How to strike work-life balance in the ‘New Normal’

With offices moving to homes in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, work-life balance is witnessing unprecedented shifts in personal and professional lives in all sectors of society. These shifts are taking impacting the health and lifestyle of employees across various professions. Furthermore, digital technology is helping people to stay connected for business or work-related meetings at any time of the day in the era of social distancing. However, digital connectivity has increased the number of work hours that remote employees are putting in to ensure continuous organizational productivity which in turn is resulting in soaring stress and pressure. While increased productivity will be advantageous to the businesses, it is adversely impacting employees’ personal lives.

Here are some tips through which remote workers can give higher productivity while ensuring their personal well-being amid COVID-19 stress:

Maintain balance between professional and personal life

Employees must understand to differentiate between professional and personal life and how it affects productivity. Don’t let workplace stress affect your personal life. Take the rest of your day off as soon as you achieved your target for the day. It is on the individual to set viable boundaries between work and life to attain the desired goals. Studies have shown that employees who take breaks and engage in creative activities provide an increased number of productive ideas as compared to those who are absent-minded in their office. While travel has been suspended, it is important for employees to take digital detox weekends and enjoy some time with family and friends.

Focus on physical health

Along with mental health, importance should also be put on physical health because the body and mind go hand in hand. Exercise, practice yoga, go for a walk – indulging the body in physical activities will help in reducing tension, stabilizing mood, and improving the sleep cycle. At the same time, a healthy diet will provide support to the physical activities in alleviating stress. Smiling and laughter will also help in the process by increasing endorphin levels which will relieve pain and enhance the immunity system. Laughter also benefits people in reducing emotional stress. Make sure to get enough sleep.

Reimagine your new normal

With work-life balance shifting in the new normal in the post-pandemic world, you need to revisit your schedule according to the changing time. From preparing a schedule feasible for work-from-home life to prioritizing yourself, your family, and friends during your “off-hours”, restructuring your previous lifestyle will help in achieving a healthy work-life balance in the new normal. Start with your basics and try to keep it simple to avoid clutter.

Amid the chaotic life between office clients, staff members, colleagues, family, and friends, don’t forget to lose yourself. Prioritize your mental and physical well-being. When work, combined with worries and pressures, gets overwhelming, then realize it is time to take a small step back and focus on yourself. With the right amount of effort and compassion, achieving a positive work-life balance in the new normal is an easy task.