In our pre-COVID19 world, enjoying a flexible schedule was one of the main reasons why people opted to work remotely. Working remotely in some form has now become a lot of people’s reality. Finding ways to maintain boundaries and balance is now crucial to optimising productivity and reducing the risk of burn-out.
Maintaining Boundaries
Establishing boundaries is one thing; maintaining them is another. Working remotely for a company, means that it is important to set boundaries in the beginning. Further down the line, however, it becomes increasingly difficult, so do it early.
Needing to justify your often-unseen work and finding ways to unplug from it all can lead to eventual burn-out. Below we discuss these two potential pitfalls for anyone setting out to work remotely.
Needing to Prove Yourself
One benefit of working from the office is that everyone sees you show up and assumes you are doing what you are meant to. It is easier for your line manager to recognise the effort you have put in when they have seen you doing it, but what if they haven’t? A reality of working remotely is that only you know the amount of time you are investing; how much you are sacrificing and the obstacles you must overcome to get the job done. The only way to prove that you are showing up, be it at 6am on a call to a client or on your laptop in your lounge, is to keep everyone informed.
When Switching Off is Not an Option
While remote work may conjure up images of late mornings or working until noon, the reality is often different. At 5pm, when you would normally be leaving the office, you may decide there’s time for one more email or phone call. After all, you are already at home. What should have been an additional five minutes can easily turn into an hour or two. This time is seldom made up because each day presents new tasks and challenges.
Staff feel obligated to be always available. After all, the company had provided you a laptop and cell phone, making you accessible to them always. This may or may not have been their expectation, but for many employees, this is how they feel. As a result, they find it increasingly difficult to switch off.
