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Updated March 23, 2023You’re reading an excerpt of The Holloway Guide to Remote Work, a book by Katie Wilde, Juan Pablo Buriticá, and over 50 other contributors. It is the most comprehensive resource on building, managing, and adapting to working with distributed teams. Purchase the book to support the author and the ad-free Holloway reading experience. You get instant digital access, 800 links and references, a library of tools for remote-friendly work, commentary and future updates, and a high-quality PDF download.
Finding work-life balance isn’t about prioritizing your mental wellbeing at the expense of your work. It’s acknowledging that, in the long-term, all areas of your life are better off when you put your mental health first.Amir Salihefendic, founder and CEO, Doist*
importantThis section contains information for remote workers to help them focus on their mental health. But it’s important to note that mental health is not solely the responsibility of individual employees. Burnout in particular is a systemic problem that more often stems from organizational priorities and dynamics, and only somewhat relates to individual overwork. We cover this in depth in Morale, Mental Health, and Burnout in Remote Teams, notably in regard to what managers and leadership can do to ensure the mental health of their remote teams. It’s critical that remote employees are not left isolated and expected to monitor and manage their mental health on their own.
When it comes to what remote workers can control, unplugging after work and managing feelings of loneliness and isolation are two key things that individuals can focus on.*
[The transition from home to work] is more difficult where the borders between home and work are intentionally blurred, as is the case for remote workers. The effect is that work pressures spill over into non-work life as reflected in the inability to ‘switch off,’ and [in] the difficulties encountered in unwinding at the end of the work day.Alan Felstead and Golo Henseke, New Technology, Work and Employment*
caution It’s easy for a remote worker’s home and work life to bleed into each other. This makes it difficult to switch off, can increase anxiety, and may be a potential contributor to burnout.
There are several practical steps for helping you to get good boundaries in place (a number of which we covered in the productivity and time management sections as well):
Having a defined work routine. You will need to be proactive about not working outside those hours.
Managing expectations around your availability. This is important both at home—to reduce distractions—and for your team, so you have established norms for when you’ll be available for meetings or collaboration, and when you need uninterrupted time to focus.
Managing device interruptions. Set the “do not disturb” mode on your mobile devices to prevent you from being bothered by notifications outside working hours. It helps even more if you have a separate phone for work, and keep all work-related apps off your personal phone.
Clear goals and expectations for your role. If you don’t have these, or they aren’t clear, you’ll want to set time to discuss with your manager. A lack of clear goals and outcomes is a strong contributor to overworking or working on the wrong things, both of which can lead to exhaustion, frustration, and a lack of motivation.
Connection outside work. You can build connections by planning activities with your family and friends, and being vigilant about not being tempted to “just check” your work tasks or communications.
Staying focused and productive. The more you set yourself up to get everything done each day, the less you’ll feel guilty about closing down the work computer at the end of the day.
Taking regular breaks. An office provides lots of built-in reasons to get away from your desk and computer, so you need to plan and stick to options that work for you to be able to clear mental space away from your work.
Taking time off. Remote workers tend to take less time off than their in-office colleagues. Whatever your company’s vacation policy is, it’s a good idea to make the most of it. The more remote employees model this behavior, the more it will be an established norm that taking vacation helps make you a better remote worker.
story “I find that it’s helpful to have a ritual of some kind that signals to your brain that it’s time to shift into or out of “work mode.” When I used to work in an office, this was a lengthy process of getting dressed in business casual clothing, commuting to the office, checking voicemails and turning on my computer. (Then the reverse in the evening.) Now that I work from home, it’s much more casual, but I drop my kids off at school, go for a brainstorming walk, update my to-do list for the day, then sign into Slack to get my mind focused. In the evening, I “clock out” with a similar routine—I create a to-do list for the next day, report on my accomplishments and say goodbye to teammates on Slack, then leave my workspace at a certain time and immediately start a personal activity (like cooking dinner, running an errand, or going to the gym). It might sound too rigid for some people, but after years and years of falling into the remote work trap of overworking, this is what helps me personally stay accountable and balanced.” —Laurel Farrer, CEO, Distribute Consulting*
Loneliness can be a persistent problem when you’re working from home. A lack of interaction with others, limited social contact, and just you in front of your desk can drive feelings of isolation. Fortunately, you can take steps to connect and feel a part of something bigger:
Reflect. Not everyone spends time thinking about how they prefer to communicate, if they have more energy at certain times of the day, and whether interacting with other people recharges or drains them. Introspecting about yourself this way helps you think about how to structure your day, when and how you should reach out and get some personal communication and connection, and whether you should mix things up and not stick to the exact same routine day after day.
Move. If you work from home, it will help to get out of your office at least once a week. You could try working from a communal space or a coffee shop, or even go into your company’s office(s) if that’s a possibility. Many remote workers factor in daily walks, dog outings, gym sessions, or other forms of physical activity, which research shows is a key part of maintaining good mental health.
Talk with your team. It’s easy to start feeling like a lone wolf, so it’s important to talk to your peers and team members—especially other remote workers—about how they deal with feelings of isolation. Many companies create virtual (or real life) groups where you can check in and chat. And we advise people not to hesitate to use interactive, synchronous communications, like video conferencing or phone calls, rather than less personal tools like Slack or email. Building social time and chatting into your day will help you feel a part of something bigger.
Connect outside work. It’s wise to plan time to spend with friends and family during a lunch break or when the work day is over. Social activities are an important type of self-care that is even more important for remote workers. You can develop creative outlets and hobbies to enjoy outside work, especially if they have a social element. This can include checking Meetup and similar sites to see if there are groups with your interests meeting in your area; perhaps there’s even a group of remote workers where you live.
Because loneliness and isolation are issues for remote workers, we talked to some experts about practical advice for dealing with them.
“What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work” (Doist)
“15 Problems with Remote Work” (Luke Thomas)
“Science Says You Have to Stop Taking Breaks Wrong to Be More Productive” (We Work Remotely)
“9 Tips to Disconnect and Recharge for Remote Workers” (Remotive)
“10 Tips to Avoid Loneliness When Working From Home or Working Remotely” (Owl Labs)
“A Guide to Conquering Remote Work Loneliness from Remote Workers Around the World” (Buffer)
“36 of the Best Slack Communities for Remote Workers” (Owl Labs)
“Five Super Sites for Remote Workers and Digital Nomads” (Make Use Of)
“Communities, Forums, and Chat Groups for Remote Workers” (No Desk)
“Forums and Communities for Digital Nomads & Remote Workers” (The Final Monsoon)
Now you should have a clear idea of what your remote working will consist of, together with advice and techniques to maximize your chances of success. Remember, too, that nothing about your approach to remote work is set in stone. Each person has different ways of working, and tweaking these approaches to your unique needs will be an ongoing process.