Balancing Work & Family When Working From Home

Work-life balance is a term used to describe how professionals balance work and personal obligations. It’s important to distribute time effectively so you can be productive and successful at work while still having time for friends, hobbies, and most importantly, family.

It’s so easy to get sucked into the day to day busyness of our jobs. Responding to emails, phone calls, small tasks, big tasks, it can be endless sometimes and I think we are all afraid to drop the ball.

But life isn’t about your clients or how much money you make. The true beauty in life is in the little things, even the big things…First steps, losing teeth, first day of school, graduation, having a catch, going for a swim, family dinners…these are the truly important things that we cannot forget to prioritize.

How on earth can we prioritize when work is pulling us in a million directions and we have a sense of urgency and dedication, that when we work so hard before you know it, we’re exhausted, and the day is over. It’s so important to manage your time so you have the energy for both and can enjoy the important things in your life.

As a Virtual Assistant, I’ve always worked from home, but in today’s COVID-19 reality this has become more the rule than the exception. Managing home life while working from home brings a ton of new challenges. So, let’s jump right in! How can we simplify what seems to be a very daunting challenge.

· Have a set schedule and stick to it! When you work from home clients may think you are available 24/7. However, this is absolutely not the case. So set a schedule and make sure clients are aware of it. For me, my day starts with coffee in the kitchen so anyone who wants to sit with me can. We can have a morning chat and talk about the day ahead or whatever the kids or spouse want to talk about. Then, I take my commute up to my office. My office is a ‘no kid zone’. They know, when I’m working, it’s as if I have taken a train somewhere and I am no longer available (unless there’s blood…that’s the only exception). Since my kids are older, I don’t really see them until dinner time. So, I take a quick lunch break, walk around to get some blood flow, and go back to work. I work until 6:00 PM and go make dinner and straighten up. That’s usually when family members start to trickle back in (they always come back when they know food will be served…). I eat dinner with most of the family together. If I need to do a few more things I do, otherwise I close for the night. I like to have movie nights with the kids or sit in the yard and schmooze and chill. But that’s my schedule and I stick to it.

· Have a separate workspace! Even if you don’t have a spare room, designate a space that is sacred for your work. This place should have as little distractions as possible. A place you can’t hear the kids screaming or the dog barking (I’m still working on that!). A place that is not cluttered as a constant reminder of all the household chores that awaits you. Try to have a clear, clean, well lit, quiet area to work. This will ensure when you are sitting at your desk you have the best chance to be productive and successful.

· Stick to work calls and zoom calls as if you were in an outside office. Just because you are home doesn’t mean you should be ‘wishy-washy’ about scheduling and appointments. Give each appointment the respect it deserves. Odds are there’s someone on the other end of that call who has scheduled it into their day. Being at home you might have the desire to rearrange things to take care of something else, but we still need to be professional, even in our slippers. Which brings me to the next point…

· It may seem obvious but GET DRESSED! Working from home (and this is from experience…) you may have the urge to stay in PJ’s all day or not put yourself together. But it’s really important, to feel successful you need to dress the part. Never mind for a zoom call, even a non-video call, you will feel more professional therefore sound more professional if you are in proper attire.

· Have plans for after work. Like I mentioned above, I like movie nights with the kids. But I also love getting together with friends. It’s important for our sanity to be well balanced and not exhaust ourselves during the day and not have time to unwind after hours. Make sure family and friends are getting the best of you too, not just your clients.

· Exercise! Go for a walk, run, ride. Get some fresh air. Working from home you may forget to go outside. Take care of your mental and physical health so you can be your best you.

· Last, know when to say no. This is a big one for me. It took a lot of practice, but you can’t always be available. No doesn’t have to be no. It can be ‘not right now’. I will respond to an email and say “I will be back at my desk later this evening” or “I will be back at my desk first thing in the morning”, so clients know it will get taken care of, but it just can’t be at that moment. Value your time. Respect your time. Enjoy your time.

These tips are not just for VA’s, anyone working from home needs to set boundaries and learn how to be the best Executive, Employee, Employer they can be AND also be the best husband, wife, mom, dad, son, daughter they can be as well. It’s all important.