Coaching Blog
The Coaching Group Of Switzerland

 By: Jory MacKay 
Photo by Raj Rana on Unsplash

​With the coronavirus pandemic causing millions to work from home for the first time, work from home (WFH) productivity is on everyone’s mind. But what’s more important than making sure you get enough done when you work from home is knowing when to stop. 

The lines between work and non-work were already blurred before the current situation. But they’re almost non-existent when your office is your bedroom, kitchen, living room (or even just adjacent to these spaces). 

Work from home burnout is a serious issue. And it’s only getting more serious with the uncertainty, stress, and additional home responsibilities of our current situation.  
​
It’s probably safe to say that how we handle this crisis will set the tone for how we work for years to come. So how can you make sure you leave work at work even if you never leave the house?   

By Jen Fisher, Chief Well-being Officer at Deloitte
We do a really good job protecting our things: We lock our homes. We lock our cars. We put up gates to safeguard what matters to us. But while we are great at setting physical boundaries, we’re often much worse at setting boundaries that protect our physical and emotional health. 

And yet these boundaries are crucial: They give you the time and space to take care of yourself. What’s more, upholding your boundaries sets the tone of what you allow and expect from others. 
There are certain boundaries in my life that I am very good about keeping. I habitually protect time and space for exercise and sleep — it’s a core part of who I am and how I live my life. For me, these are non-negotiable. And if I let those boundaries down, I know that over a period of time I’ll feel exhausted and I won’t show up as the person I want to be. 

Of course, there are other boundaries that I’m not good at preserving — determining and sticking to your boundaries is a work in progress for everyone. But these are some of the best ways I’ve found to get to know your boundaries, enforce them, and get others to respect them as well. 

Find your line in the sand. Not sure what your boundary is? You’ll know it when someone unknowingly says something or makes an ask of you that raises an internal flag and makes you uncomfortable. It may make you think, “That’s not who I am,” or, “That doesn’t feel right.” That feeling is a big red flag — a boundary is being pushed. The next step is up to you: Will you allow it to be pushed?

Sometimes it’s good to push boundaries — like learning to swim after being afraid of the water for most of your life, for example. It may lead to adventure, or personal or professional success. On the other hand, if you find yourself regularly negotiating away your personal guardrails, take inventory and assess how it feels. If it’s stressing you out, or pushing you to compromise in ways that feel counter to who you are, stop. 

Bend, but don’t break. 
Life doesn’t always go according to plan. When something pushes against your boundaries, consider how you can be flexible, but avoid compromising where it really counts. For example, if you usually exercise in the morning, but you work for a global organization and have early conference calls, consider another time you can carve out of your schedule without ditching your workouts altogether. 

Even with my own non-negotiable boundaries, I’ve found easy ways to flex as needed. I prefer to go to bed between 9:30 and 10 p.m., but sometimes I choose to blow that up to hang out with friends. Of course, if we constantly allow ourselves to ignore the boundaries we’ve set, it’s a problem. And letting others’ priorities consistently take precedence over our own can also take a toll. It’s important to respect our own boundaries (as much as we can) so we set the same example for others. 

Ask for what you need. 
You’re entitled to set boundaries, but getting others to respect them starts with you. If you don’t talk honestly about your priorities, people won’t know what they are. 
​
Be vocal about your boundaries in the early stages of any relationship. For example, if you know you need to leave work a little early on Tuesdays for an important appointment, clarify that need with your team at the start. Explain that it’s an important boundary in your life, and that you’d like their help in sticking to it. This is another spot where flexibility comes in: Maybe you can make yourself available early on Tuesday mornings to ensure that your team has access to you when they need it.
 
Suggest solutions. 
Not long ago, I was asked to speak at a very cool event. I really wanted to do it, but it was on a Friday morning during a week I was already traveling to three other cities. To get there on time, I’d need to land well after midnight the night before, then be on stage at 8:30 the next morning. So I was honest with the person who invited me. I said, “Can I make it work? Yes. But will I show up at my best? No. Can I help you find another speaker instead?” I was willing to do anything else I could to help, so that I didn’t overrun my boundaries and give the audience anything less than my best.

You can apply this idea to the workplace, too. If someone asks you to help on a project, or do something that pushes against your boundary, weigh the benefits. If the people or the project or the mission is important, then have a real conversation with the person. Maybe you can contribute in a different way, or at a different time, than what was asked — or just by opening up a conversation, you may be able to work with them to adjust the request so it’s doable for you.

Of course, if you’re working in an environment where you feel threatened or afraid to uphold your non-negotiable boundaries, think about whether this is the right workplace for you. If your boundaries are being frequently overrun, it will affect your mental and physical well-being.  

Share your goals. 
It’s important to talk about your boundaries and your well-being goals. Sharing those with others — in your personal and professional life — lets them know what matters to you as a person. And as a leader, being open and authentic creates a culture that gives others permission to do the same. It makes everyone feel that what matters to each of you matters to everyone else, even when your priority might be your kids, and another person’s might be their knitting group. With this mutual respect in place, people will show up to work and not feel resentment toward someone with different boundaries and priorities.  Of course, some boundaries are private — and in that case, there is no pressure to share it so openly. But it’s good to remember that wanting to support someone else is human nature. If you know a person and like working with them and want them to be happy, you want to let them get home to marathon train, to have dinner with their kids, or to make it to book club. And then in turn, they support you. Speaking up about your boundaries and priorities empowers others on your team to set and stick with their own boundaries, better manage their well-being, and take control of their lives.

