Working From Home: How To Set Boundaries With Yourself

Working from home has become increasingly common since the Covid-19 pandemic, and while there are many benefits, some of us still struggle to truly separate work and life when it all happens within the same space. 

While working from home can help you gain more time, it can also blur the lines between business and personal. Seventy-six % of remote employees report interacting with work outside business hours weekly and 69% of remote workers report experiencing burnout because of the ambiguous split between professional and leisure time. 

“Boundaries are critical and a game-changer, especially for remote workers, for feeling less anxious, more present and protected against burnout,” said Kate Smith, career coach and founder of The Remote Nomad.

We’ve all heard it, “work smarter, not harder.” In today’s digital and remote world, that rings even more true when you work where you live. 

It can be tough to distinguish between work and life when it all physically looks the same, which is why it can help to designate a clear work space. Having a separate office is great but even if it’s only a desk or working at your dining table, setting up your work space everyday can help your mind make the difference. 

“It’s important to train your mind and body to recognize a space that’s solely for work,” said Sunny Ziemer, CEO at Distribute Consulting. “As tempting as it is to work from bed, doing so blurs the line between rest and productivity, making it harder to be fully present in either mode.”

Setting clear work hours will help you focus on work when you are working and on your plans outside of it. Cate Huston, senior director at DuckDuckGo said to ask yourself, “What time do you want to be at the computer? What time do you want to be off it by?” 

“Establish ‘in-office’ hours and treat them like you would in a traditional workplace,” Sunny said. “When your workday ends, shut down your computer, tidy your space, and mentally ‘leave’ the office.”

“I repeatedly have to learn that taking breaks makes me more effective,” Cate said. “When I notice I’m feeling unproductive I normally need to either eat or exercise.” 

Figure out what you need to implement intentional breaks. For me, breaks usually look like making tea and catching up with texts or taking a short walk to clear my head. 

Cate agrees that “finding reasons to leave the house,” is a great way to segment your day. She even admits to “scheduling lunch with friends” on days she doesn’t have back to back meetings. 

Remember you work remotely for a reason and you make your schedule. It doesn’t need to be traditional as long as it works for you. 

Whether it be with supervisors or clients, communication is key to successful and peaceful remote work.

“Understanding your role’s communication expectations is key, once those are clear, you can begin building a structure that supports both your performance and wellbeing,” Sunny said.

Communication can help alleviate anxiety and feelings of guilt by ensuring your supervisors and/or clients are aware of your availability ahead of time.

Kate said having clear boundaries and communicating them with her clients.

“That’s not to say I’m not flexible,” she said. “I get that clients are managing life, and when things come up, I’m understanding and flexible. Overly communicating expectations has been critical for me in avoiding overwhelm and keeping everyone happy.” 

This sounds harder than it is. I know I have Gmail, Slack, and many more work apps on my phone that I’m not willing to remove.

“I use my phone’s screen time settings to limit access after work hours,” Sunny said. “That little barrier is often enough to pause and ask myself, ‘Do I really need to check this right now?’” 

While the above have worked for our experts, they all encourage you to figure out what works best for you to determine what boundaries you need.