Finding the right balance between work and leisure has always been a difficult conundrum to resolve. In the modern world, it is so easy to quickly check your emails from the comfort of home, delay that family walk, and to send one more message to a colleague.
The reality for many business owners and employees is that work has become entrenched in home life, which can be dangerous.
Set a Timetable for Work and Play
The old-fashioned workaholic would be a slave to the office, the first in the door at 7am, and the last to leave 12 hours later.
A reliable internet connection was confined to the office but that has all changed. Homes across America are connected at high speed. Examples like the Trilogy internet service have provided new opportunities for business owners and employees.
Unfortunately, when the office is a living room, being a slave to that office means there is no escape from work, and no respite to refresh the mind.
Even if you work from home, you should set a timetable and a framework for when to work and when to relax. It doesn’t have to be excessively rigid, just a simple structure that helps to produce the best results.
Zoom into a New Working Culture
Once you have established a clear timetable for working, share this with colleagues and employees, and let them know when you plan to be online and when they can be sure of a swift response.
The days of setting out all the glasses, notepads, and pens for a formal office meeting are becoming a thing of the past. Zoom calls and Teams meetings have refreshed and enriched professional life, so use this technology to effectively manage and motivate those around you.
Working in the Great Outdoors
Working from home does not always mean working from inside your home. An excellent internet connection should extend beyond the four walls. There is no harm in sitting in the garden to send emails, breathe in the beautiful fresh air, while setting up the next spreadsheet, and listen to the birds chirping as you organize holiday time for a motivated workforce.
Like never before, the importance of a contented and motivated workforce is paramount. The internet has opened so many professional doors and if your best work is done from the park bench, make that your new office.
People Power
In this new world of flexible working, the old mantra of a motivated workforce still holds sway, and it is so important for business owners to share the flexible approach.
If you feel at your best working from a park bench and listening to the early morning bird song, your top employees might achieve their greatest results while listening to heavy metal in a gloomy basement.
It doesn’t matter where people work, it is the results they produce. Be flexible, be adaptable, and the best employees will be motivated. Some may try to take advantage of the situation, but they would do that anyway. The internet also means no hiding place for those not striving to be their best.