How to Find the Right Work Life Balance as a Remote Worker

Working from home offers plenty of perks, but achieving a healthy work life balance can be a real challenge for many remote workers. It’s not always easy to separate personal time from work time. Especially when your office is just steps away from your living room. Some people find this balance naturally, while others struggle to draw the line between professional responsibilities and personal downtime.

The good news? You’re not alone, and there’s no need to worry.

Understanding work life balance and finding a routine that works for you is an important step. With the right strategies, you can not only create a sustainable balance but also explore how work life integration fits into the bigger picture. When you focus on both, you’ll feel less stressed and more productive. And as a result, you’ll set yourself up for long-term success and well-being as a remote worker.

What is Work Life Balance?

Work life balance is all about managing your time and energy so that work doesn’t overwhelm your personal life and vice versa. It means having clear boundaries between your job and your home life. That way, you can focus on each without feeling burned out or pulled in too many directions. When you achieve a good work life balance, you can be productive at work while still having enough time to relax, enjoy hobbies, and spend quality time with loved ones. Ultimately, it’s about creating a lifestyle where you feel fulfilled and satisfied in both your career and personal life.

Examples of Work Life Balance

Work life balance can look different depending on your life stage and personal circumstances. Here are a few examples to show what it might mean for different remote workers:

For young professionals: Sticking to a set schedule that ends at a reasonable hour to leave time for exercise, socializing, or pursuing personal goals. This could mean logging off promptly at 5 p.m. and setting aside evenings for the gym, networking events, online courses, or catching up with friends.
For working parents: Blocking out time for school pickups, meal prep, or attending your kids’ activities while still managing to meet deadlines and participate in team meetings. For example, you might choose to start the workday earlier in order to take a long lunch break and enjoy quality family time before resuming work later in the afternoon.
For mid-career professionals: Prioritizing self-care by incorporating short breaks throughout the day to reduce stress and prevent burnout. This could include scheduling time for a quick walk outside, practicing mindfulness, or reading a book to recharge between tasks.
For experienced workers approaching retirement: Adjusting to a flexible part-time schedule that allows for more personal time, travel, or volunteer opportunities. You might choose to work mornings only, leaving afternoons free for hobbies or planning trips you’ve been looking forward to for years.

The importance of shutting down for the day is integral to balance for most people. But small tasks such as taking an evening call while dinner cooks is a fair balance. In addition, you may have to adjust accordingly based on family or professional needs. The key is to know when to turn off the computer and turn your attention to self-care or family time. Finding your ideal work life balance means choosing what works best for you at your current stage. And also knowing that it’s okay if that changes over time.

7 Tips for Improving Your Work Life Balance

Remember that work life balance is a dynamic, evolving idea. In addition, methods that work for someone else may not be ideal for you. Finding the right work life balance takes time and effort, but it’s possible with the right approach. Here are some practical tips to help you maintain balance and feel more at ease in your remote work routine:

1. Set Clear Boundaries Between Work and Personal Time

Create a designated workspace, even if it’s just a corner of your home, to signal the start and end of your workday.
Use physical reminders like shutting down your laptop or switching off your office light at the end of the day.
Let family and friends know your work hours so they can support your boundaries and avoid distractions.
It’s also helpful to establish a routine that mirrors a traditional commute, like taking a short walk before you start work or closing your office door when you’re done for the day.

These small habits create a mental barrier between work and home life, making it easier to fully disconnect and recharge when you’re off the clock.

2. Prioritize Tasks with a Daily Schedule

Start each day by creating a to-do list and identifying your top priorities.
Use tools like a digital calendar or task management apps to block out time for each task.
Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day, and don’t hesitate to move lower-priority tasks to the next day if needed. This way, you’ll avoid feeling overwhelmed and stay focused on what truly matters.
Try grouping similar tasks together, like handling all your emails in one session, to maximize efficiency and minimize the time spent switching between different types of work.
And don’t forget to include personal tasks in your schedule — whether it’s a 30-minute exercise break or a few minutes to call a loved one. This holistic approach will ensure your day feels balanced and well-rounded.

