Work From Home Tips: Managing Boundaries

Working remotely presents some different challenges. You may have family members, housemates or pets running around you all day, asking for attention. You may feel isolated and overwhelmed by work. Either way, you’ll want to develop some reasonable boundaries with the others in your home as well as with yourself.

Here are a few tips to help you find some balance:

1. Have a dedicated work space.

Having a specific place to work is useful. Find a space that you can turn into an office—even if it's just a corner of a living room or bedroom. Separating your work space from your normal daily home life helps tremendously. If possible, aim for a space with minimal noise and clutter.

2. Minimize distractions and disruption.

This will be challenging if other people in your household are home as well during this time, so you may want to set a schedule for the day and share it with others.

• Set your working hours. Try to set the hours that you will be working, and then manage your time. This helps your family or housemates know when you’ll be available. And don’t forget to take time off! It’s productive to take breaks.
• Set expectations. Let others know what you need during your work hours. Each day looks a little different, so you may want to let people know of the times you will be on calls each day or when you will need a quieter setting. If you have younger children, consider having a color-coded system: green sticky note means “you can come in," yellow means “you can come in, but you need to be quiet” and red means “I’m on a call—only come in if it’s an emergency.”

3. Prepare to deal with distractions when they do occur.

We all know it can be difficult to focus on your work for eight hours straight, but that’s even more of a challenge when you’re in your comfort zone. Make time for short breaks just like you would at work, but don’t let those breaks turn into binges.

4. Set expectations for yourself.

When you start work for the day, make a list of tasks you’d like to accomplish, and check them off as you go. This will help keep you productive and focused. If there’s something on the list at the end of the day that you didn’t get to, add it to tomorrow’s list. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself during this time if you don't finish everything each day.

5. Set boundaries for yourself.

It can be a challenge to switch “off” from work when you don’t leave the office—or to switch “on” your workday when you don’t leave the house. Set clear intentions about work time and home time to avoid feeling overwhelmed or being “always on.”

For More Information

The Remote Worker Resources hub from Education & Organizational Development and TSG has all the information and job aids you'll need if you are working remotely. A link to it is available from the Coronavirus hub.