Creating Boundaries when Working from Home During Lock down
Working from home with Mary Magalotti
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the ways Australians live, work and study. One of the most significant ways life has changed is the increasing amount of people currently working from home. Our living room becoming our home office has its own set of unique challenges, including both the pressure to work longer hours and fit more into the day, as well as the struggles of staying motivated and the increasing temptation to procrastinate.
Why are Boundaries so Important when Working from Home?
Depending on our personal strengths and limitations, working from home can result in more time spent in front of a screen and less time spent doing things that we enjoy, or conversely in a battle to stay motivated throughout the day. Both are issues that can affect our mental health and wellbeing if left unchecked.
This is made even more challenging by the potential for management and co-workers to pile on more tasks than we can deal with. Setting boundaries between our work and home life has been made increasingly difficult.
Tips on Creating Boundaries
Here at Life Resolutions, we are also working from home during these challenging times, and know it’s a unique challenge you may not have faced before. Here is some advice for making the best of this new situation.
- 1. Setting a schedule –If you are generally in the office from 9 to 5, your new working hours should also reflect this. You might choose to start earlier to take advantage of the lack of commute, but you should resist the temptation to keep working well past the end of your usual shift. Try to wake up at the same time each day and finish at the same time too. It is also important to inform management and your co-workers of your hours, so they are not expecting you to answer emails at 11 pm or on a Sunday morning.
- 2. Set your intentions for the day — Setting down a to-do list for the day can help you stay on track and keep motivated. Include work goals, as well as easily forgotten personal tasks, such as eating a healthy lunch and going for a walk. That way, you will be less likely to be overwhelmed by what you intend to do throughout the day.
- 3. Schedule breaks — When working from home, it is easy to get stuck in front of the computer and forget to do things important to your mental health, like staying in touch with family or enjoying a walk in the warm weather. These breaks are small steps you can take to ensure work does not overwhelm you and leave you feeling stressed and burnt out.
- 4. Take a lunch break — A lunch break is an important part of a day in the office, and it should be an important part of working from home too. That hour can be an opportunity to enjoy some takeaway, spend some time in the kitchen and even have a Zoom date with friends or colleagues. Ensuring that part of your workday stays consistent will mean you come back in the afternoon refreshed and ready to work.
- 5. Look after your mental health — Working from home can pose a unique challenge to many, and it is easy to get caught up in the stresses of work and daily life. The team here at Life Resolutions are here and ready to talk through any issues you might be facing. We are offering Telehealth services, so if you are having any difficulty in coping with the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, contact our friendly team to book an appointment today and enjoy an chat with a professional from the comfort of your own home.
Contact Mary Magalotti and Jodie Brenton Life Resolutions Today
If you want to find out more about the work we do at Life Resolutions or would like to learn more about the journey of our CEO and Founder, Jodie Brenton or our principal psychologist, Mary Magalotti, feel free to contact us here. Or, check out the Life Resolutions website to discover more about Jodie Brenton and Mary Magalotti Life Resolutions work.
