Have you ever lost track of time while working and worked longer than you usually do? The idea of having an effective work-life balance has lost its context as we continue to work and live in the same space. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing.
As we are adopting the new normal, we are moving towards integrating our work into our lives rather than having a balance.
How Work Life Balance is Different from Work Life Integration
Work life balance implies a significant scale to weigh work and life, forming a clear distinction between the two. On the other hand, the purpose of work life integration is to unify the both of it to create a complementing lifestyle.
Now instead of having to schedule your time around work to pick your kids up, work life integration allows for more flexibility that you can arrange your work time according to other priorities.
Here’s how you can build an effective work-life integration:
Assess how you’re spending your time
When you’re working from home, it can be easy to lose track of time or work beyond the allocated hours. If you’re getting your work done effectively while managing other aspects in your life, it shouldn’t be a problem. Not getting your work done? It is particularly important to have a closer look at how you are devoting your time towards certain tasks. Productivity should no longer be measured in hours.
Arrange your tasks according to its urgency and have a different approach in overcoming any challenging parts of it. Consider using the Eisenhower Principle to categorise your tasks before starting your work day. Planning ahead would provide you with more flexibility throughout your day which is the essential part of work-life integration.
Set physical and mental boundaries
With the majority of us relying on technology for both work and lifestyle purposes, we are constantly glaring at our screens.Technology has undeniably accelerated our way of living and working remotely, while improving communication with our colleagues. However, it can also create a blur in our lifestyles rather than work life integration if we are constantly on technology for both of those things.
Take short breaks and set boundaries with technology to prevent it from creating that blur. If you are using your laptop for work and Netflix, try creating different accounts for your work browser and a personal browser. This will help in disconnecting from work whenever you need a break and reconnecting to your personal life and vice versa.
Having a dedicated physical space to work can help to maintain a healthy work-life integration. By allocating a specific workspace, you are also creating a mental note that you should only be working when you’re seated here. With this, it allows you to manage your time and focus better.
Ignite your motivation
While it might seem new and exciting at first, integrating your work and life together can start to become mundane and feel like a chore. For an example, you are working from home and have to cook all meals for your family. It will soon become a dreaded task each day, affecting your productivity while working.
Creating small changes to change up your daily routine can help to combat that. Order food in, or have someone else be in charge of the cooking for one day. This also applies to work tasks as well. Instead of doing Zoom calls at the desk, dial in and have a walking meeting with your team. You’ll be surprised at how just an incremental shift can help boost motivation and creativity.
Shuffle your workspace
If working from the same environment is starting to get you demotivated, consider looking for a new workspace. Whether it’s working from a different area in your house, or even from a coworking space, switching up your workstation can give you the productivity boost that you need.
Even if you don’t have a new area to work in, there are other ways you can switch it up. It makes a difference with the slightest change in the location of your desk or adding a new plant.
Work-life integration doesn’t mean that you have to work more or longer hours with the same salary. It allows you to work when you’re the most productive without the traditional boundaries. When implemented well, work-life integration can lower your stress levels, boost productivity, and leave you feeling happier.
If you’re looking to build an effective work-life integration while working in a productive space, you can find out more about our coworking solutions here. Drop us a message to get a complimentary free day pass to our space!
Need a boost of motivation while working remotely? Read more: 4 Ways To Get Remote-tivated