3. Take Regular Breaks to Recharge

It’s easy to keep working without breaks when you’re at home. But taking short breaks is essential for productivity and your well-being.

Schedule a 5-10 minute break every hour to stretch, take a quick walk, or grab a snack.
For longer breaks, consider stepping outside for fresh air or doing a brief workout to clear your mind and re-energize.
Use techniques like the Pomodoro method, where you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break, to create a rhythm that helps maintain focus while preventing burnout.

These small pauses throughout the day are highly beneficial for your physical health. But they also improve mental clarity and help you return to work with a fresh perspective.

4. Create a Shutdown Routine

Develop a routine that helps you mentally transition from work to personal time. This could involve reviewing your tasks for the next day, tidying up your workspace, or engaging in a relaxing activity like listening to music or meditating. Having a consistent end-of-day ritual signals to your brain that the workday is over, making it easier to unwind. You can also set a specific alarm or reminder on your phone to prompt you when it’s time to start your shutdown routine. Do something symbolic — like closing your laptop and placing it in a drawer or lighting a scented candle. This can reinforce the boundary between work and home life, helping you fully embrace your personal time and reduce lingering stress from the day.

5. Communicate Your Availability

Set clear expectations with your team or clients about your availability.
Use shared calendars to indicate your working hours and let colleagues know when you won’t be reachable. Communicating openly about your schedule not only respects your time but also encourages others to do the same, creating a culture of work life balance.
Be proactive about letting people know if you have personal commitments during the day, such as a doctor’s appointment or school event, so they know when you’ll be back online. You can even include an automatic response in your messaging app or email, indicating when you’re away and when you’ll be available again. This transparency helps avoid misunderstandings and keeps everyone aligned, reducing stress and promoting healthier work habits.

6. Incorporate Movement and Physical Activity

Sitting for long periods can lead to physical strain and decreased energy levels. Make movement part of your daily routine by incorporating activities like yoga, stretching, or desk exercises.

Even short bursts of activity — like a quick set of squats or a few minutes of stretching — can make a big difference.
Try using a fitness tracker or setting hourly reminders to get up and move around.
If possible, take calls while standing or walking, and consider scheduling a daily 15-minute walk outside to boost your mood and energy.
For those with more flexibility in their day, integrating a morning or afternoon workout routine can be a great way to break up long stretches of sitting and keep your mind and body engaged.

Regular movement helps reduce muscle tension, improve focus, and prevent burnout, making it an essential part of a healthy work life balance.

7. Know When to Say “No”

Taking on too much can quickly tip the scales of work life balance. Be mindful of your limits and don’t be afraid to say “no” when your workload becomes overwhelming. Politely declining additional projects or rescheduling non-urgent meetings helps you protect your time and maintain your mental well-being. Remember, saying “no” doesn’t mean you’re not a team player. It shows you value quality work over quantity and want to avoid burnout. If saying no directly feels challenging, try offering alternative solutions, like extending deadlines or suggesting someone else who may have availability. Learning to prioritize your own needs ensures you’re performing at your best without compromising your personal time.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll be better equipped to manage your remote work life, avoid burnout, and enjoy more personal time. Adjust these tips as needed to fit your lifestyle. You can create a routine that supports your version of work life balance! But what if the traditional idea of balancing work and personal life doesn’t quite fit your needs, or doesn’t seem realistic? That’s where work life integration comes in — offering a more flexible approach to blending your professional and personal responsibilities.

Understanding Work Life Integration: A New Approach to Balance

Work life integration is a more fluid way to think about managing work and personal life. Instead of creating strict boundaries between the two, it’s about blending them together in a way that feels natural. This approach acknowledges that, especially for remote workers, there will be times when work and life overlap. For example, you might need to step away from your desk to handle a personal task during the workday. Or you might choose to complete a work project in the evening because you prefer to take a longer break in the afternoon.

