I often joke I’m no longer working from home but living at work.  It’s a reality that millions faced during COVID-19, and some will continue to face for the foreseeable future.  I’m one of those (lucky ones perhaps? ? ) that will be returning to our office at some point next year. 

At first, the new lifestyle was a shock and I had a hard time separating my work life and home life. After all, the office and emails were just a step away. 

One evening, I found myself deep into a 14-hour workday and knew I needed to find a better balance. I made the effort to implement some changes the following week and I have seen much improvement. 

Here are the 4 rules I’ve implemented:

Set a STOP time.

Once I close the office door, I’m done. There is no checking email or jumping online quick to review something.  My 10-12-hour day stops, and ends, that moment. 

Weekends are for relaxing.

The weekends are off limits with very few exceptions!

Make a concrete schedule.

I let people know my schedule and set boundaries. If you don’t then you will find yourself not only working your schedule, but someone else’s as well.

Take a deep breath and move on.

Additionally, and probably the most important, is that I do not let stress build up inside of me. If I had a rough day, I spend 15-30 minutes hashing over it with my husband, then, MOVE ON. I do not dwell.  I simply let it out and then we both are able to enjoy the evening in its entirety. 

I can see how it’s hard for some people to ensure a work/life balance, but it’s just like anything else in life. A little planning goes a long way!  You have to make an effort to balance the two, so you aren’t tipping the scale one way or the other!   Balance is key to a happy home life and a successful career!