Maintaining a work-life balance has created all new challenges since the pandemic. Working remotely,
while taking care of households and children, creates a unique problem. Before we started working
regularly from home, you could at least try to leave work at the door. Now, the work is inside the door,
your living room, and maybe even your bed. Here are a few reasons the pandemic has created such an issue when pursuing a work-life balance.
Boundaries are less clear. You can work from just about anywhere these days. While that is incredibly
convenient, it is also intruding. In order for employees to overcome this hurdle, they must institute
some strict boundaries for themselves. One way to do this would draw a line during meals. Setting a rule that you’ll step away from work for at least 15-30 minutes to eat your lunch or dinner in a separate space creates a little bit of distance from that computer and phone.
Making a point of being social. While commuting to work was sometimes a hassle, at least when you got there, the office created some kind of social atmosphere. Working more remotely during the pandemic (and being able to have everything delivered) has caused some people to rarely leave their homes. If you’re single, this can particularly be a problem, but even if you have a family, it’s important to be social with other people too. If you’re still trying to maintain your distance, you could set up Zoom social calls with your coworkers or actually meet them out for a drink if you’re getting out.
Productivity is redefined. For many decades, we’ve looked for more ways of being productive in all
aspects of our lives. When the focus of productivity is solely on work, that affects our mental health.
Today, the focus is on achieving larger goals. This includes goals for work and personal goals. When you look at productivity this way, the time an employee spends outside of work is also productive in its own way, and definitely something that was redefined by the pandemic.
One thing that is going to help your work-life balance more than ever after the pandemic is self-
discipline. It’s going to feel easy to roll out of bed, onto your computer, stuff your face with some food, and then call it a day only to do the same the next. Make a point of drawing some boundaries, setting up some social events, and redefining what productivity is for you. These three simple points will get you started in having a better work-life balance after the pandemic.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201230-how-the-pandemic-could-redefine-our-productivity-
obsession
https://georgetownpsychology.com/2020/09/how-to-manage-work-life-balance-during-the-pandemic/
https://theconversation.com/work-life-balance-in-a-pandemic-a-public-health-issue-we-cannot-ignore-
155492