HOW TO FIND BALANCE AT HOME
April 21, 2020
With the physical distancing requirements in full effect due to COVID-19, many of us find that our homes have turned into very different locations all rolled into one. Many find ourselves working from home in some capacity. Others are operating day cares or teaching school (either to their own children or to their classes). Some are trying to do both! Still others continue to go to their work locations to continue to provide us with essential services and have to navigate being away from home. And we all find ourselves spending far more time with the people that we live with than we ever have before!
Whatever your day to day now looks like, there are many challenges that have come up that are impacting your well-being. Recently, I have had some conversations about the struggle to balance all of the pieces that have to happen at home, specifically work. The boundary before was much clearer when work was in a different location. When work is in the rec room/kitchen/dining room, it’s a lot harder to draw those lines. While these ideas are going to focus on finding a balance between home and work when the 2 co-exist in the same location, they could be applied to anything that is occurring in the home that is more than your normal home life (schooling, keeping the littles, etc.).
1) Block time to engage in activities that are not regular home life activities. For example, if you need to get some work done, choose a time frame (e.g. 9:00am to 11:00am) and stick to that time (start on time and end at the set time.
2) If possible, set the same time every day for that activity. This helps set some routine at a time when routine is at a minimum unless we impose it ourselves.
3) If you struggle to stick to times, set a timer to help you remember.
4) Set up a space that is dedicated to the activity. Make sure that you have everything you need for that activity in that space. For example, if you are doing school, have the supplies you need for those activities in that area. If you are using a spot that also serves another purpose (e.g. the dining room table), that’s ok. It’s about having one space that you go to in order to complete these tasks so your brain begins to associate those tasks occurring in that location. It will make it easier to get into the right mindset!
5) If people you live with are going to be around, see if there is a way to have some time in your dedicated space either alone or when it is quieter. I completely understand that this may be challenging, especially if you have small children who still need constant supervision or family members with needs that require ongoing support or care. How can you work together to ensure that everyone is able to get the time that they need to complete the things that they need to?
6) Prioritize some time to yourself away from the people you live with to recharge and do what you need to do feel ok! This can simply be in another room by yourself or sitting outside alone. For the extroverts among us, it may be connecting with other people via a variety of different platforms.
What are other ways that you can find some balance at home? Drop some of your ideas for creating balance at home amongst all of the different demands right now in the comments below for us to share with others!
Until next time, journey well!
L