Separating work and personal time has become one of the great challenges of modern life for many of us.
For those with a home or mobile office, the ability to respond to emails as they arrive on smart phones or other devices until late in the night can be convenient and add to the flexibility of your role.
However, you may find this is counter-balanced by the difficulty of keeping work from encroaching on leisure and family time. Not only does it become difficult to switch off and enjoy some true “down time”, but it can be a struggle to find the necessary balance between work and home life.
But there are strategies that can help:
Set rules for yourself: Make some rules for yourself about what time your working day will finish – whether it’s leaving the office or rounding out your day in the home office.
Also set rules about how much work-related contact is acceptable outside of that time.
Once the rules are in place, stick with them.
If there are occasions where the rules have to be bent, make sure those times are few.
You should even try switching off your phone for at least a period of your leisure time. After all, quality relaxation time will ensure you’re more productive during business hours.
Establish priorities: Take time at the start of each day to work out your priorities.
Just five minutes spent writing a simple “to do” list can not only set you on a less complicated path for the day, but have you working pro-actively, rather than in a reactive manner.
There can also be an immense satisfaction in crossing off tasks as you finish them.
Know your limits: Sometimes its best for both you and your business to say no to an extra project – especially when you’re already working at or near capacity. If it’s a project you really want to be involved in then you may have to shuffle your schedule, pass off some of your other work or bring in extra help.
Learn to switch off: Nobody expects you to be switched on for work all the time. Let your voicemail take calls outside of normal hours and you can deal with issues that arise at the appropriate time.
Finding a hobby or other interest outside of work can also help you take your mind off the job, give you the chance to achieve other goals and refresh you outlook.