Remember when you had a commute, an actual lunch break and left the office for the day? Those days seem so far removed as we adapted quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the remote working lifestyle has offered great flexibility over the past 12-plus months, we have all noticed, even more, how hard it is to find a proper work-life balance. It still can be done, however. It just has to be a bit more intentional as our work-life boundaries have physically blurred.
Here are some tips we find helpful for working remotely:
Give yourself a “commute.” Prior to the pandemic, many of us were used to waking up early and rushing out the door for that short – or long – commute to the office. While you may have dreaded that daily commute, it was a way for you to prepare for your workday. You can still give yourself that commute time to prepare you for the day. Instead of that drive in traffic or ride on a train or subway, consider using that commute time to exercise, enjoy nature with your cup of coffee or tea, catch up on the morning news or even just sit in silence as you start the mental transition into the day.
Give yourself a “lunch break.” As we work remotely, we don’t have the same visual reminders that it is time to take a lunch break. We don’t see co-workers coming and going or inviting us to join them. In fact, we may instead see co-workers and managers filling our calendar with more Zoom invitations. It is still important to take that lunch break to reinvigorate yourself mentally and physically. Your lunch break is the perfect time to step away, take a brisk walk or participate in another form of exercise and, of course, refuel your body. Just as you put Zoom invitations on your work calendar, make sure your lunch time is marked as well.
Give yourself a “clock out” time. Many of us working at home have the flexibility, or so it should seem, with our work hours. Just as we are aware of scope creep when we are working on a project, our day can have its own version of scope creep. We think tackling one more item, making one more phone call or sending one email will make us more productive tomorrow. Instead, we realize the time has quickly passed when we actually end our day. Be mindful of what time you want and need to leave your home office. Don’t be afraid to activate a daily autoresponder email when you leave the office.
Finding a work-life balance is hard in a normal situation, not just in a pandemic. These are great reminders we all need to put into practice so we can be healthier, kinder and better family members, friends and yes, employees. We would love to hear how you find a healthier work-life balance in your remote work week. Of course, we are always ready to talk to you about your drug metabolism and drug development projects at 610.296.3152 or [email protected].