Take Regular Breaks
When you work from home, it can be easy to get sucked into work and ignore breaks. Without co-workers around, there are less social cues to pause work for a chat or meal. But taking regular breaks is crucial, even when working remotely.
Make sure to step away from your desk at least once an hour. Even a quick 5-10 minute break to stretch, grab some water, or take a few deep breaths helps reset your mental focus.
Don’t eat lunch at your desk if possible. Take at least 30 minutes to fully detach from work and eat away from your workspace. This allows your brain to recharge. Going outside or eating by a window can provide extra rejuvenation.
Take advantage of small gaps in your day to move your body. Do a few yoga poses after a call, take the stairs, or walk around while reading emails on your phone. Simple physical movement helps boost energy and productivity levels.
The key is to schedule short breaks into your remote work routine just as you would at an office. Protecting your mental and physical health by regularly disengaging from work will make you a happier, more creative, and more productive remote employee.
Communicate Your Boundaries
When you work from home, it’s important to communicate your boundaries clearly to colleagues and managers. Many assume remote workers are available 24/7 since there’s no set office hours.
Be upfront about your set working hours and when you are available for meetings or calls. For example, you may work from 9-5pm with a break for lunch. Let your team know these hours so they don’t expect an instant reply at 7pm.
You can communicate your hours in multiple ways:
- Set your work hours in your email signature or chat status so people instantly know your availability. For example: “Working hours: 9am-5pm Mon-Fri”.
- Add your hours to your calendar and mark times outside of those as “busy” or “out of office”.
- Directly tell your manager and team your standard hours. Make sure to get agreement first rather than just declaring your own schedule.
- If needed, negotiate some flexibility in your hours. You may be willing to work until 6pm some days if you can start later on others.
- For meetings outside your hours, propose alternatives like recording videos ahead of time.
The key is being upfront so people understand your boundaries. Reinforce as needed if others try contacting you outside your stated hours. Having clear communication sets you and your team up for success.
Limit Distractions
When working from home, it’s easy to get distracted by everything going on in your environment. With kids, pets, and other family members around, it can be challenging to stay focused. That’s why it’s crucial to limit distractions in order to maintain boundaries and be productive.
One strategy is to turn off all notifications during work hours. The constant dings and pings from your phone, email, and other apps can disrupt your concentration. Set your devices on “do not disturb” so you’re not tempted to check them while working. Some apps allow you to schedule quiet hours for certain times of day.
It’s also important to avoid multitasking. While it may seem like you’re getting more done by tackling multiple tasks at once, research shows multitasking actually reduces productivity. When your attention is divided, you’re more likely to make mistakes and get off track. Instead, focus on one task at a time. Disable distracting tabs in your browser, put away any non-work items on your desk, and silence any background noise.
By minimizing distractions in your home office, you’ll be better able to focus, boost productivity, and maintain work/life boundaries as a remote employee. Saving your divided attention activities for breaks will allow you to be fully present and immersed in your work when it’s time to get things done.
Prioritize Self-Care
When working from home, it can be easy to let your self-care routines slip in favor of work. However, prioritizing activities that nourish you is crucial for maintaining your mental and physical health as a remote employee.
Make sure to schedule time for exercise, even if it’s just taking a 30 minute walk around your neighborhood to get outside. Don’t neglect connecting with friends and family either. Use your flexible schedule as a chance to meet up with loved ones for coffee or schedule virtual happy hours to stay social while remote.
Pick back up any hobbies that you’ve let fall to the wayside when you had a commute. Whether it’s reading, baking, woodworking, or yoga, make time for activities you find relaxing and energizing. Protecting space for your personal needs ensures you’ll have the mental space needed to do your best work.
Conclusion
Setting boundaries is crucial for maintaining a healthy work/life balance as a remote worker. By defining your working hours, creating a dedicated workspace, taking regular breaks, communicating boundaries with your team, limiting distractions, and prioritizing self-care, you can thrive in your remote work arrangement.
Remote work provides wonderful flexibility and autonomy, but also requires discipline. Without clear boundaries, work can encroach on your personal life and lead to burnout. Establishing boundaries helps ensure you stay engaged and productive during working hours, and fully present and refreshed during your downtime.
Ultimately, boundaries empower you to do your best work while also enjoying a fulfilling personal life. The strategies discussed in this article will help you set effective boundaries so you can succeed as a remote employee without sacrificing your health, relationships and well-being. Healthy boundaries lead to sustained performance, creativity and satisfaction.
