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Steps You Can Take to Achieve Better Remote Work-Life Balance

Five years in, I still love working remotely. Here at eComEngine, we've been 100% virtual since the company was founded. But for many employees, the COVID-19 pandemic caused in-person work to shift to remote.

 

Now, 74% of workers expect working remotely to become standard practice, according to a Growmotely survey. Not only that, but 93% of employees prefer a hybrid or remote work environment.

 

As working remotely continues to gain traction, it's important to consider ways to set yourself up for success as a remote worker.

 

I know it’s not always easy to adjust to a remote work environment, especially if you’re used to working in a tight-knit office. It can be tough to end your workday when you never leave the office. Since there's no "commute" between your home and office, there is no clear transition from work to home life. Friends and family may unwittingly take advantage of your flexible schedule.

 

Fortunately, achieving remote work-life balance isn’t an impossible dream. Keep reading to learn about strategies for building balance in your day.

 

Start By Setting Boundaries

 

When you work and live in the same location, it’s easy to blur the lines between work time and personal time. Setting concrete boundaries can help you maintain remote work-life balance.

 

Create an Office Space

 

If possible, set up your work environment in an area where you can shut a door. This separation allows you to block distractions while working and can also serve as a symbol of the end of your workday. If you have a guest room, consider putting it to use as your home office space. Having a physical location where work gets done makes it much easier to shut down at the end of your shift.

 

Short on space? Get creative! Maybe it’s worth investing in a room divider or installing a curtain to help physically remove yourself from work when you’re not on the clock. You might also consider investing in a desk that folds up to take up less room.

 

Limit Your Hours

 

It’s easy to get caught up in a project or feel the need to check Slack long after your workday should have ended. Whether you define your own hours or work during set times, you need to have a clear endpoint for your day.

 

If you’re busy and overwhelmed, working longer hours is at best a bandage for a bigger issue. At worst it’s going to lead to burnout and fatigue. If you find yourself regularly feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day for your work, talk to your manager. Maybe your team needs additional support, or perhaps you need to revisit expectations for your role.

 

Know When to Say No

 

Are you simply taking on too much? Sometimes it can be difficult to say no to additional projects, especially in a remote environment. Last-minute requests from coworkers may take more of your time than anyone anticipates. But these issues can’t be resolved without being recognized. If you quietly take on additional work and secretly feel resentful or exhausted, you’re not doing yourself or your company any favors.

 

If you find yourself struggling to say no, start asking questions and clearly communicating your availability when another task lands on your to-do list. “Is this project more urgent than the project I’m currently working on?" or, "I can help, but we’ll either need to push back my other deadline or start this project after this one is completed.” Set limits to your working hours and stick to them!

 

Communicate Your Work Schedule

 

Share your work schedule with friends and family members. If your partner or kids are at home while you’re working, make it clear that they shouldn’t disturb you unless something urgent happens. Tell your mom to call during your lunch break instead of whenever the mood strikes.

 

When people in your life hear that you are working remotely, they might think you have the flexibility to run errands for them or entertain last-minute visitors. If you enjoy that sort of thing and have room in your schedule, great! If not, make it very clear that you are unavailable during your working hours.

 

Create a Digital Divide

 

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From project management apps to your inbox, notifications will make you feel like you should be checking in constantly if you let them. Take control of your digital life by turning off or at least silencing work notifications after hours. If you find yourself constantly deleting the same emails over and over, take two seconds to unsubscribe.

 

Putting your work apps together in a separate folder on your phone can help you resist the temptation to check-in while waiting for your vacation flight or while the kids are at soccer.

 

Commute Anyway

 

Congratulations, you don’t have to drive to your office every day! However, you should still consider building some sort of commute or routine into your day to help prepare you for work and to close the workday.

 

You might simply want to take a walk around the block at the beginning and end of your day. Or, maybe you ease into your morning by doing a crossword puzzle or close out your day by checking the mail. Even just making time to take a few deep breaths before checking your phone can help delineate your day between personal and professional time.

 

Having a daily routine can help you make the most of your work time and personal time. Taking breaks is an important part of maintaining remote work-life balance.

 

Take Real Breaks

 

It’s very tempting to just mindlessly eat lunch at your desk while working, especially if you’re up against a deadline or engrossed in a project. But failing to take breaks does more harm than good for your health and productivity.

 

Schedule breaks into your day and make sure you take them. If you were working in a physical office, you would naturally be getting up from your desk more often and chatting with coworkers between meetings.

 

Working remotely does not make you a robot! You need to make sure you get up from your desk regularly throughout the day, even if it’s just to stretch. Sitting in the same position all day can take a serious toll on your physical health. (Speaking of, having the proper ergonomics is key! Your company may even offer a stipend for office equipment.)

 

One benefit of remote work is that you have more control over your time, so when possible, try to get away from screens during breaks. Use break time to help you reach your personal goals, whether you want to read more books or run a half marathon. Your lunch hour can be a great time to squeeze in a quick workout, especially if mornings and evenings are busy with meal prep or family activities. Caring for plants or playing with pets is another great way to make the most of your breaks.

 

Time Block Tasks

 

Speaking of breaks, time blocking your schedule can help you manage your time effectively while making time for breaks throughout the day. Try batching similar tasks to reduce context switching. You might try checking your email at specific times throughout the day instead of triaging new messages as they arrive.

 

Here at eComEngine, we work with Amazon sellers and brands to help them grow their businesses. As entrepreneurs, Amazon sellers often struggle to maintain balance in their days. Seller and consultant Larissa Miralles has this advice to offer for anyone looking to create a schedule:

 

"Prioritizing important things outside of our business pushes us to stay disciplined and to look outside of ourselves to make our goals a reality...the only way we’re able to make this happen is by having the right systems, tools, and people in place. This takes vision, planning, and structure. And believe it or not, with structure comes freedom."

 

Multitasking might seem like a good idea, but it's a recipe for errors and lost productivity. As Larissa says, structure creates freedom. Time blocking your day to focus on a single task will allow you to make real progress. It’s especially important to block out time on your calendar for any big projects or deep work you’re hoping to accomplish.

 

Making the time for your most important tasks is critical because there will always be something to fill your time. Make sure you’re focusing on what matters most for your goals.

 

Plan for Success

 

True work-life balance may be a myth—there are always going to be busy times at work or in your personal life, and sometimes both might be equally busy at the same time. But being intentional about everything from your work zone to when you complete certain tasks can help you take control of your schedule and find the balance you’re hoping to achieve.

 

Setting yourself up for success helps you feel better, which affects everything you do at home and work. Achieving remote work-life balance is absolutely possible with structure and intentionality.

 

About the author:

 

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Becky Trowbridge is the Content Strategist at eComEngine. Her mission is to empower Amazon sellers with the information they need to be successful in a competitive market. When she's not creating content, she enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new recipes, and reading.

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