Feeling bogged down and burnt out at work? Are you in Workplace Purgatory? You’re totally not the only one experiencing these emotions! Due to technological advances and changing work patterns, one can easily find themselves overworked and overwhelmed. This is why learning how to separate home and work life is sooo important.
Finding the perfect work/life balance can have many benefits on your overall mental and physical health. It can help you get more rest and have more quality time for the people and things that matter most to you. Plus, recent research shows that a healthy work/life balance can reduce symptoms of stress and depression, improve interpersonal relationships, and promote a healthier and more positive outlook on life.
When it comes to overall health, separating home and work life is essential. So, let’s go over some actionable tips that can help you effectively separate your work life and home life and get back to what matters most!
How To Separate Home And Work Life
Establish work/life boundaries.
Do you ever feel like your work life and your home life kind of mesh together? This can make life seem like a never ending series of chores and tasks to handle, especially if you work from home. Instead, try to establish a clear line between your work and home life. By setting clear boundaries between work time and home time, you can reduce stress and make time for yourself. You may even find yourself being more optimistic about work and about life in general. For more on setting boundaries in the workplace, we recommend listening to Unzipped: The Working Women in 2021 with Lauren McGoodman.
Don’t be afraid to say no.
When you’re busy at work or you’re finally taking some personal time for yourself, don’t be afraid to say no to other plans. As humans, we tend to take on extra responsibilities to help others, even when our plates are already overflowing. And, unfortunately, this can lead to undue stress and anxiety. Before you take on any extra tasks, be sure to put yourself first…it is much easier to help others when we’ve completed our own tasks first.
Delegate when you can.
No one says you have to do everything all on your own. This rings true both at work and at home. If you find yourself overburdened with tasks in the workplace or with chores at home, try to delegate tasks to others. Not only will this reduce your workload, it will allow you to devote more time and energy to more important tasks. Check out this episode of Life with Mariana to learn more about delegating at home.
Minimize personal distractions at work.
A great way to separate your work and home life is to minimize personal distractions at work and visa versa. When you are constantly switching between work and home duties, your responsibilities can feel even more overwhelming and stressful than normal. Plus, when you minimize personal distractions at work, you may find that you finish work quicker and have more time for yourself, friends, and family.
Work on your time-management.
Okay, we know this one is easier said than done. But, with dedication and practice, learning time management skills that work for you can have a plethora of benefits when it comes to creating a healthy work/home balance. There are a multitude of different time management tips, each different from the last. To try some out, check out these 30 time management tips for work/life balance. And for even more time-management inspiration, we definitely recommend listening to TSC: Rachel Hollis – Prioritizing Time & Maximizing Results, Childhood Trauma, Work/Life Balance, Mommy Shaming & How To Say No.
Focus on self-care outside of work hours.
Don’t forget to show up for yourself! When we aren’t completely fulfilled, it is much harder to help those around us. This is why it’s super important to take time to recharge yourself so that you can be a more productive and amicable co-worker, friend, partner, and so on. As you focus on self-care, keep these self-care myths in mind to help you make the most of your self-care session.
Take up a hobby.
Not sure how to take time for yourself outside of work? Try picking up a fun hobby or find a creative outlet to relieve stress & give your brain a break from all those workplace responsibilities. For some inspiration, check out these 40 hobbies that can also help you make a little extra cash on the side.
Make time for friends and family.
Social interaction is a super important part of establishing a healthy work/home routine. Research shows that spending time with friends and family can reduce stress and anxiety as well as promote positive interpersonal relationships both at home and at work. When you can, set aside some time to spend with those that matter the most to you.
Communicate your work hours to friends, family, and co-workers.
Many distractions at work can come from friends and family members. And similarly, many distractions at home can come from co-workers. To limit these distractions, be sure to make your friends, family, and co-workers aware of your working hours. Not only will this improve your focus and productivity in the workplace, but it will also help you complete work faster. Thus, increasing the amount of time you can spend on yourself.
Take some time off.
Here at Dear Media, we totally understand that not everyone has the luxury of taking some time off of work. However, when it comes to avoiding burnout syndrome, taking some time off might be your best option.
Depending on your situation, try taking anywhere from a few hours to a few days off to focus on mental health and self-care. This tip is especially useful for those working remotely in home offices…sometimes just taking a quick trip to the coffee shop or taking a walk outside the office can greatly reduce work-related stress.
After taking some time to yourself, you will find you are much more motivated and productive at work. And if not, you may want to take some time to think about your occupation and how it relates to your overall happiness. If you’re struggling with this issue, be sure to listen to Friend of a Friend: Should I Leave My Job? Plus, How To Network and Gain Office Confidence.
Experience the benefits of a separate home and work life.
As you guys can see, there are a multitude of benefits that come along with separating your work and home life. From increased focus and productivity to reduced stress and anxiety, the benefits of setting work/home boundaries can improve almost all aspects of day-to-day life. We hope you’ve found these tips for separating home and work life helpful and that, when implemented, they help to improve your overall state of mind both in the workplace and at home. If you have any additional questions or if one of these tips really helped you, feel free to leave us a comment below. And until then, we wish you the very best of luck as you create a healthier and more productive work/home routine.
