How to maintain your work-life balance as you return to the office

Why is a work-life balance important? When employees find a happy medium between the time they spend working and their leisure time, this can help alleviate stress, combat burnout, and boost productivity.

A McKinsey survey found that 41% of people were more productive working from home and 28% were just as productive, leaving a small proportion of people who find office life more motivating. While these people will be overjoyed at returning to the office, many workplaces will adopt a flexible working model where employees split their working hours between the office and their home. Employees have been calling out for a more flexible working pattern for years, but as they begin the transition back to the office – at least part-time – maintaining a work-life balance will be at the top of their agenda.

Here's how you can maintain a work-life balance as you return to the workplace:

Prioritise

Covid-19 redefined what a good work-life balance looks like; now, with a coronavirus vaccine well underway, the relationship between work and life is set to change again. Before the pandemic, 70% of employees admitted to getting distracted when working in the office. Having been away from the office for some time, more employees may find that the stimuli in the workplace will test their concentration. Prioritising your work is just one of the many time management tips for medical sales representatives.

The Eisenhower Matrix prompts you to start by making a list of your outstanding tasks and first rank them in terms of importance, then rank them by urgency. Those tasks that are both important and urgent are the ones you should tackle first.

Add exercise into your work calendar

The pandemic had a major impact on the pace of life, slowing it down so that many people found it easier to incorporate walks into their day. As teams return to the office, it will be tempting for many to go back to their old ways - working through lunch and remaining at their desk all day. Commit to a daily walk, or another form of exercise, and add it to your work calendar so no meetings get in the way and you can hold yourself accountable.

If you’re still not moving as much, why not consider a walk and talk meeting for those days that you’re back in the office? This way, you can catch up with your colleagues, collaborate with them, and get your steps in whilst you are at it.

Create boundaries

Just as it is important to take a break during the day and unplug, you need to set boundaries between your personal and work life. Establishing a clear start and end time for your workday is essential because finding a balance is all about knowing when to switch off from work.

During the days that you’re back in the workplace, you may find it easier to switch off once you leave and begin your commute home. On the days that you’re working remotely, you’ll need to think of practices you can use to signal that the workday is over. These might be:

• Review your day’s work
• Create a checklist for the next day
• Find your “third space”

Communicate with your management team

Finding the right balance between your work and life isn’t a new concept. But as workforces begin the transition back to working in the office, employers and employees need to work together to make sure everyone can achieve a healthy relationship with their work.

59% of board executives have upped their focus on health and wellbeing since the beginning of the pandemic. Leaders are becoming more understanding of the importance of emotional intelligence and willing to openly discussing workplace wellbeing.

If you’ve got deadlines that you think are unrealistic, tell your line manager. If you’re finding the transition from remote working to office life difficult, raise this. Starting a discussion with your manager will allow you to work together and find a solution.

Build your medical sales career with IQVIA

At IQVIA, we understand that a work-life balance is more important now than ever. We go the extra mile to ensure that we create a positive working environment for our employees.

Though we work with major medical device and pharmaceutical companies and have employees distributed across over 100 countries, we take the time to consider the wellbeing of every employee. Whatever area you need support in - whether it’s personal or professional development - we’ll be there. Find out more about who we are or take a look at our latest jobs.