Throughout my career as a recruiter, I’ve worked remotely. I’ve built teams at bootstrapped startup agencies, internally for Series A & C SaaS startups, and SaaS enterprise organizations, all from the “comfort of home”.
Introductory conversations with candidates and hiring managers include the topic of work/life balance and work environment options like remote, hybrid, and on-site. From these discussions, it’s clear the “best” environment is entirely subjective based on the individual, the best environment is not a “one size fits all”. This means remote work doesn’t automatically = balance. A 2021 survey from ADP found that remote employees work an average of 9.4 unpaid hours of overtime every week. Most overworking stems from having a poor work-life balance, which is the inability to separate your professional life from your private life. How many hours do you work in a week?
Let’s focus on the highly desired balance of personal and professional time and energy. Universities don’t offer classes on how to acclimate to a remote environment (please prove me wrong). Fear not my BS/MS/PhD friends; remote work-life balance has several foundational elements that every remote employee can assess for optimal performance. Let’s dig in!
Successful remote work/life balance requires self-awareness and boundaries. Every human has different times of the day (or night) that they do their best work. Identifying your preferences for stimuli like music, lighting, silence, or your pet/child napping around the designated work area is a great start! What sounds best for you? Here are 19 other tips for creating balance in your remote work/onsite personal life.
Remote employers are also responsible for assisting their employees (and themselves) in creating a professional environment with a healthy work-life balance. Working together in this endeavor will help everyone reach their full potential. One study found that work-home interference decreases employee satisfaction and engagement while increasing burnout rates and amplifying turnover intentions. How does your company build a healthy remote culture?
In the roles I’ve held over the last four years, I’ve experienced burnout in half of them. Through trial and error, I learned why I was burned out and have thoughtfully created a healthy balance for my personal & professional life. This process has at times felt painful, fun, anxiety-ridden, stressful, exciting, confusing, and overwhelming.
My optimal remote environment includes working only when the sun is out. The sunshine makes my work shine bright like a diamond (cue Rihanna). Sometimes my workspace has lots of light or a more subtly lit office aesthetic. My dog comes in to remind me it’s time to go for a walk or for him to eat. Weather-dependent, 2-3 technology-free walks with Kobe (my dog) during work hours are a must. Some days you’ll hear smooth jazz or volume-up Adele. Taking a break from the computer to do a quick meditation or call a friend helps immensely. Keeping a gallon of water on my desk is essential - you’ll see it on every video call with me!
Work-related tasks only take place in my designated office (a privileged luxury for which I’m so grateful). My personal phone is void of work email and Slack, and there’s a clear boundary that any non-emergency work communication must be through a computer-based application. This boundary maintains professional engagement as a personal choice. No work or checking work on weekends. Would any of these boundaries help you separate your personal and professional life?
The inherent isolating aspect of remote work is crucial to address as well. The Harvard Business Review recently published findings that absenteeism attributed to stress and loneliness costs U.S. employers $154 billion dollars annually. To balance the solitude of working from home, I consistently schedule in-person activities like hot yoga, pizza club meetings, lunch with friends, volunteering, and more. What weekly activities help alleviate the isolation of your job?
Remote work requires creating a “balance” for every person on an individual level. Remote work/life balance requires a heightened awareness of what you need to show up and do your best work. No one will figure this out for you, including your employer - it’s an inside job. As Spider-Man & Voltaire say, “With great power comes great responsibility”.
How do you create a remote work/life balance?
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