Working from home means it’s easy for your work life to bleed into your personal life. Reclaim your personal time. Life is about finding the right balance, and being a WAHM is no exception. Finding balance is a process, but one that you can start today. Here are some ways to find the perfect balance between your work and personal life.
Declare Boundaries
Chances are you will have needy clients who want to speak with you every few hours just to check in with a project's progress. You may even have clients who call in the middle of the night or during mealtimes. From the beginning, declare your professional boundaries, and stick to them. Let your clients know that you can’t be reached during dinner between 6 and 7. If you don’t work on weekends or holidays, let your clients know and encourage them to respect your boundaries. While there will be work emergencies that may bend or break those rules, it should not happen on a regular basis.
Leave Work at Work
Once you walk out of your home office, turn off your computer, or finish a project for the evening, mentally clock out. Work thoughts will naturally seep into your personal time, but it’s up to you to refocus on yourself and your family. Leave work at work. Before you know it, you’ll be back at your desk or on your computer, so you might as well enjoy the personal time you have.
Give Yourself Vacation Days
Just as if you were a full-time employee in-house, give yourself vacation days, which will be beneficial for you in a couple of ways. Taking an extended break from work can rejuvenate you physically and mentally. Think of it as a way of rewarding yourself for your hard work, which will keep you motivated knowing that you’ve earning that vacation time. You don’t have to take an extended vacation once a month, but try to schedule something once a year or two. Remember, you deserve it.
Make the Most of Your Personal Time
When you clock out for the evening, on weekends, or while you’re on vacation, make the most of that time. Allow yourself to get stuff done around the house or checked off your to-do list. If you can accomplish your personal tasks, you will be even better focused on work the next day, so you won’t worry about the things you didn’t accomplish the night before. But your personal time shouldn't be comprised of only doing laundry, paying bills, and meal planning. Take some time to enjoy a bubble bath, exercise, or window shop -- whatever you enjoy doing! Strike a happy balance between your to-do list and having time for personal hobbies and relaxation.
Balancing your personal and work life boils down to setting limits and expectations for both sides of the line. You will need to redefine those expectations a few months or years down the road, but you’ll know you need to reevaluate when your rules are no longer effective or logical based on your life or clients. That’s one of the great things about being a WAHM – the flexibility. Make use of it and be the master of both sides of your life.
