Working from home initially brings much joy—what a relief to avoid packed subway and long traffic jams. But it’s a double-edged sword. It can be as deceptive as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, offering the lollipop of flexibility and work-life balance. In reality, it often turns us into clowns, juggling the chaos of home and office tasks. One Twitter user opened up about how she had to quit her work-from-home job because her mother didn’t take it seriously, assigning her household chores instead.
WFH can be a real test of patience when your family keeps interrupting. (energepic.com)
A work-from-home job can feel like a double shift, and you are stuck in the crossfire between the managers of your home and office. It gradually builds up frustration, and fatigue and culminates in quitting the job. Here are five tips on how to stay sane, draw the necessary boundaries, and balance work from home.
Create a proper ‘office space’ at your home
If your untidy bed or couch is your working place at home, then don’t crib when your family doesn’t take your job seriously. When you designate a proper, organised space for your work, you are more attentive and it builds an atmosphere of work around you. Your family will think twice before hollering for you during a meeting.
Stop multitasking
If you present yourself as a juggler, the world will see you as one. To quell the nagging multitasker in you, you may feel the innate urge to juggle tasks, even without external pressure. You fold laundry or paint your nails while waiting for team members to join a meeting. This gives your family the impression that you can multitask or are free, and quite naturally, they assume you have time for errands.
Schedule like a pro
It’s futile to resist household chores when you are working from home, but it’s important to draw boundaries. Create a timetable with proper breaks from work where you can fit in these chores healthily. Prioritize chores based on urgency, remembering that work always comes first during office hours, even if you are working from home.
Don’t shy away from clearing the air
Your parents’ generation and those before them didn’t experience working from home. It’s still alien to them, despite COVID-19’s oppressive attempts to acclimatise everyone. It’s your job to communicate and emphasise the importance and seriousness of your work responsibilities. The work remains the same; only the environment has changed. Regularly update them with your schedule and about any change in your shift hours.
Go big on visual cues
Sometimes, family members subconsciously barge into your room, unaware you’re working. It might be a slip of the mind, or they might just drop by to say hi, out of care. It’s your job to keep reminding them, using visual cues. It may seem silly, but a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, wearing headphones to show that you are in work mode, or dressing up professionally for the day can help. The visual cues assist in minimizing disruptions and help you focus.
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