Set alarms to stand up and stretch
“I find it helpful to build exercise into your routine. I have an Apple Watch that tells me when I have been sitting too long without a break. I make it a point to use those alarms to take short breaks where I tend to stretch and exercise.”
—Phil La Duke, business consultant and author, Detroit, MI

Join an online yoga class
“The yoga studios I go to for classes are all closed, so I have shifted to online classes. One site with pre-recorded free yoga classes that I’ve been loving is Down Under Yoga. I plan to do the classes out on the deck when we have a warm day!”
—Cindy J., executive search and HR consultant, Boston, MA

Have a solo dance party
“I’m starting each morning with a solo dance party to begin my day on a positive note and to get the stress-relieving endorphins flowing. It only takes five minutes and it really elevates my mood, and makes me laugh. I’ve been especially loving Lady Gaga’s new song, and pretending that I’m dancing at her concert.”
—Lisa Abramson, executive coach, Menlo Park, CA

Use household items as weights 
“As someone who is used to going to the gym every morning, I’ve now had to improvise. I still wake up early to move my body, and these past couple of days I’ve gotten creative by using a sack of potatoes as weights. I try to wake up and move every single day before work.”
—Katie, PR manager, Seville, Spain

Put on workout clothes when you wake up
“I typically find that if I say I’m going to work out everyday, and then I skip two days, my most likely response is to quit altogether. So instead, I start with something small. For example, for the next four days, I am committing to putting my workout clothes on in the morning. That’s the only requirement. If I do more, that’s great! The end result is that I usually end up actually working out. But starting small works great for those of us who tend to have that all-or-nothing mindset.”
—Becky Morrison, executive coach, Ashburn, VA

Start the day with a plank hold
“I love to start the day with a little fitness challenge by holding a plank. It works out so many areas of the body, and it also benefits your mental health. I suggest starting with a 30-second plank, and then moving your way up to 45 seconds, and then a minute. I do this three times a day!”
—Camilla Thompson, well-being coach, Sydney, Australia 

Try the seven-minute workout app
“I always plan at least one break in the morning and in the afternoon to get active, and I use apps like the 7-Minute Workout to get moving and relax. It has helped me move during the day and focus better when I return to my computer.”
—Isabelle Bart, marketing director, Irvine, CA

Use an at-home spin bike
“I keep a routine of indoor-cycling, as I have had a spin bike in my living room for the last few years. A lot of my day time is spent on my laptop with virtual meetings and calls. I try to carve out one hour in the morning when I can do a digital spin class before I start my work. It keeps me grounded, moves my muscles, and relaxes my mind.”
—Camillo Pandolfi, consumer insights director, London, UK

Walk around during meetings
“If I’m on a call that doesn’t require me to use my laptop or webcam, I stand and walk around while I take the call. Similar to walking meetings at the office, taking calls while standing or walking around my home force to take a much-needed screen break. It’s a great way to sneak some additional stretches in throughout the day too!”
—Alyssa Swantkoski, executive assistant, Denver, CO
 
MICROSTEP
Make sure you move throughout the day.
For example, walk around your home (or even around the room) while speaking on the phone.

Wear your sneakers 
“I work from home and I have a pair of clean running shoes that I’ll wear each day around the house. For some reason, I’m more likely to go up and down the stairs, and get up to get water more frequently when I have them on.”
—Amanda Holdsworth, PR director, Detroit, MI

Use a bicycle desk
“Years ago, I bought a bike desk. It helps keep me active throughout a day of meetings. It’s the best $200 I ever spent!”
—Amanda DeVlugt, learning professional, Memphis, TN

Take your calls standing up
“I find it helpful, instead of working sitting down in a chair all day, to try to take my calls standing up and waking around the house. I also stretch at least three times a day. It helps generate serotonin and improves my day.”
—Giancarlo Molero, happiness innovator, Miami, FL

Carve out 15-minute trampoline breaks
“I have a small rebounder trampoline at home, which helps me stay active during the day. I put some fun music on and bounce for fifteen minutes. It helps with lymphatic detoxing, builds muscle, and makes you feel awesome.”
—Camilla Thompson, well-being coach, Sydney, Australia 

Try a workout video with your kids
“My daughter, husband, and I work out with weights in the garage and record our time as we compete on the same exercise each week. We also do silly and fun online workout videos, including Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda classics together. Our 13-year-old daughter was mystified when she discovered leg warmers!”
—Eve Mayer, author and consultant, Carrollton, TX

Do a quick jump rope workout
“I work from home a lot, so this is familiar territory for me. One tip I love when it comes to staying active while maintaining social distancing is getting a skipping rope, and doing bursts of skips, either 20 at a time, 50, or 100. Then, do some lunges to recover, and stretch. Repeat three times, and you’ve got yourself a great at-home workout!”
—Pollyanna Lenkic, executive coach, Melbourne, Australia
​