How I create a work-life balance while working at home

Going to college in the midst of a pandemic, I feel like my world shifted to an online setting overnight. Now, I have been working remotely for almost three years. During this time, I have learned how crucial it is to maintain a work-life balance, as these lines can become blurred doing these actions in the same space. Not having a work-life balance while working remotely can lead to overworking, as well as feelings of anxiety and stress. If we do not take precautions, an imbalance can lead to various mental and physical health effects.

The thing I try and prioritize the most in my life is creating separate spaces for work and life in my home. When I first began working from home, I found myself feeling anxious about either working too much or not working enough. I soon realized that it was because I was associating places where I would normally relax (such as my living room) with work. Then, when I was relaxing in these places, I felt like I needed to be working. When these spaces are the same, we can get confused as to when we should be working and when it is time to relax. Having a separate space such as a home office can help to distinguish where your workspace is and where your relaxation space is. Even with smaller living spaces, we can create these workstations that we can separate from our places away from work. Click here to gain some ideas on how to create workspaces in small living situations.

Another issue I was facing when working at home is that I felt like I wasn’t getting out of my house enough. The days began to feel extremely repetitive and I was becoming drained from never having any change of scenery. To conquer these feelings, I committed to finding new hobbies or doing things that got me outside of my house every day. For example, I started going on bike rides either before work or after I had finished. Surfing was another activity I took up. When searching for these hobbies and activities, I looked for things that energized me throughout my day. For me, being outside and getting myself into the freezing San Diego water was what made me feel energized. For others, something like being around others can make you feel energized. If you are seeking out a new hobby but don’t know where to start, you can begin looking at some ideas here.