Written by: Amanda Rose, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Entrepreneurs are all too familiar with the challenges of working from home; interruptions, house chores, sales calls, social media use, all blend together throughout the day all too easily.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, with the majority of workers having to adapt to working from home, and with many companies adapting at least a part-time work from home model for employees, discussing the importance or separation between your personal and work life are more crucial than ever.
The Beginning is the Hardest
In June 2013 I quit my job and stepped into life as a full-time work from home entrepreneur. I hadn't considered needing boundaries around work or home life.
The result?
I pretty much never stopped working.
This took a toll on me, but moreover, it took a toll on my husband. I was always trying to work on my business, and I was frustrated when I was interrupted. He felt he never got my full attention when we were together. Likewise, the distractions at home made me less effective at my work. Over time that wore on me because I felt like I never got a break.
I made the mistake of working on my couch in the living room of my house with the TV on in the background early on. While this was a treat after years of working outside of my house prior to becoming an entrepreneur, it completely blurred the lines between work and home life. It split my focus so I was ineffective at completing work tasks, and because the living room was a busy space, my work would disrupt my home life.
Let's nip this in the bud before it happens to you by creating a boundary around where you're working at home!
It took years before I finally got serious about the boundaries that I needed to be happier at home, that ensured my success and efficiency during work time, and self-care and joy during downtime.
Here are the 5 CRUCIAL work from home boundaries that will ensure your success and happiness:
1. Create a workspace.
Set up a workspace in your home where you'll do all of your work. If you have a spare room, turn it into a home office. If you don't have a spare room, find a spot where you can set up a desk and get a room divider to help create a physical separation from the rest of your space.
2. Set work hours & home hours.
Now that we've set up a physical boundary in your home for where work takes place, now it's time to define when it takes place, and subsequently when your home life takes priority.
If we don't set work hours, then we have a tendency to never stop working. It's OK to have different hours day-to-day to accommodate a fluctuating schedule. My suggestion if you don't have standard work hours, such as 9-to-5, is that you designate your work hours a day ahead of time and put it on your calendar or day planner.
Have an alarm go off to signal the end of your workday and then quit immediately.
Only do work tasks during work time. Don't get laundry done or dishes; keep your work and home activities separate and designated to their appropriate time slot.
3. Get everyone you live with up to speed.
Let the people you live with know that when you're in your workspace, or during your work hours, you're not to be interrupted unless it's an emergency. Similarly, don't respond to texts or calls from friends or family during work hours. Let everyone know your new boundaries.
4. Schedule breaks.
Be sure to schedule breaks into your day. It's important for your mind and body to get at least a 5-minute break every hour. This helps you to prevent burnout and reinvigorate your mind, making you more effective.
5. Be fully present.
Whether you're working or playing at home, be fully present in whatever you're doing. Quality time is key. This is the boundary about awareness; don't be thinking about work while you're with your family or vice versa. Be present, engaged, and enjoy whatever you're doing.
Amanda Rose, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amanda Rose is the founder & director of The Infinite Power of You Inc., a multi-published multi-genre author, business, wealth, & mindset coach, actor, motivational speaker, and online course creator. She is a multi-passionate entrepreneur who has been in the online space since 2013 and a sales expert for over 10 years. It's her passion to help her clients build lives of freedom and joy, and thriving businesses with multiple revenue sources, through strategies combined with mindset mastery. Amanda's mission to shift human consciousness to create soulful abundance through mindset practices.
