Sometimes you do not want to tell your coworker about your weekend plans, mainly if it resulted in a secret hangover this morning. In an ideal world, we would be able to distinguish between our personal and professional lives. The reality, however, is that nothing is ever that simple.
Your boss follows you on Twitter, your family calls you frequently at work, and your coworkers constantly overshare or interrogate you. It is critical to get along with your coworkers. However, there is a delicate balance that you may want to strike between your personal and professional lives one. You may waste your working hours on office drama if you allow your work relationships to spill over into your personal life.
Then there is the balancing act of working from home that many of you are attempting to master. So, how do you balance being social at work and keeping your professional and personal lives private? And how do you do it without coming across as an insensitive person?
Can you work from your living room’s sofa while binge-watching lousy television? If you have struggled with this at work, here are some suggestions for maintaining a healthy work-life balance no matter where you work maintain personal and professional lives.
Set Some Limits for your personal and professional lives
You do not have to avoid altogether interacting with coworkers, but you should be cautious about divulging too much information. Consider the details about your family and hobbies you are willing to share, and then leave the rest out of the conversation. Make it clear to others what your limits are. Similarly, social media can make it challenging to keep your personal life private at work, so be cautious about who you digitally befriend and what you show them.
Consult Those You Have Faith In
Putting personal issues aside can be difficult, especially if they are complicated. However, only tell people you trust about your personal life. If a trusted colleague is willing to listen to you and assist you, remember to return the favour if they have personal issues in the future. If you need someone to confide in for your emotional well-being but do not know who to turn to, you might consider using a counselling service.
Do Not Become Involved
Although it is easy to get sucked into office gossip, it is cruel, humiliating, and damaging. So, stay away from discussing other people’s issues. Stay away from office gossip if there are people on your team who are notorious for doing it. Being labelled as a gossipmonger can damage your reputation and make others suspicious of you.
Look For A Quiet Spot
If you decide to speak with a coworker, do not do so in a public place where you might be overheard or when you are supposed to be working. It is best to discuss these issues during your breaks. That way, these issues will not interfere with the quality of your work. Ask friends and family members not to call you at work unless they have an urgent need to speak with you. And even if they call you, find a quiet place to take calls.
Wrapping It Up
Although you may never be able to separate your personal and professional lives, you should not feel obligated to answer any questions your coworkers may pose. And even if you find yourself being drawn into conversations about your personal and professional lives or the lives of others that you do not want to be part of, politely excuse yourself from the situation.