When home becomes the office: 6 Tips for having a healthy work-life balance

Robin Rich, Peer Health Exchange Chief Operating Officer, recently gave some tips for a healthy work-life balance while working at home during an Instagram Live.

With the COVID 19 crisis forcing folks to work, study and stay in their homes, this can be an adjustment and change in routine that many of us may find challenging. This includes many of the young people we serve, health educators, and our staff at Peer Health Exchange. Robin Rich, Chief Operating Officer, recently gave some tips for a healthy work-life balance while working at home during an Instagram Live. Below are a few takeaways.

1. Showing up for yourself
When it comes down to taking care of yourself, it’s important to know that there is more than one way to do it. Think about your physical, emotional and mental space. If you have a desk make sure you fill it with things that make you happy. Whether its candles, figurines or other trinkets. Be sure that people are aware of your physical space and respect it. Use music to help you get in a good emotional state while you work. Feel free to create playlists for the certain moods you want to be in or have a book by you for when you take breaks. Being in a good mental state can involve organization and preparedness. For some people that can including scheduling your work and break times. Schedule specific tasks including breaks, time for eating and relaxing.

2. Working from home: see it as a blessing
Working from home can ease the stress of long or difficult commutes since you no longer have to commute anywhere. You can balance work and home responsibilities much easier and it gives you more time to spend family, friends or whomever you live with.

3. Doing a gratitude check
With all of the uncertainty in the world, it’s easy to get lost in the negative. It’s important to think about what you are grateful for. Think about what you have and the people you have beside you. Remind these people that you are thankful for them by taking the time to send messages or write letters of appreciation for what they do for you.

4. Turning to humor
A part of checking in with yourself is allowing yourself to enjoy things and laugh a little. When you’re stressed with work, its important to take a break and relax. A good way of relaxing is laughing. Whether it’s looking at memes, watching TikTok videos, or listening to comedians—let loose and humor yourself.

5. Re-center in your belief in yourself and your ability to create and grow
We can use this time to help us grow and flex our creative muscles. When given the chance, do what you enjoy: take photos, write, draw, etc. You can even cook and create dishes you may have not had time to do before. This will give you the chance to develop those skills.

6. Close the work part of the day
Make sure you have a routine when ending your workday. Whether that is closing the tabs on your computer, cleaning up your entire desk, or moving your stuff somewhere else. This allows your body to understand when you are done with work.

Check out Robin’s full video for more tips.