Working from home sounds fantastic. In your pajamas, a cat curled up on your lap, your own music playing, nobody stealing your lunch from the office fridge. Heck, why not have a bubble bath on your lunch break. On the flipside, it can make it tougher to draw boundaries with your employers or clients. Having your work and rest areas in the same space can be confusing. The technology which makes remote work possible, also gives employers, colleagues and clients access to you whenever they want. Pretty quickly, you can start to feel that you are drowning in a tsunami of emails and online meetings and group chats and conference calls. And then, you tell yourself that “that’s just how it’s done these days”. Maybe. But it’s also a fast track to burning out and losing your shit because you have no place to hide from work. So, how do we stay productive, engaged, effective but also establish some boundaries?
1. Figure Out Your Needs
Photo by Annie Spratt
We always worry if we’re the right employee for the company, but do we ever think about whether the company is right for us? A job interview isn’t just for the employer to figure out if they want to hire you, it’s also your chance to figure out if this job is the right one. Not all offices are hybrid, and some are even completely remote. Figure out what you need to be productive and have a healthy boundary with your work.
Join work-from-home communities and see whether you have needs similar to theirs. Ask yourself questions. For example, are you open to taking on extra responsibilities while working remotely? Are you amenable to meetings or prefer textual communication instead? Knowing your needs will help you ask for them in your workplace and know which offices are a better match for you.
2. Sort Out Your Work Environment
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk
Part of setting boundaries can be establishing actual physical boundaries of a workspace. Whatever your specific situation is, find a way to distinguish your work area, so that you know when work starts and ends. If you have the space for a home office, use it. If you don’t, get creative! Get a fold down desk, use a curtain or room divider. It could even be a simple coffee mug that sits on your desk during work hours, symbolizing that you are clocked in. So when that mug goes away, you’re clocked out. Be sure to stick to the boundaries you set for yourself!
3. Create a Schedule
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Working when you want sounds great. The problem is, you may not want to work when you need to. On the flip side, you can easily get sucked into a vortex of work that will take you deep into the hours of night. Entering each day without knowing your time commitment can be a good recipe for anxiety. So, make it clear for yourself and your colleagues. If your employer has set hours, commit to that schedule and get your work done. If your schedule is flexible, determine what will give you the best work-life balance and structure your day accordingly.
4. Communicate
Photo by Diva Plavalaguna
The beauty of going to a workplace is that communication is easy. You can look across your desk and ask for clarification, stand together and discuss blueprints, throw ideas back and forth for a proposal. And, because most communication is non-verbal, you will have more meaningful interaction with your co-workers and clients. Working remotely, you need to overcompensate for the distance with precise and frequent communication. Make yourself available. Turn on your cameras so that you can better gauge each other’s responses and feedback. In addition, communicate your schedule and availability so that your colleagues know what to expect and aren’t left in the lurch if you are not responding immediately.
5. Get It Done
Photo by Vlada Karpovich
Let’s be real, remote work does not suit everybody. Some people are excellent at managing themselves and use their time effectively, unsupervised. Working from home allows them to focus on their tasks without distractions. But some people are horrible procrastinators. These people do fifteen minutes of work, then spend forty-five minutes making coffee, then ten minutes of work and thirty to walk their dog. Then, suddenly an eight hour day is done and only an hour and a half’s worth of work has been accomplished. If you are going to work remotely, you must get your work done. If you need structure and supervision to be accountable, remote work is not for you.
Work is work no matter where you do it, so it is important to maintain your boundaries with work even if you’re in the comfort of your own home. So try out all the tips on this list to find your sweet spot! Whether it’s discovering the best way to work remotely or deciding not to work remotely at all, make sure you have boundaries with your job that works best for you!
