Are you struggling to find balance between work and your personal life?

Those who struggle to switch between these modes can often experience burnout, unhappiness, and poor work performance. But by achieving a healthier work-life balance, you can improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Oberer Homes explores how you can restore a harmonious balance between your work and your personal life. Let’s get started!

Create a Designated Office or Work Area

42% of the US labor force is now working from home full-time. If you’re tired of working from the couch or your kitchen table, a designated workspace can improve your productivity and performance.

The ideal workspace should be quiet, private, and spacious. Spare bedrooms and finished basements can make great home offices. If you don’t have a room available, try utilizing an unused area or nook in your living room, bedroom, or dining area.

Next, identify your needs. What type of equipment do you use on a daily basis? Which equipment will help you be more productive? Once you’ve established your needs, you can then plan your office space and furniture accordingly. A spacious work desk and comfortable chair are essential!

No matter where you set up your home office, you’ll need plenty of natural light. Make sure your workspace has plenty of windows. Placing a lamp on your desk or in the corner of the room can also help, especially when the sun starts to set earlier in the day in the fall and winter.

If you’re repurposing a small room for your home office, choose the right interior paint colors. Off-white, pale blue, and light tan can make a room seem bigger and cleaner. You could also add darker accent colors in blue or gray.

Unplug & Set Boundaries

When working from home, the lines between your work and personal life can become blurred. Even if you’re not working from home, you may find yourself working overtime often or going months without taking time off to recuperate.

Setting boundaries is critical to achieving a work-life balance. Make sure you set specific work hours and have a firm understanding of when you should be finishing your work each day. Everyone needs time to decompress and recover from work-related stress.

Unplug from your work phone, calendar, and laptop when you are not working. Have rules with yourself about not checking your email in the evenings and on weekends. If you decide to create a home office, designate the room for work only. All other activities you can do outside of it.

Build a “Classroom” for your Kids

Many parents found it difficult to juggle working and teaching their children from home during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the new school year right around the corner, now is the time to create home learning areas or “classrooms.” That way, you and your children can both be productive during the day without having work or school blend into the evenings and weekends.

If you have a spare room, consider making it a designated “classroom” or work area. Make sure this room has plenty of natural light, a large and comfortable desk, and space to accommodate all of their supplies.

Color can influence your child’s creativity and focus, so consider repainting their designated learning area. Blue and green are easy on the eyes and can promote better concentration. Yellow and orange can stimulate happiness. You can also use chalkboard paint to create a more fun and functional learning environment.

What if you don’t have a spare room to work with? If your child has a play area or a large bedroom, declutter it and make space for a hybrid classroom. You can also clear the kitchen table, or utilize an unused part of the dining or living rooms.

Prioritize Your Health & Make Time for Yourself

Prioritize your physical and mental health! Set time aside each day to exercise and enjoy an activity you love most. That extra time will go a long way for your physical health, emotional well-being, and help you decompress after work each day.

The activities you do during your free time can also be productive. You can work up a sweat while gardening and doing yard work. You can also take on some DIY home decor projects and make your home beautiful on a budget!

Maintain a Healthier Work-Life Balance in 2020

We live in a busy world and face tough challenges every day. By achieving a healthier work-life balance, you can better meet the demands of your job and personal life and still find happiness and fulfillment.

Stay tuned to our blog for more ideas!