Blurring, a growing phenomenon
The term, therefore, refers to blurring something, and, in this case, in the workplace, we’re talking about the boundary between professional and personal life. Indeed, a TNS SOFRES study showed that 50% of people interviewed believe they don’t know how to reconcile their professional and personal lives.
Obviously, it’s not a new phenomenon, nor is the word blurring even 🤷♀️! It was first named in September 2013 in an Ipsos survey. Except that this professional over-investment has been growing for some time, in particular, because of the pandemic. Indeed, quick solutions needed to be found to continue productivity and the introduction of working from home has become widespread 🤔.
Blurring the boundary between private and professional life
Remote working has made some people happy, like me, who prefer to work from home. It’s true that it allows more flexibility, comfort, and independence. Moreover, the fact that you can organize your working day as you want allows you to be more involved in your work.
⚠️ However, it doesn’t just have advantages, and many people find working from home more tiring than anything else. In particular, because it has the annoying tendency to create confusion about working hours. You start answering emails at 8.30 pm, consulting a document on a Sunday, or even pushing back your working hours more and more each day...
Communication tools encourage flexibility
Admittedly, all technology allows us to be even more connected at work. We check our inboxes and instant messaging at work without even thinking about it, as soon as we receive a notification. For some people, this can even trigger FOMO syndrome. This is the fear of missing out on something, so we’re on the lookout for the slightest message or email and enter into a constant state of watching. Disconnection becomes increasingly rare and continuous stress sets in, causing a deterioration in the quality of life at work, a drop in motivation, and physical and psychological exhaustion 😥. Clearly, blurring is the final hurdle before a burn-out.
How to avoid the trap of blurring?
You need to react quickly to avoid a burn-out. The first thing to do is to set limits, both for yourself and your work. For example, set up a day with clearly defined hours! If you notice that you’re starting to show signs of fatigue, make sure you respect this time slot and quickly turn off your computer and your work phone (or deactivate the notifications of work-related applications 📵) at the end of the day.
Furthermore, also make sure that you don’t multitask by eating breakfast while reading your emails, for example. Firstly because it’s important to eat mindfully, and secondly because it allows you to compartmentalize your life. By the way, make sure to set up a space dedicated to your work so that you can be sure you work well from home.
The right to disconnect
You shouldn’t hesitate to claim your right to disconnect from your employer. This isn’t an excuse not to work, it’s something that has been written into the Labor Code since 1 January 2017. As such, by talking to your superiors, you clarify your working time and your rest time. No more questions about working during your holidays, for example... Then, even during the working day, don’t forget to allow yourself regular periods of relaxation that enable you to take a breather, because yes, taking regular breaks helps you to be more efficient!
Finally, it’s important to listen to yourself and to monitor whether you feel like you’re having trouble concentrating or thinking. This may be the beginning of a professional depression... So it’s important to set your limits properly, so you don’t slip from blurring to burn-out 🤯!
Editor’s note: Finding your balanceIt’s absolutely necessary to find a balance and a limit between your work and personal life. Of course, we don’t all have the same life and the same relationship with work. The flexibility of working from home also means that you can work outside normal working hours, but you still need to respect a certain number of hours. And then, as soon as you feel that the rhythm doesn’t suit you or no longer suits you, adjust it! Moreover, you shouldn’t hesitate to take stock of your mental health. Why not talk to one of our therapists? 🤗 Understanding yourself, accepting yourself, being happy... It’s here and now! #BornToBeMe |
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