Modern technology and increasingly efficient modes of communication is blurring the line between a well compartmentalised professional and personal life. As we are able to stay in touch at any given hour, the traditional work day is no longer over when you leave the office – in fact, it is never over.
In particular, the lines are blurred further this month because of Ramadan and the new work hours that we have not yet gotten used to. No matter how small an issue, one can expect to hear from work during personal time asking for “just five minutes of your time.”
This gives rise to a number of problems, most notably the constant interference with our personal and family life. Even answering frequent work-related calls and having to check work email should count as overtime. But it has simply become an expected and unspecified part of our job description these days.
Ideally we should not have to choose between work or personal life; it becomes a Cornelian dilemma (having to choose between two courses of action, either of which will have a detrimental effect on us and our surroundings).
If we do not do the task, we will fall behind at work and have to see our colleagues move ahead of us. If we do it, and keep doing it, we will not only lose touch with family and friends but we are going to eventually become grumpy, depressed, and lack energy and enthusiasm for work.
Our psychological recovery time from work stress is now being taken up by a worse kind of work stress–having to bring work home. The more stress we are dealing with, the harder we have to try to psychologically detach ourselves from work. In the long-term, the ability to separate work and home and a clean psychological bill of health may be the key to success. Unfortunately, we hardly have that luxury.
While the best way to go about it is simply to not bring work home, most of us live in the real world. We have to finish our reports over the weekend, and attend meetings in the evening. If you must bring work home, follow some of these basic suggestions to keep your life compartmentalised even at home and not muddle up all the different roles that are yours.
Maintain boundaries
You have given in and decided to be the perfect team player and bring extra work home, but set clear boundaries. For example, after 10pm, you simply will not check your work email. Ask colleagues that if they need you after this time and it is an emergency, to text and describe the nature of the emergency because you are simply not going to answer calls during personal or family time.
Make time for family
Always set yourself family time. It may sound a little silly to set strict routines with family, since it is just family. But if you reserve a certain time of the day for your family and remain steadfast about it, it will be easier for you during this time to completely separate work stress and fully focus on your family.
For example, this month it may be best to spend time with your family after coming home, and only attending to your work after an early dinner. Similarly, if it is the weekend, it might be best to work in the morning while the rest of the family is still sleeping in.
Keep a home office
You don't need to be Gordon Gekko to have a home office. Having a home office may not be possible for everyone due to space constraints, but it can be something as simple as a work desk, as long as it is something you do not share with the family for other tasks. There is nothing like creating a home office to make it easier for you to switch between your roles as a professional and a loving family person.
This desk, or space, is just for work. When you are home and you need to work, you only work here and not from your bed or dining table. That way, simple acts of getting on or off a chair shifts roles between diligent worker and loving family member in your head.
