Work-life balance is the idea that you need to set aside time for both your job and your personal life.

Working remotely, which eliminates commuting and sitting in a cubicle all day, might seem like the perfect solution to achieving balance. In reality though remote workers are often more stressed than their office-bound counterparts. They tend to work longer hours due to not drawing a line between working and home hours.

With many more of us now working from home, it’s more important than ever to learn how to strike a balance between remote work and your personal life.

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1. Learn to Say No

Saying no can be difficult, even when you work in a remote workspace.

Being an employee means feeling an obligation to work on or complete tasks handed to you. But if you never say no, you’ll find yourself in an endless, unbalanced loop that's hard to untangle from.

There are times when you have to say no. Maybe you’ve already worked overtime for the week and need to take a moment to recharge. Perhaps your stress levels are maxed out from an increased workload.

2. Manage Your Time

Being able to manage your time is an invaluable skill, especially for those who have obligations both in and outside the workplace, such as school or family.

One M.B.A. student said, "It comes down to planning, which is extremely challenging when balance[ing] work, family life, and school."

Remote workers can especially benefit from time management, as they are more susceptible to blending their time spent between home and work.

3. Learn to Prioritize

Do you have a lot on your plate? It’s not uncommon for remote workers to have a to-do list that spans several pages.

Stop getting overwhelmed by your work and learn to prioritize your tasks by importance.

Prioritizing doesn’t have to end in the workplace. Many people have tasks they want to accomplish in their personal lives, as well. Perhaps you want to paint the house or take a vacation to Disney World. To be more successful, you need to determine what will provide you with the most value once finished.

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4. Turn Off Notifications

The average American spends more than 11 hours each day getting distracted by digital media.

This includes anything from playing games and watching videos to browsing social media and streaming music.

By turning off your devices — even just silencing notifications — you can reduce distractions and work more efficiently, allowing you to finish your work on time. Limiting your use of electronic devices is also a great way to focus on personal goals and spend more quality time with family.

5. Get Better Sleep

Remote workers are more at risk for insomnia than those that work in an office.

Workers underperform when they don't get a good night’s sleep, which reduces output and requires more hours behind the desk.

To ensure you complete your work and maintain a work-life balance, it’s recommended you get a full night’s sleep before each workday. It can help to choose a realistic bedtime and stick with it.

6. Set Personal Goals

You probably use goals in the workplace to remain motivated and track progress. They can also be used in your personal life to stay happy at home and maintain balance.

Everybody has different goals based on what’s valuable to them. It could mean traveling, starting a new exercise routine, learning to knit, visiting with family or more.

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7. Creating the Perfect Balance

When you’re a remote worker, it can be hard to draw the line between being at work and being at home.

But there are steps you can take to block out distractions, work more efficiently and find the ideal work-life balance. Not only will a balance lead to improvements in your work routine, but it will also enhance the personal time you have at home.

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