As COVID-19 lockdown restrictions continue to keep many employees working from home, these individuals have likely made some adjustments to how they approach their work/life balance. Remote employees don’t spell disaster for companies though. Not only do these companies save money through the reduction of office operating costs, research has indicated that working from home has had a positive impact on employee productivity and has also improved employee morale. However, there are a number of necessary considerations that must be made before employees are able to work from home.
This isn’t to say it’s a tough transition to make. The most necessary elements of a proper work-from-home setup are often common in most households. A stable fiber internet connection and hardware like a laptop or PC and monitor duo and you’re ready to get to work. This is largely in part to the availability of video conferencing for remote meetings and other work-related communication. zBackup lets you automatically upload Zoom recordings to Google Drive.
Unfortunately, what hasn’t changed with this accessibility, is the skill of being able to separate work responsibilities and home responsibilities in many remote employees. Despite the fact that your ‘office’ might just be downstairs, it can still be tempting to engage in home-related responsibilities like cooking or cleaning while on the clock. This inability to balance work and leisure activities is why it’s cited as the most difficult aspect of working remotely.
The infographic featured on this post, How to Create a Home Office That Improves Work/Life Balance, addresses a number of the issues that keep remote employees from being able to separate their work and home lives. Despite the difficulty that comes from maintaining two lives in one home while working remotely, the infographic can serve as a resource for planning how to be successful in separating your home and work life.
The most important takeaway from the infographic, however, has to be the mental separation of home and work. This means that the best way to remain productive and remove yourself from your home responsibilities during work hours, is to simulate actually working in the office. Avoid any exposure to televisions or other distractions you wouldn’t find at work. Separate yourself from other members of the family working from home. Remain vigilant and avoid responsibilities like cooking until after work hours, and you’re more likely to be successful.
Sara Scimeca is Marketing Coordinator for Synergy Builders, a stress-free remodeling company. She has two years of experience in the industry and manages Synergy’s marketing plans including creation of content for newsletters, brochures, advertisements, videos and more.