Do you feel like your work-life balance has gotten away from you throughout this pandemic? You are not the only one.

Over the last few months, I have noticed a trend amongst remote workers. The majority of us are working more than ever before. This comes with little surprise, considering we now spend far less time commuting back-and-forth to work and meetings. Not to mention, our online meetings and events have become more efficient, allowing us even more time in the workday.

For a lot of us, we are using the extra time to work. Work on projects we have been putting off, prospects we have neglected, and overall efforts to grow our businesses.

Now because of this, we are facing new problems. We are overworked and are losing control of our work-life balance—on top of the stress of social distancing!

To help combat this, I have put together a list of my top tips to help you manage your calendar during this time.

Here are my tips to regain control of your work-life balance at home:

1. Manage your calendar. Do not let your calendar manage you! I cannot express how important and powerful this tip is. Take a look at how you have been operating over the last year and see what you can do differently with your schedule to regain a sense of balance. I recommend blocking off times of the day for different tasks and activities. For example, if you work most efficiently in the mornings, you should block off your mornings for project work and avoid meetings unless absolutely necessary. For your meetings, try to find a chunk of time in your day that you will use to schedule video and phone calls. And do not forget to budget time for work breaks! I like to block off 30-60 minutes in the afternoons to go for a walk outside.
2. Make space for time away from technology. All this time around our phones and computers is mentally draining. We are human beings that need physical activity and actual conversation. Prioritize a walk around the block or a quick chat with a housemate for a boost of serotonin throughout the day. At the very least, run an errand or pick up some coffee to interact with some other human beings and step away from the screen!
3. Create a daily routine. It is believed by psychologists that routine is good for humans. We tend to be happier and more satisfied when we follow a similar schedule every day. We also tend to stick with healthy habits, like mediation and exercise, if we make space for them in our daily routine. Find a routine that works well for you and stick to it.
4. Learn when and how to say “No.” No is debatably the most powerful word in the English language. And in the world of business, it is far underused. We are afraid to come off as rude or unaccommodating when, in reality, it does us a disservice not to say no when we really should. Obviously, you need to adapt the wording depending on the situation, but the key is to start practicing saying no when you know it is the right thing to do. And let me be clear, no does not have to mean an end to a relationship or a conversation—although it can be! No can also mean choosing a different time for a meeting that works best for you and your schedule. No can mean missing an event that will prevent you from getting valuable work done on time. You define your no.

I hope you find these tips useful!

How do you manage your work-life balance from home? I want to hear from you! Let me know in the comments.