How Did The Pandemic Collapse Work And Home Boundaries?

There was a time when you would wake up in the morning, get ready, make yourself some breakfast, grab a cup of coffee, and head out to the door.

You'd commute into the office every week Monday through Friday, work your 9-5, log off your work computer, and head home afterward.

When you got home, you'd spend time resting, relaxing, cooking, cleaning, or spending time with loved ones. You truly felt like you had somewhat of a work/life balance.

But things have changed since the pandemic. You may be working remotely from your home office, working a hybrid schedule where you go into the office only two or three days a week, or you may even be back in the office full-time again. Either way, you don't seem to have the same work/life balance as you did prior to the pandemic.

You feel like you're always working, constantly checking emails, and answering phone calls before and after your normal working hours. Your work life is bleeding into your home life.

Let's learn more about how the pandemic collapsed work and home boundaries.

Working From Home

During the pandemic, many employees were given the opportunity to work from home as a way to protect themselves from COVID-19 and still get their work done. At first, this may have felt like a great plan. You loved the idea of not having to wake up super early, commute to an office, spend extra money on gas or lunches, and get home later after a long day in the office. But working from home didn't come with as many perks as you originally imagined. Before you were able to separate your work and personal life. Now, your work is in your home and home feels like work.

Hours of Work

Pre-pandemic, you used to get up early to get ready for work and commute to the office. Now, you can wake up and just walk to your office which may only be a few steps away. That being said, since you're working remotely, your schedule may have seen a shift. You may be forced to take earlier or later calls despite your 8-5 or 9-5 schedule. Before the pandemic, you may have taken lunch around the same time each day in the office. Post-pandemic, you can't remember the last time you actually took lunch. Meetings are often scheduled during your lunchtime, and you often find yourself eating at your desk while on a Zoom or Teams call.

Personal Time

You would think that being able to spend more time at home would equal more personal time. Boy were you wrong. Your work life feels like it's starting to take control over your personal life as well. You feel like you're always working. Even when you have personal appointments or choose to use some personal time or a sick day, you constantly feel the need to check your phone for missed texts, calls, or emails. Pre-pandemic you felt like you could relax and unwind with friends and family. Now, with equipment readily available to you, you feel like you can't really get away from it all.

How to Get Your Boundaries Back

No matter if you're loving being back in the office, working a hybrid schedule, or working completely remotely, no one thing including work should never consume your entire life.

Setting boundaries may seem like a hard ask, but work isn't the only thing that matters in your life. You have to set boundaries to protect not only yourself and your overall mental health and wellness but your goals, wants, needs, and relationships as well.

If you're struggling with adjusting to life post-pandemic or need a little help identifying and establishing boundaries, reach out today to set up a consultation for counseling for professionals