Working remotely can contribute to a more positive work-life balance as you regain commuting time, but it can also have its drawbacks. In high pressure fields like law, working from home can increase stress as it’s harder to switch off, wind down, and say no.
Here are some of our strategies for reducing stress when you’re working remotely.
Time blocking is becoming an increasingly popular productivity tool, and it’s a simple one to implement. It’s a good fit for remote working, as you can plan deep-focus periods free of interruptions to complete specific tasks.
At the beginning of your day, simply allocate “blocks” of time in your calendar for each task you need to get done. Make sure that you block out time for your priorities first, then less important tasks can be fitted in to the remaining time. By setting aside specific time to complete your tasks, you allow yourself to focus completely on the work that's most important. It will also minimise disruptions if you have remote colleagues who can see your calendar status—they’ll be able to see what you’re working on and prioritise their communications accordingly.
Focusing on one task at a time has been shown to increase productivity and reduces stress. When you’re trying to juggle several tasks, the rapid changes in your attention can make you less productive, so you are more likely to feel busy and stressed. Time blocking allows you to get more done in the same amount of time, and the deep focus reduces feelings of overwhelm.
Make sure you don’t forget to allocate blocks for smaller administrative tasks, like checking emails, and of course schedule in your breaks and meals.
Be sure your time blocks give you sufficient time to finish your task—if you are finding you regularly don’t finish a task within the time you've allocated, adjust your schedule, or you could find yourself experiencing even more stress.
Setting boundaries can be particularly challenging if you’re a solo practitioner or run your own small firm, but it’s an essential skill to learn if you need to reduce your stress levels.
Clear communication is one of the most important ways to set boundaries. If you run your own practice, make sure your team knows when to expect you online, and when not to. This also sets a positive example as a leader—you don’t want your team working unsustainable hours and burning themselves out.
If you’re a solo practitioner, setting boundaries can be more challenging, as often the person you need to set them with is yourself! If you’re consistently taking on more work than you can handle, it may be time to look into hiring in help or contracting out some matters. If your stress comes from feeling overwhelmingly busy but not having the income to support outsourcing some of your work, you'll need to look at your billing practices.
On the other hand, if you’re not looking to grow your practice, consider referring jobs that you don’t have capacity for on to other local practitioners—it may feel counterintuitive to send work to your “competitors”, but sometimes it’s the sensible decision. Benefits can include building relationships with colleagues, and reciprocity when you’re going through a quieter time. It will also give your existing clients a better experience, as you’re able to focus on the matters you’re already working on.
Keeping your boundaries strong around your time and your workload may be challenging, but maintaining a work-life balance is key for stress reduction and improving your quality of life. Once you get over the initial challenge of regularly saying no, or setting your phone to do not disturb, you’ll see your productivity will increase as your stress levels mitigate.
Make use of the same tools you’d use for work to stop your work from encroaching on your down time. Put family time, catch ups with friends, and time for hobbies into your calendar—making concrete plans means it will be easier to commit to spending your time on the things that mean the most to you.
Once you’ve committed to a regular schedule, make use of technology to help you feel more comfortable with taking time away from your computer screen. Take advantage of your phone’s full functionality by setting it up to automatically screen calls and notifications after work hours. If you’re uncomfortable with unread emails sitting in your inbox while you’re off duty, set up an automated email response to acknowledge receipt of emails and outline your usual response times.
Most remote workers work from home, which has both benefits and drawbacks. Benefits of remote work include no commute, time to put the laundry on at lunch, and of course the infamous “WFH mullet”—business attire visible on screen paired with comfortable bottoms like yoga or track pants.
The flip side of remote working can be insidious: the temptation to let work creep into your personal time can be strong. To combat this, it’s important to have a dedicated workspace if possible. Try to avoid working from the kitchen table or the couch. Setting up a separate workspace (in a dedicated office is ideal if you have the space) makes it easier to keep your boundaries strong—if your laptop is still open on the kitchen table when you’re sitting down to dinner, it’s hard not to just sneak a quick peek at your emails.
It can be helpful to take a physical action to demarcate the end of your workday, for instance taking a brief walk after you clock off and before you start the rest of your evening. Taking a moment to recalibrate after work can help you keep your boundaries between work and home stronger. When you’re able to switch off your work brain, it gives you time to refresh and rejuvenate, which can help reduce your day-to-day stress levels.
It’s crucial to make sure you’re getting enough rest and relaxation. If you’re a small business owner it might seem impossible, but taking a holiday can actually improve your productivity, reduce the risk of needing sick leave, and improve your mental health.
When you’re a remote worker, the less formal atmosphere in your everyday life can make it easy to forget that you still need to take a break and switch off. As such, it’s best to plan holidays in advance, so that you can schedule your work around them and be prepared for time away from the office.
If you’re a solo lawyer or head up your own firm and you have concerns about not being available for the duration of your holidays, make a plan for how you’ll handle it. If you’re taking a longer break, consider using a locum service, so you can feel comfortable switching off and enjoying your holiday. If you’re planning for holidays well in advance, you'll have plenty of time to engage a suitable service. Ensure your guidelines about when and why you’re able to be contacted are clear, so that you can be confident that you’ll only hear from your team or your locum when it’s absolutely necessary.
The more prepared you are to take your holidays, the more likely everything will go smoothly while you’re away, so put them in your calendar early, and start making those travel plans!
When you’re working from home, you miss out on the incidental opportunities for movement that you might get during your commute or your day at the office. You won’t need to walk to the train station or pop out to pick up some lunch, and meetings will usually be in front of your computer screen.
Exercise has been shown to help lower your body’s stress hormones, and the good news is that’s as true for low-intensity forms of exercise like yoga and walking as it is for more high-intensity exercise. Finding the time each week to add some exercise into your routine can be extremely beneficial to managing remote work stress.
The legal profession has a strong tradition of long hours and overwork, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be that way. Using legal software like mattero can help you to work smarter, not harder, simplifying your matters so you spend less time on administration, and more time on the work you find fulfilling. When you enjoy your job, even busy periods will feel less stressful—and who enjoys being buried under a mountain of emails?
There’s no need to be overwhelmed by administration, and mattero’s easy-to-use cloud-based software makes it simple to stay organised. Everything related to each matter is kept in one place, and you can access it anywhere, any time. With seamless integration to Microsoft 365 and Xero, you can create documents from templates, capture emails, and streamline your billing.
Work-life balance is one of the most important ways to manage stress levels, but it can be especially hard for small business owners. Having the right legal software in place to support remote working is crucial to managing stress, so start your free trial today to see for yourself how mattero can help you.
If you need more support, please reach out to Beyond Blue online or by phone on 1300 224 636. Heads Up also offers support and resources for small businesses.