A non-linear day is one way to practice work life integration. This means breaking your day into chunks of time that aren’t bound by a traditional 9-to-5 schedule. Here’s how it could work:

Morning with the Kids, Afternoon Deep Work Session: Start your day by spending time with your children or running errands. Then, tackle your most important work projects in the afternoon when you can focus uninterrupted. This allows you to prioritize family time without sacrificing productivity.
Early Morning Productivity, Midday Break: Begin work early in the morning while your home is quiet, and take an extended break in the middle of the day for a workout or lunch with a friend. You can resume work later in the day, recharged and ready to take on the next task.
Splitting Work and Personal Time Evenly: Schedule work tasks and personal activities in alternating time blocks. For example, you might spend an hour on a work project, then take 30 minutes to read a book, handle household chores, or practice a hobby. This way, you’re constantly balancing both sides of your life throughout the day.

However, your ability to embrace work life integration will largely depend on how flexible your employer is and whether their company culture supports this approach. Forward-thinking companies that focus on results-only work environments (ROWE) rather than set working hours are more likely to encourage work life integration. In these environments, the emphasis is on the results you produce rather than when or where you complete it. If your employer embraces this mindset, you’ll have more freedom to design a non-linear day that blends personal and professional priorities in a way that best suits your lifestyle.

More Examples of Work Life Integration

Imagine starting your morning by dropping off the kids at school, then diving into your first work tasks with a fresh cup of coffee. By mid-morning, you might pause to schedule a dentist appointment or run a quick errand before jumping into a client meeting. Later, after wrapping up a few tasks, you take a break to pick up the kids from school, giving you precious time together before finishing up emails in the early evening.

Or perhaps your day includes a midday yoga class or a lunch date with a friend. These everyday moments help create a more seamless work-life rhythm, making it easier to balance personal responsibilities with professional goals. Other examples may include:

Starting the workday when it works best for your body clock or family schedule
Responding to emails in a waiting room or lobby
Performing light yoga while watching a training video
Feeding the dog while discussing plans with a manager
Taking annual workcations (working regular hours while traveling) — although, of course we also recommend you take real vacations!

Yet even with work life integration, balance is vital. The difference is that you don’t have to apply equal weight to every aspect of your day. Plus, you can adapt your workday to fit goals, activities, or other events in your family or social life. In short, work life integration promotes the utmost flexibility, affording opportunities to implement the ideas of autonomy and free rein as allowed by your employer.

Finding the Right Balance That Works for You

Achieving work life balance is a personal journey that looks different for everyone. Whether you prefer the structure of traditional work hours or the flexibility of work life integration, the key is to find a routine that helps you feel productive, fulfilled, and at ease. Remember that it’s okay to experiment with different strategies until you find what works best. The ultimate goal is to create a healthy relationship between your professional and personal life — one that reduces stress, prevents burnout, and allows you to fully enjoy both.

As a remote worker, you have the opportunity to shape your days in a way that supports your unique lifestyle and priorities. Embrace this freedom as much as your employer’s guidelines allow, stay mindful of your needs, and give yourself permission to adjust as life evolves. By prioritizing your well-being and staying open to new approaches, you can craft a version of work life balance that empowers you to thrive.

Discover Remote Jobs That Support Your Ideal Work Life Balance

Ready to take control of your work life balance? Join Virtual Vocations today to access 15,000+ fully remote job listings that fit your lifestyle. Whether you’re seeking a position with set hours or looking for a more flexible, results-driven role, we can help you find the perfect opportunity. Become a member now and start your journey to a remote career that supports your ideal balance between work and life!

How important is work life balance in your job search? What would you do with your newfound flexibility? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts and tips. We’d love to hear from you!

Original October 2020 article written by Eric Schad.