Blog Post

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” - Charles Darwin.

The pandemic has shaken the world upside down. From economic recession to shortage of oxygen supplies, the country has faced endless challenges since the beginning of the COVID-19 era. Despite the limitless efforts of the frontliners and the Government, Corona Virus remains a threat to our future. 

The pandemic has certainly affected different aspects of our life, be it personal or professional. And to say that it has challenged the existing norms would be an understatement. From going out for no reason to stepping out only at the time of need and from begging for a day off at work to working from home, we all have experienced changes, be it good or bad.

But, The ‘New Normal’ and ‘Work From Home’ tops them all. Now, long gone are times when working from the comfort of your home was a luxury as presently, it is emerging as the need of the hour. But who would have thought that a thing that started as a precautionary measure would bring a permanent shift in the working culture? 

Remote working has allowed employees and managers to work while complying with the safety guidelines. Along with the decrease in unnecessary travel, WFH has opened doors for flexible working hours too. The list could go on, but there is always a flip side to a coin and working from home also has its challenges. 

Difficulties Employees Face While Working From Home

With each day spent at home during the lockdown, employees find it hard to juggle work and life. Never-ending zoom meetings, presentations, and no social connectivity are a few reasons why people are unable to keep up with the work at home. Not to mention the phase where you don’t find the motivation to turn on the ‘Work Mode’.

While the above is a gist of the problems associated with WFH, let’s discuss why it seems to seep into our personal life?

Work-Life Imbalance

In normal circumstances, the 9-5 office working hours ensured that employees had a life outside of work. However, since WFH has started employees feel that they work 24/7. The reason behind this could be the ‘Work from anywhere, anytime policy. While taking advantage of it, employees tend to betray their schedule and work beyond official working hours. This lack of schedule has two consequences: Either they overwork or get no work done.

Therefore, WFH, in most cases, tends to create a work-life imbalance and leaves employees with no extra time to rejuvenate.

Deteriorating Mental Health

Mental well-being is one of the biggest concerns amid the pandemic. Since the beginning of the lockdown, most people are living away from their family & friends. Hence, the feeling of being locked down along with the work pressure has instigated negative thinking among people. Not to mention the fear of losing loved ones.

Remote working has also induced a feeling of isolation. ‘Working from office’ promoted a good working environment where employees could interact and develop a bond with each other. However, working alone makes it difficult to build meaningful relationships with fellow workers. Along with the employees’ performance, the sense of seclusion also affects their mental well-being and has led to emotional exhaustion.

Work Fatigue

Eat-Sleep-Zoom Calls. Repeat! This is how the day goes by in one’s life nowadays. The farthest one travels is from the living room to the work desk. The absence of any major physical movement and increased screen time has resulted in work fatigue. 

Multiple online meetings in a day have also come up as a reason for work fatigue. The reason behind this could be the high need of managers to monitor employees who are working remotely. Excess supervision is also causing trust issues between managers and employees. 

Numerous Distractions

Completing tasks at hand while tackling family disturbances at once is a big hurdle. People are also finding it difficult to switch their 'at home' state of mind and get back to work. These distractions are making remote working a challenge and affecting the organization's performance. 

Therefore, all of these reasons combined consume the energy and time of employees, leaving them at work all day. 

But, if there is a will there's a way. And as Martin Luther King Jr. quotes “Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.” Remember, there is always a bright light at the end of the tunnel and there await numerous opportunities for us to explore. Hybrid working models being one of them! 

So, what are a few techniques that could help you maintain the right work-life balance, and overcome WFH challenges?

Create A Consistent Working Schedule

How often do you forget to keep track of time while working? Almost every time, right? It is why you should not let flexible working hours fool you! Creating a work schedule and following it might save you from overworking. Having a schedule would allow you to manage the time and tasks at hand. Plus, it would help in increasing productivity.

Prepare A To-Do List

Keeping a track of the work responsibilities would allow you to allocate your time wisely to each task. It would ensure work efficiency and help you track your progress. Not to mention, the sense of satisfaction you’d get while striking things off the list.

Make A Routine Other Than Work

Creating a routine outside the working hours would help you keep your mental health intact. Allocate time to yourself and your family members, set boundaries, exercise regularly, and take those much-needed breaks! It would ensure your sanity and improve your work performance.

No doubt that the situation is challenging, even fearful. But, a few changes in our day-to-day lives can benefit us in the long turn and help fight the pandemic. A positive mindset and courage along the way would help you overcome challenges. Therefore, keep hustling and crashing the obstacles that come your way!

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Author  - Jahanvi Sharma

Jahanvi, a passionate writer, finds power in thoughts and believes that a story, sentence, or even a word can change someone's life for the better

Image Credit: Unsplash