Working from home…6 boundary tips to prevent burnout.
“When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated. ”
We have all been in the workplace, where we have those that go ‘above and beyond’ the ‘go getters’, the ones wanting to impress the boss, get noticed, move up the ladder. We often criticise them for their work ethic and can be slightly green eyed, maybe because we don’t have the inclination, motivation or desire to reach the heights of senior management.
Whilst always having been intrinsically motivated to get the job done, I never had the aspirations to be any more than a Key Stage 1 leader. I knew it would take away my evenings and weekends. As a single parent for the majority of my teaching career, my family living 200 miles away,I chose to stay comfortable. Allowing me to take care of my children to the best of my ability! ( they are still alive…. so bonus points to me)
Now we have moved into a new world, where so many people for the first time are working from home. Thankfully for most parents home schooling has ended and the children are happily/ unhappily back at school. The working world continues with the new model, so many benefits to list here around commutes, travel costs etc, but what about the downside?
Many conversations over several months have provided me with the same conclusion. That is …….. dramatic drumroll, that there is a very blurred line as to where work stops and home life begins. Colleagues and bosses sending work emails at 1am and 2am in the morning, because the lap top is next to the bed. They simply want to take action, whilst they remember.
As is often the case the same place where you might watch, telly, read, chat with friends, is the exact same space where you may sit, with your laptop or your computer. Relationships can become strained, partners frustrated with one another, because there is no off-switch, the notifications come in and you always answer.
Here are a few quick actionable tips you can do to set up some healthy work boundaries.
1.Switch off notifications ( not rocket Science but who actually does it ?)
Most smart phones have a screen “cut off” time. When I worked part time, on Thursday, at the end of the school day, when I got in my car I always made a conscious choice to switch off my work email. Otherwise my Friday would be taken up with 400 tings, most of which were not relevant to me. I would then switch my notifications on again, on Monday morning.
2.You can put your device on airplane mode and only allow emergency contacts through.
3.Do not check your emails after a certain time and STICK TO IT.
4.Schedule personal activities during your free time on a planner or in your diary.
5.Make sure that your days off ARE your days off and you don’t end up sending a quick email.
6.Have a designated work space, when you are finished, shut down the computer to laptop.
Put a visual reminder in place, maybe a post it note on there to remind you,“ office closed.”
Since coaching my clients one of the common themes has been burnout and boundaries! If you cannot seem to distinguish between work life and home life, drop me an email and click here . We can talk about how we can put some solid long-lasting boundaries in place. I for one, think that the hybrid model is here to stay.
With love and gratitude,
Sian
