Photo: Sincerely Media

Working from home is the “new normal” for many professionals. There are a lot of minor tweaks and adjustments to working from your residence that, by now, have become a part of your routine. Perhaps, you have a pseudo office set-up. Maybe you have a set time for lunch or afternoon walks. 

Whatever your routine is, you have it down after the last four months. However, what might be difficult to manage, if you’re WFH, is taking time off. Working remotely means it’s easier to allow work hours to mesh into “off hours” for personal time.

Here are a few tricks to buffer out some necessary “you time” away from your laptop:

Look ahead and set a date
Maybe the month of June was extremely stressful with work. It’s time for some recharging and a day off. Pull out your planner or your iCalendar and look at the next few months. Find a few days or a week (if you can) for some time off. Email your superiors ASAP to request the time off. Two weeks notice for time off is typically a minimum expected.

Set boundaries
The time has come for your day off, but now, your work is calling and emailing you. Just as you respect your company, colleagues, and superiors, it’s important to command that same respect. Part of that means setting boundaries. This may mean turning off your phone and setting an auto-response on your email. It’s not only OK, but it’s necessary to set boundaries to protect your time off. 

Disconnect from your phone and the internet
Speaking of shutting your phone off, do that. Turning your phone off not only sets boundaries with work, but it also helps you to remember to be present during your time off. Disconnect from emails, social media, and even calls, if you can. 

Switch up your routine
This might sound silly, but with WFH, we have developed routines to be productive and stay “on.” In order to properly take a day off, you’ve got to be “off.” Maybe this means going out for coffee instead of making your normal morning brew. Maybe it means going for a hike or a long morning run. Maybe it means sleeping in. Take your day off to do the thing you don’t normally get to do. Don’t stay stuck in your routine.

Practice self-care
When it comes to recharging and caring for your mind and body, you are your biggest advocate. Light an aromatic candle. Take a long hot shower or make a bubble bath. Turn up your favorite music and pour yourself a glass of wine. Catch up on reading your favorite. Make caring for you a priority, and do the things you love most. 

xx, The FabFitFun Team