More and more people are working from home.
At first it seems nice to telework from home.
You don’t have to go to work, no traffic jams. You can more or less plan your own day. Your line manager is not present all day.
However, working from home can also become a problem. The separation between work and private life is less obvious because you work in a place where you are normally when you are not working, i.e. your own home.
Statista 2021-02 carried out a survey asking what is the biggest problem for teleworkers. The biggest problem for remote workers is not being able to disconnect from work when it is finished.
How do you disconnect from work when you work from home?
Remote United gives you some tips:
1) Write down what you need or want to do the next day.
Writing down the things you want to do the next day helps you to clear your mind.
You are less likely to think in the evening “I still have to do this or that”.
2) Be clear with your work colleagues about when you are available.
It is important to keep work and private life separate. This is only possible if the people you work with also know when your private life begins.
Make it clear to them when you are available.
3) Turn off the computer and phone you use for work when you are finished.
That way you won’t have work on your mind.
Remember to let your colleagues and clients know when you are available.
4) Do something after work that you really enjoy.
Find distractions. Focus on something completely different after work, something you really enjoy doing, like reading a book or watching a movie on TV.
5) Relax after work.
When you telework, you don’t move around much. Even more if you work from home. That’s why it’s good to take time to relax after work.
Do yoga or stretching at home. Pranayama (breathing exercises) can also help you relax.
If the weather is nice and you have a garden or balcony, enjoy your favourite book with a glass of wine or beer.
6) If you can, get away from your workplace from time to time in the evening.
Meet friends outside, go for a walk, do some sport.
If you don’t see your workplace, it’s also harder to remember.
7) Try to separate your work space from the space where you usually are after work.
If possible, create your workspace in a separate room from where you usually relax.
Close the door when the work is finished.
8) Don't keep walking around in the clothes you sleep in at night.
Do the same as when you go to work outside the house.
Do not stay in the clothes you sleep in. Put on clothes that you would normally wear to work or, if you wish, comfortable clothes such as jogging pants.
9) Connect to the present moment.
Many people still think about their work after they’ve finished, especially if they’re working intensively.
There are two ways not to relax after work: worrying about your work (memories, the past) and foreseeing new problems (imagination, the future).
When you live in the present, the past and future disappear from your thoughts because thoughts and mindfulness do not go together.
The moment you are aware of your thoughts, you are outside of them.
Be aware of everything around you. No judgements, just awareness.
You will find that if you do this long enough, you will have more energy left over to solve problems at work the next day.
Worrying takes a lot of energy. If you live mindfully, you will live more intensely.
If you have questions or are considering teleworking in the South of France and would like us to help you to disconnect after work, our Remote Disconnect service can help you.
(See bottom of page for contact details).
