How do you create a work-life balance when you work and live under one roof?
By merging our working and living spaces, the remote work environment has made it more difficult to separate our work from the rest of our lives. Unfortunately, having a designated home office space isn't enough. This Forbes article by Julia Wuench outlines simple things you can do to find that elusive work-life balance when you work at home.
What does practical self-care look like when I’m working from home?
Practical self-care is less about doing what you think you “should” do and more about doing what actually helps you fully unwind.
It doesn’t have to be yoga, meditation or a face mask. Ask yourself: “What helps me completely switch off from work?” For you, that might be:
- Cooking a favorite meal
- Watching reality TV
- Napping
- Reading a romance novel
- Playing video games
Any of these can be healthy if you’re still meeting your work and personal obligations. A good self-care activity should:
- Help you recharge
- Let your brain turn off “work mode”
- Leave you feeling more relaxed or lighter afterward
Instead of judging your choices (for example, “this show has no intellectual value”), reframe them: if an activity genuinely helps you unwind, laugh, and step away from work mentally, it’s doing its job. Self-care is personal, and it will look different for everyone.
Why should I still take PTO if I’m already working from home?
Working from home and taking actual PTO are not the same thing.
When you’re working from home, you’re still mentally “on”: checking email, joining video calls, and responding to messages. PTO, even if it’s a simple staycation, gives you without guilt.
Why it still matters:
- Clear boundary: Official PTO signals to you and your team that you’re not available.
- Mental reset: Stepping away helps reduce burnout and gives you fresh perspective when you return.
- Recovery time: In a year where work and home blur together, intentional downtime becomes more important, not less.
Consider putting your next vacation on the calendar, even if you’re not traveling. Use that time to rest, focus on personal projects, or simply do nothing. The key is that you’re not working, so your brain can reset.
How can I create real boundaries between work and home when they’re in the same place?
When work and home share the same space, you need to be intentional about boundaries. A few practical tactics can help you reimagine how your day is structured:
1. Physically put work away
At a set time each weekday (for example, 6:30 p.m.):
- Put your laptop in a drawer, closet, or somewhere slightly inconvenient.
- Silence or store your work phone out of reach.
This added “friction” makes it less likely you’ll jump back on to answer “just one email” that turns into an extra hour or two.
2. Use mini-mindfulness during stressful moments
Mindfulness doesn’t have to be a 30-minute session. Try 2-minute “mini” practices during your day—on Zoom, before a big presentation, or while writing a tough email:
- Pick one sense, like hearing: notice the furthest sound you can hear, then the closest.
- Pick another sense, like sight: find something in the room you’ve never noticed before.
Two minutes of focused attention on your senses can lower your heart rate and improve your focus.
3. Keep a cloud-based to-do list
Instead of paper notes, use an app that syncs across devices (for example, OneNote or the Notes app on your phone). This helps you:
- Capture tasks the moment they pop into your head—without acting on them immediately.
- Stay present in your off-hours, knowing the task is safely recorded for tomorrow.
These small changes—physical separation of devices, short mindfulness breaks, and a synced to-do list—can collectively reshape how you experience work-life balance at home.
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