We are where we are.
Before the pandemic, so many of us had physical spaces that allowed us to stay focused on the individual parts of our lives. Home, the office, the gym... they all aided in our daily transitions.
With the changing spaces that we live and work in now, the question becomes "How do you find balance when working from home?"
GRS Core Value: We are where we are. We are focused on the task in front of us in our work and in our lives.
There's no doubt that the lines between work and personal life are easily blurred together. When working from home, it’s easy to lose focus on a specific task that needs to be completed. Success in our careers can only be achieved, however, if we're able to give 100% effort and attention to our professional responsibilities without letting outside distractions impact our work.
Balance is Achievable
At GRS, we strongly believe that focusing on the task in front of us right now in our work and in our lives is a learned skill. Practicing this skill can lead to greater success not only in our career, but also in our personal lives as we're able to freely concentrate on all our goals independently.
Dedicated Space:
Our work environment can directly impact our ability to focus, be productive, and fight distraction. Choosing a separate space to focus entirely on the task at hand allows us to concentrate better and produce higher quality work.
Set a Schedule/Build in Breaks:
Setting a schedule helps to prioritize tasks effectively, to be able to achieve goals and priorities in the time that we have available. Setting a schedule allows us to focus on a specific task, and designate a time period without allowing any distractions get in the way of our work. Building in breaks is essential for productivity because it allows us to regain focus when needed, and helps us approach our work with a refreshed mindset.
Ask for Help:
We feel that as a team it is important to help each other in this quest to stay focused. An example of this would be picking up a project on behalf of a teammate if the person needs some time off to dedicate to family matters, or feeling comfortable asking for help from others when we ourselves need it. We will all have times when we can use help in striving toward this GRS Value.
How I incorporate balance as a remote student intern
As a GRS intern, the balance between school, work, and social life has been one of the biggest challenges to deal with. Being both a student and an intern, it is important for me to find balance in all three aspects in my life to not only be successful in getting things done, but also ensure that I am having fun while doing it. Although I am learning that there is no perfect way to balance everything in my life, there are a few things I do to ensure that I maintain healthy boundaries and ensure that everything is running smoothly.
Organization
Organization is what I prioritize the most when I am focused on balancing different aspects of my life such as my internship, school, or social life. Implementing a personalized method to stay organized and staying consistent is the key to maintaining balance. For example, I create a to-do list and use a color-coded calendar to help myself visualize and sort all tasks that need to be completed on a specific day.
Budgeting My Time
Knowing the amount of time, it takes to complete a specific task and giving yourself time to do so is extremely vital when maintaining a balance in the workplace. At my internship, I ensure that the time spent while working is focused on completing tasks without any outside distractions to cause me to lose focus. On a day-to-day basis I create time slots to help me budget my time. With this, I can focus on one specific task at a time and ensure that I give my full attention to it and complete it successfully. Giving myself enough time for a social life is one of the most important things I’ve learned during my college journey.
Setting Goals
Setting goals every week is also important for me because it helps me prioritize the work that needs to be done and ensures that I have the time to do my best. Whether if it’s setting a specific goal for my internship or for class, this allows me to bring a level of control to a day that may be hectic. Weekly goal setting helps me focus and gives me motivation to complete a task.
Here at GRS we value and commit to implementing balance in both our professional life and personal life, as it is the ultimate key to success.
*The above blog is from GRS Intern Juanita Gray. Juanita is a senior at Walsh University in Ohio majoring in Digital Marketing.
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