5 Tips to Manage Your Work-Life Balance

Over the past two years, working remotely has become increasingly common – to the point where soon, remote or hybrid work may become the new norm. By 2022, about 25% of professional jobs in North America are estimated to be remote. But when the physical separation of work and home is no more, it can be hard to manage your work-life balance and keep work from intruding into your personal life.

Here are five small things you can do to help regulate your work-life balance:

1. Schedule Time for Yourself
Set aside a time for yourself when you are not going to do anything work related. This could be dinner time every day, or any other time you want a break. You could take a break to go for a walk during the day or set aside time for yourself in the morning before you start work. Try not to respond to work emails or calls during this time.
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2. Take a Lunch Break
One of the benefits of working from home is being able to cook during the day. Set aside 30 minutes (or more, if you can!) every weekday to make and eat lunch, even when you’re busy. A little reset can sometimes make us more productive! 

3. Keep a Regular Schedule - “Leave” Work on Time
The flexibility of working from home is great, but it can often be unclear when you are done with work for the day. While your schedule may change, set a time every day when you are going to be done working and you can “leave” work. If you have a shared work calendar, put that time on your calendar so your coworkers know when you end your day.
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4. Keep your Workspace Separate
While not always possible, set up a separate office for work that you only use for work – even if it’s just the kitchen table. Try not to work on the couch or in your bedroom, as this can feel like you never leave work. Try to keep work related things off your personal devices as well.

5. Talk to Your Coworkers
Working at home can feel so isolating when you’re working with people you’ve never even had a real conversation with. It’s difficult to collaborate with coworkers that you hardly know. Using a tool like ChattyKathi can make it easy to stay connected with your coworkers.
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While many of us have gotten used to the flexibility of working from home, it is important to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Give these tips a try to create a balanced daily routine for yourself! Working from home doesn’t have to be isolating - try out ChattyKathi today to bond with your coworkers from home.