How do I create a work-life balance after working from home?

In this blog post, you will learn how to slip back into your normal routines at the office and reconcile family life and work. 

Just a few years ago it was a rarity, but the pandemic has now made working from home part of our everyday lives. For many people, this took a lot of getting used to. The requirement to work from home has now been lifted, but this doesn’t mean doing away with remote working completely. The last two years have opened our eyes to the advantages and disadvantages of working from home: It makes it much easier to combine family and work. On the other hand, there are some employees who live alone and very much miss having contact with other people. Working on site is also important for team-building.  

 To sum up: Mixing both formats is what makes all the difference. The perfect combination of working from home and the office looks a little different for every employee. It is therefore important that employers cater to employees’ individual needs to ensure that no aspect is neglected.  

My perfect work-life balance 

«Work-life balance» is a widely used term in the world of work. But what does it actually mean, and how do you achieve the perfect work-life balance? 

«Work-life balance» is defined as a state in which one's work life and private life co-exist harmoniously. A simple definition – but unfortunately it’s not quite so simple to achieve. Here you can find a few tips on how to make the balance work better for you:  

• Clearly define your working hours and do not make yourself available after work – or make it clear that you are only available in the event of an emergency. 
• Consciously and completely switch off when on holiday in order to recharge your batteries; that also means not checking e-mails. 
• Schedule breaks when you start your day. 
• The tried-and-tested tip: Ensure you get enough water and fresh air regularly. 
• To work in an efficient and focused way, try using the Pomodoro technique. 
• Set clear boundaries with your employees and superiors. 
• If you are working from home, set up a separate office to keep your workspace physically separated from your private life. 

Keeping yourself available at all times makes it harder for you to relax. This in turn leads to exhaustion, which has long-term consequences and can sometimes even result in burnout. A good work-life balance should ensure that you aren’t working more or for longer hours, but rather more intelligently and efficiently. The work-life balance is therefore essentially about compatibility, which is an issue that profawo has been addressing for years. “For me, compatibility means living up to my expectations of myself – at work and with my family.” Sandra Gurtner-Oesch, Managing Director profawo Bern.  

Learn more about the topic “Redefining the idea of combining family and work” in the interview with Sandra Gurtner-Oesch