Working from home can boost happiness… if you do it right

You might think you’ve nailed the basics of working from home: set boundaries, keep your work and rest areas separate, and remember to switch off in the evening. Yet there is a deeper level to unlock: one that can enhance not just your job satisfaction, but your wellbeing.

The working day grows almost 50 minutes longer at home, according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Since remote working has become the norm post-Covid-19, separating our personal and professional lives is more important than ever.

The answer? Time crafting. It’s a term coined by Ashley Whillans, a professor at Harvard Business School and the author of Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life. Time crafting is all about small but impactful ways to transition between home and work.

For starters, have a commute – even if you’re not going anywhere. Instead of heading for your laptop first thing in the morning, take at least 15 minutes to get into the right headspace (without actually doing any work). This creates a clear dividing line between on-duty and off.

There are two types of breaks:

1) regular ones to clear your head for a moment;

2) breaks within work, i.e. those moments where you’d normally brainstorm ideas or make small talk with colleagues.

Make sure this second category of break doesn’t disappear from your workday.

End your working day with a ritual: something enjoyable that signifies the transition into personal time.

Whether it’s going for a walk, getting into loungewear, or preparing dinner, make sure it’s something you can look forward to that will create a buffer from work mode.

Map out your daily schedule and post it up somewhere at home.

This not only reinforces the division of time in your own mind, but lets anyone you live with know where your boundaries lie.

Change equipment. If possible, use different devices for work and personal use.

This helps keep you less distracted during work hours (and less interrupted during your downtime) while also protecting your privacy.

Get dressed for work.

Making the effort to get out of your pajamas and into something appropriate for work isn’t just professional – it helps your level of focus, too.

Bottom line: By learning to “time craft” (creating ingenious little buffers between your personal and professional life), working from home will mean less stress, more productivity, improved job satisfaction, and – most importantly – a greater sense of wellbeing.