In January, I ranked my work attributes by importance in an Employee Value Proposition exercise as a part of my review. For anyone who knows me, it would be no surprise that work-life balance landed at the bottom of my list. I enjoy the work I do, so it’s easy for the line between when work ends and when life starts to blur together, at least that’s what I told myself. However, as we share in the previous blog, our SWIM Collaborator Sharina Sallis reminds us that the work we do is life’s work. It will be there tomorrow, but will I have the energy to face it? No matter how much I enjoy working, in order to work productively and effectively, it is important to take breaks. In 2021, my goal is to improve my personal wellness, which begins with prioritizing my work-life balance. Here are four tips I’ve implemented in my workday as I work to achieve my 2021 goal.

Slowing down with morning coffee.

When working from home it is easy to wake up, put on a pot of coffee and immediately begin working. This was my routine at the start of remote work and it wasn’t working. I was feeling tired during the work day and didn’t allow myself to wake up before I started working. Recently, I’ve been waking up earlier and getting ready for my day as usual. I start by making my coffee earlier and using the extra time in my morning to listen to my favorite podcasts or read. This time to myself has allowed me to wake up and overall has made for a more productive and energetic day.

Blocking my lunch.

After reading the article, Take Your Lunch Break by Ruchika Tulshyan, I realized the importance of taking a lunch break. I was not in the habit of doing this. Taking a break away from my desk while eating lunch has broken apart my work day and has helped me come back to work feeling refreshed. Ruchika also shares the importance of human connection. So, with my lunch breaks, I have been trying to meet virtually with friends and family for a mental break and to reconnect. At See What I Mean, we are also working to stay better connected and will be having our first virtual lunch break together this month.

Creating tasks on my Google calendar.

To work more efficiently during my workday, I have been adding 'tasks' to my google calendar. Using the task function has helped me stay on top of due dates, know what work to prioritize, and when to set time aside to work on projects. The task feature on Google Calendar sends me a reminder to get started on a specific task and also lets me virtually cross off the tasks from my list. To learn more about how to create a remote work schedule that works for you check out this article by Pamela Bump from Hubspot.

Taking a walk.

It is important to take time for breaks each day, but it is also very easy to forget. When working remotely it's easy to stay inside all day sitting at a desk. To stop this habit, I have been taking quick walks or sitting outside for three to five minutes after a task or project is completed. This has helped me stay motivated while working and has also helped me come back to work energized.

Remote work is hard and it is important to remember that we do not always have to be busy. We need exercise, we need time with family, and we need LUNCH. Work-life balance is not some far-fetched idea, but in a competitive culture it can sometimes feel written off as laziness. It is essential to take breaks and prioritize your personal wellness throughout the work day and like many things we talk about at SWIM, it is actually about a change in mindset.

Author: Jenna Hoover

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Take a Break: Tips to Improve your Work-Life Balance