In today’s online-driven world where we’re constantly connected to friends and colleagues through smartphones and social media, it can be hard to keep your home and work life separate. And with so many of us now working from home due to the Covid-19 situation, it is becoming increasingly harder to create clear divisions between our jobs and our lives. But this sort of separation is important, not just for your own mental health, but for your relationships.
In every organization, there are two types of employees: those that blend their personal lives in with their work lives (integrators) and those that set clear boundaries between both (segmenters). While it’s important to get on with everybody at work (for your sake and that of your employer), it is also important not to allow your work life to spill over into your personal life.
Segmenters vs integrators
In The Journal of Vocational Behavior, J.B. Olson-Buchanan and W. R. Boswell (2006) theorize that when employees set clear boundaries between their work life and home life, they’re less likely to experience conflict between the two fronts. They put themselves in a position to give both lives enough attention. In other words, they’re able to switch off one and concentrate on the other. For example, a segmenter dealing with personal issues at home can simply ‘switch off’ when they start work. Vice versa, if they’re experiencing pressures at work, they can ‘switch off’ once they shut down for the day. This can help to reduce work-related stress, anxiety or other symptoms of ill mental health.
Integrators, on-the-other-hand, allow their work lives to blend into their home life. They’re more likely to talk about work at the dinner table or invite colleagues over for a party. Positive work experiences are likely to influence their home experiences and vice versa. While this is a positive example, it could also work to their disadvantage. Negative emotions experienced at home can also influence their experience at work which would in-turn influence morale, engagement and in most cases productivity.
The importance of separation
There are many reasons why separating home and work life is so important.
Firstly, to maintain your mental health. A mentalhealth.org survey estimates that one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. In the workplace, your inability to create a work-life balance that works for you can lead to stress which can lead to burnout.
When left unaddressed, problems like stress, depression or anxiety can feed into bigger underlining mental health issues. The good news is many employers now recognize the importance of promoting positive mental health in the workplace and how it affects productivity and are changing their office culture to one that encourages positive mental health.
Separating your personal from your work life can also increase your work productivity. It should go without saying that your employers want employees who are hard-working and productive. Working after regular hours is proven to actually be less productive.
How do we separate work from personal life if we work from home now and keep ourselves sane?
Keep clearly defined working hours. The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. It is very easy to find yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening.....However, tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind.
Designate a workspace or home office. Find an area that is only for your work purpose. Entering your workspace will help you turn "on" at the beginning of the day and get to work. That is why it is important to not spread yourself across your home, it will make it harder to separate your work from your personal life. Try to have natural lighting for your workspace if possible. This will allow you to know when the night has come and it is time to switch off your work computer.
Build Transitions Into (in and out of) Work. Your morning commute not only gets you to work—from one physical location to another—but it also gives your brain time to prepare for work. Just because you’re not traveling doesn’t mean you shouldn’t carve out equivalent routines to help you ease into your workday. If you listen to music during your commute, you can do that at home too. Or spend some time with your loved ones or pet. You can also add in a workout routine or spend some time on a new hobby.
Communicate. Most of the time, we live with our family and kids. They have an expectation of us and how we should interact with each other at home. With the Covid-19 and norms of working from home, this line becomes very blur. Hence, it is of utmost importance to make sure you communicate and set the expectations of what you need from them during your office hours. Likewise, when you are off work, go back to being the dad and mum you used to be when you knock off from work. Don't spend your precious time away to work and they will appreciate the quality time you spend with them.
Don't forget to socialize. When the whole office suddenly starts working from home, you’re cutting off a lot of the casual social interactions you’re used to having throughout the day that help you feel less lonely and break up the monotony of work. The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase of mental health issues and depression in people. People forget they need to be around others because it’s the small talk and random fire alarms that keep your days feeling unique and prevent that hamster-wheel feeling. Combat this by talking with your coworkers throughout the day through Slack, calls, text, Zoom, or however your company communicates. If you usually ask your coworkers about their weekends, keep that up. If you’d usually comment to them about a specific topic, reach out. These little interactions go a long way.
Tags: #segregator, #integrator, #stress, #burnout, #productivity, #worklifebalance, #wfh
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