Once seen as a niche, remote work became the overnight norm for millions of American workers in 2020. A surprise was the realization that remote work offered many advantages and far fewer disadvantages than once thought. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic experience, many businesses expect to retain remote work in some form going forward.

As reported in Forbes, a Covid-19 study by executive search firm Randstad indicated that 78 percent of companies found that remote work was more effective than they thought it would be. Studies overall have found that productivity has remained the same or even improved as employees have worked from home. Gallup research indicates that a quarter of all U.S. workers (26%) would now ideally prefer to continue working remotely if given a choice when society fully reopens.

While many people appreciate the benefits of working from home, including more flexible schedules, no commuting, and the comfort of yoga pants, there are also drawbacks (And I’m not talking about proximity to the pantry and the “Covid 10”). The primary disadvantage comes from a disruption of work/life balance.

Studies indicate remote workers feel more taxed by their jobs now than they did when they worked in person. Buffer’s 2021 State of Remote Work report says 27% of remote workers feel they can’t unplug, an increase over previous years. Additionally, 45% feel they are working more (as opposed to 13% who feel they are working less) now that their job is remote.

The Randstad report referred to above suggests that part of this stress can be attributed to a near-universal increase in the average workday – up over 48 minutes, or 8 percent per day – in the post-lockdown period.

Because some form of remote work is likely here to stay, it is important to develop strategies for achieving and maintaining work/life balance. Here are five:

1.     Frame your workday

One strategy that helps define the start and end of the workday is to take a walk around the block or even a short drive. This routine simulates the physical and mental break that normally comes from a commute and helps to frame the workday.

2.     Set Boundaries

It is hard to create boundaries at home if the kitchen table is your workspace. Each member of the family should commit to honoring the schedules of each other, and this is easier when everyone takes part and there is reciprocity.

3.     Do something fun every day

No matter how busy you are with work, schedule time each day for something you enjoy. Even if you can’t fit in a day at the lake or a round of golf, it might be something as simple as playtime with the kids, a glass of wine with your spouse, or lunch with a friend. 

4.     Take your meetings outside

Zoom fatigue is real. Rather than sitting and staring at a video screen all day, take some meetings at the park, in the yard, or even in the driveway. For those catch-up meetings that used to occur around the water cooler, there is no need for a video call – just take the phone and do a walking meeting instead. 

5.     Delegate

If your work/life balance is anything but, something has to give. One way to do this is to delegate. The pandemic has made us all pros at using online tools such as Teams, Slack, Spike, and Google. Don’t feel that you have to do everything yourself just because you are working remotely. Use these tools to push things off your desk.

Delegating is possible on the personal side of your life, too. The goal is to reclaim that 48 minutes and free up time for what you enjoy – like time with friends and family, hobbies, and recreation.

Many of our clients have taken a step to free up personal time through the use of our family office services. For those who used to do their own family bookkeeping, off-loading tasks such as bill paying, expense tracking, budgeting, and record keeping have not only freed up time but provided peace of mind too.