How to set boundaries while working from home
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Working from home often muddles up professional and personal life. Without the physical separation of an office, work easily spills over into your personal time to cause stress and burnout. By setting boundaries, you are protecting your time, energy levels, and mental welfare. Here is how you can set effective boundaries while you work from home.
1. Set Clear Working Hours
First, setting the boundary means establishing your working hours. Set a regular time for starting and closing your work, just as you would have in an office. Make them known to your family, roommates, and colleagues in order to give them an idea of when you are available and when you are off-limits. This will serve to minimize interference during working hours and afterward, you will be able to unplug.
2. Designate a Workspace
Carving out space in your house for work helps to mentally separate "work mode" from "relaxation mode." It doesn't have to be a spare room; sometimes just a desk tucked away in a corner or one end of the living room is enough. A designated workplace helps you to separate your work life from your personal life. When you are done working, leaving this space symbolizes the end of your workday.
3. Establish Digital Boundaries
Not checking work emails or Slack messages during after-hours is tantalizingly tempting, but this constant connectedness will nibble away at your personal time. Once you are done with work, switch off notifications that relate to work. When possible, use separate devices or apps for work and personal use to further fortify the boundaries.
4. Communicate with Your Household
Set clear rules with others you live with about when you are not to be disturbed. Whether in a meeting or focused on an important task, letting people know your boundaries will reduce distractions and help you stay productive.
By setting such boundaries-and sticking to them-you can create a healthier balance between work and life, which in itself can make working from home more viable and enjoyable.