Linked: Concerns over mental health impact of returning to ‘normal way of working’ after the pandemic
A lot of the concerns are about being in the same space, or using public transit to get to the office, which I think makes sense. But this is also interesting:
“Four in 10 employees said that working from home during the coronavirus pandemic made them realise that they had a poor work-life balance before lockdown and they do not want to return to it after COVID-19.
Over half (52%) said they now have a better work-life balance after working from home and want to continue to do so in some capacity in the future.”
That’s a pretty significant number of Britons who feel like it’s easier to maintain some measure of work-life balance when they can be home, instead of commuting.
Other studies show similar things, but they also seem to show that other workers are struggling more with work-life balance because they haven’t figured out how to “shut down” work when it’s right there at home.
That can be a difficult adjustment. It helps to have a separate space where you work, and that you don’t spend time in when you aren’t working. Of course, that assumes you have enough space to make that happen, and let’s be honest, not everyone does. So the challenge then becomes, how do you just stop working at a given time?
Well, if you can’t leave the space where you work, then a physical change, an event similar to clocking out, might be necessary. It can be anything really. Change clothes, schedule a time to eat dinner with your family, take a walk, make a phone call to a friend. Anything that creates that clean break from the workday.
Then, be done working.
And, if you manage others, let them be done with working. And set the example yourself.
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