Working from home is a dream for many people: no commute, no office to worry about, and no coworkers to distract you. However, if you’re not careful, work and home lines can blur quickly. Remote work can be frustrating for your family members and clients but even more frustrating for you! Here are some practices to reduce remote work stress in your life.
Prepare the Family for a Professional Life at Home
Preparing the family for a professional life at home is essential in reducing remote work stress. One of the biggest reasons people quit their jobs is they can’t maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Make sure your kids know the expectations and what kinds of activities are OK during virtual meetings. You should also ensure that everyone understands that while your job may have changed locationally, it hasn’t changed in terms of overall responsibilities and obligations.
Hold yourself accountable as well. That means putting down the phone at dinner time, putting away the paperwork, and having quality time with your family daily.
Let Your Clients Know You’ll Be Working From Home
A best practice to reduce remote work stress is to let your clients know that you’ll be working from home so that they can adjust their expectations accordingly.
If possible, schedule recurring meetings with clients or colleagues who live near you for in-person gatherings. If in-person meetings aren’t possible, reoccurring catch-up calls can help create space for discussion and clarification of topics. Text-only messaging can often lead to misunderstandings.
Turn Off Your Notifications
This is a no-brainer, but it’s important to note that many of us are in the habit of constantly checking our phones. We have notifications turned on for email and social media, and then we get distracted by them all day long. But if you’re working remotely, this is especially important because you don’t want to be distracted by notifications or texts.
In the evening, instead of constantly checking your phone, set a deadline and turn off all work-related notifications so that work responsibilities won’t creep into your personal time.
Create a Workspace That Is Distraction-Free
When working remotely, it’s important to have a comfortable and distraction-free workspace. Make sure your workspace is comfortable, has good lighting for virtual calls, and minimizes noise as much as possible.
Schedule Your Lunch Break in Your Calendar
Before you start your day, schedule your lunch break in your calendar. Consider meeting a friend for lunch or eating outside instead of at your desk.
It’s important to take regular breaks because too much time spent on one task can lead to burnout or stress. Some remote workers tend to skip breaks to increase productivity, but over-delivery can lead to burnout. In addition to scheduling your lunch break, set aside some time each day to go outside. This simple task can make all the difference to your mental health.
Whether you clock in and collaborate with teammates or work asynchronously on projects, it’s essential to remember that this is your time. It doesn’t have to match anyone else’s. You must take intentional steps to make the most of your time and find ways to manage the stress of working remotely.