Balancing Work & Fun While Working from Home
Many of us are in the midst of adjusting to the new normal of social distancing, Zoom meetings, and throwing together a functional workspace on the closest flat surface.
Managing our work/life balance is more important than ever now that there’s no physical boundary between the two. Just because we’re at home now, doesn’t mean we are suddenly on call 24 hours a day. Many of us who are used to going to an office have to create new routines to mark our days so we don’t sit and work for 10 hours straight, or if you’re on the flip side of that coin, get constantly distracted. With this in mind, let’s look at a few ways we can adjust to working from home, maintain our mental and physical health, and have fun in the process.
Work
Set a hard deadline for yourself when it comes to starting and stopping the work portion of your day. Build a routine at home just like you had at work, and your days will have a more natural, manageable flow. Easier said than done? Set an alarm...Really, I’m not kidding.
Chunk your work time. Work diligently for blocks of time, take a break, and come back to work refreshed. This could mean working from 8am-12pm, break from 12pm-2pm, and working again from 2-6pm. Try different iterations of this and see what works for you!
Put your workspace away when you’re done for the day. This is key to avoid feeling like you’re always “on.” If you have a desk, walk away from it. If you don’t, physically put your laptop and any other work gear out of sight. This will help create some distance between your home and work lives.
Disconnect your home phone from your work notifications. If your job allows, don’t sync your calendars and work emails to your private phone. If you always get notifications, you’ll never stop working. You can even take disconnecting to the next level by trying an EMF protection device or by turning off your wifi at the end of the day.
Take breaks during the day, even if that means setting an alarm. If you use Slack for work, you can set reminders to help you take a break from your screen.
Once you decide to take that break, here are a few things you can do to joyfully fill the time.
Mental & Physical Health
Headspace has a free series of mindfulness activities and meditations called Weathering The Storm to help us keep our cool during this difficult time.
There are any number of free online exercises and yoga channels to keep you busy. If you want to support a local studio, check out this article from Thrillist to find a virtual fitness class.
Fun
Google Arts & Culture put together a handy list of 10 museums around the world with virtual exhibits, so you can take in some beauty while you’re on your couch.
Sir Patrick Stewart is reading a sonnet a day, and what could be more soothing than that? @sirpatstew on Instagram
Rebel Rebel wine bar in Somerville is hosting online natural wine classes! You can order the wines for pickup or delivery through a local wind distributor, or your favorite local store. No matter where you are, even if you’re not in the US, you can still join. Everyone is welcome @rebelrebelsomerville on Instagram.
Learn how to paint in the vibrant color of your dreams with Laurel Greenfield Art. Every weekday at 10am EST, local Boston artist Laurel Greenfield is live painting a gorgeous cake on Instagram. Paint along with her, or just watch and enjoy. @laurelgreenfieldart on Instagram
However your transition to work from home is going, remember that work will always be there. It’s never really done, is it? To perform your best, you need to take care of yourself in all facets of your life. Working from home doesn’t mean working 24/7. Take care out there!
Becky Holder is a content contributor for JUGs and works in education. In her free time she looks for the next best cup of coffee and great food. Follow along @rebeccalizholder on Instagram.
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