How to maintain personal boundaries while working from home?

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With more than 26 million cases, the COVID-19 pandemic has grappled the world and there is no sign of it getting better. The future of students is on hold and people are being laid off. Economies are sinking and industries collapsing. 

It has almost been six months since a nationwide lockdown was imposed in our country due to which schools, colleges and offices were ordered to shut. Students were told to educate themselves through online lectures and employees, asked to work from home. 

While the working class is still trying to adjust to the new routine called 'work from home' (as exciting as it sounds) it has had its own implications. When you work from home, your employer in most cases, naturally assumes that since you are at the comfort of your home, you can easily and effectively do the work that is given to you.

 Raised employer expectations often have employees overworking themselves, sometimes without breaks in front of a screen. The pressure to look and sound professional on zoom calls with your parents or kids in the background is very real. 

Some organisations follow a strict shift schedule but many don't. In such organisations, employees hardly get any personal or recreational time amid unending work calls, meetings and group texts.

THE LINKEDIN POLL - I hosted a poll on LinkedIn wherein I asked my connections if they felt overworked due to the absence of a fixed work shift. 80% of people agreed to have felt the pressure due to work-related phone calls and text messages at odd hours. 

Some further reported that they felt a 'sense of responsibility' hanging over their shoulders 24x7. This clearly indicates that it is extremely important for professionals to maintain a healthy work-life balance, even more so when the world is battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

THE SOLUTION

As KitKat suggests, take a break! 
Get up from your work desk, stretch, interact with close friends and spend time with family members or just lie on your bed and scroll through your social media. Your idea of a break is personal to you, do whatever but take a moment to rest.

Adopt a NO WORK POLICY AFTER 9 PM. 
Consider that your shift ends at 9 pm, after which you head home and live your personal life. If by any chance you are allotted work after your WFH shift is over, save it for the next day.

Try to keep NO PROFESSIONAL CONTACT after your WFH shift is over. Do not attend to work calls, texts and emails at odd hours. Log off. 

Last but not least, value your Sunday. Say no to extra work or responsibilities you know you cannot handle.

Through the means of this article, I want you to give your best at your job during these troubled times, but also to take a moment and take a break. 





      









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