Tips for Maintaining Work-Life Balance in IT

The nature of working in IT has changed a lot post-COVID. With an increase in cybersecurity attacks and the rise of AI technology, IT employees are vital to businesses, with almost 70% of hiring managers increasing their IT staff in 2023. This also means that tech-savvy employees are seeing an increase in workloads, and in a remote environment, there is pressure to stay online and available to help past typical work hours.  

With this in mind, maintaining a clear work-life balance is important to prevent stress and improve productivity in a demanding job. It’s reported that every two in five tech workers show a high risk for burnout, so it’s especially important for IT professionals to consciously adjust their lifestyle to balance work and home better. This piece will explore a few tips for employees looking to maintain a work-life balance in IT. 

Taking advantage of flexibility

When employees are made to follow a strict 9-5 work schedule, they often feel a lack of control over their workday, and taking time off can feel like a huge burden. One advantage of a hybrid or remote work environment is the ability to be flexible, a feat that was previously unheard of in the IT sector. 

Embracing a flexible workplace structure encourages you to complete work at your own pace, without the stress of a looming clock-out time, and from where you feel most comfortable. Avoiding the rush-hour commute is enough to reduce stress on its own, but simply put, being able to work from home on your own time has been proven to increase overall productivity levels throughout the day. Taking advantage of the flexibility of being remote or hybrid allows you to feel more confident and supported to put out your best work, instead of feeling pressured to race against the clock.  

Setting your own schedule can help you combat common symptoms of burnout and stress that result from having an unmanageable workload and lack of control, and is the first step toward a healthy work-life balance in IT.  

Managing Your Time (and Stress Levels)

The IT sector is a stressful and competitive work environment, and because of that, over 60% of employees in the IT sector report feeling physically and emotionally drained from the workload. Learning to manage your time can help you prevent feeling overworked and reduce overall stress levels, which encourages a healthy work-life balance. 

Consider time blocking your workday and designate specific times to take breaks throughout the day. Organizing time for work and time for play helps you stay on-task while managing heavy workloads, and lets your brain know when it’s okay to restart and reboot. Also, practicing stress reduction and management techniques can be effective in preventing burnout. Avoid multi-tasking when you can, create a comfortable work environment for yourself, and proactively organize are all ways in which you can better mitigate stress-related incidents that are common in industries like IT.  

Although easier said than done, making the conscious effort to manage your time can have tremendous impacts on your stress levels and productivity. When you learn how to effectively organize your time and stress around your expectations, you are working to build a healthy routine that finds the perfect harmony between work and life. 

Separating your work and home mindset

Remote and hybrid workplaces are the new norm for IT, and while it has many benefits, it can also blur the boundary between home and work, leaving you feeling like your brain is working on-the-clock 24/7. So, while it’s important to take advantage of WFH capabilities, it’s equally as important to create a clear distinction between your work mindset and your at-home mindset.  

Working in bed might seem like a dream, but associating work with where you sleep could decline your productivity or even impact how well you sleep. Dedicating a quiet area for work is enough to prevent it from interfering with your personal life. Also, with the frequency of cyberattacks and software issues, 56% of IT workers today feel stressed even after the workday is over. So, setting clear boundaries of when you will be on and offline ensures that everyone, including yourself, will respect your designated time at home.  

Before, it was easy to associate one distinct location for work and the other for home. Now, as the two overlap, it’s important to create a healthy work-life balance to not only help you feel more relaxed at home, but also help you feel more productive and engaged at work.  

Wrapping it up

Navigating the IT landscape post-COVID, we are presented with both opportunities and challenges. While the freedom of remote and hybrid work has plenty of benefits, it has caused a further overlap between home life and work life, which can put a strain on both mental and physical health. In a demanding and dynamic sector like IT, it’s important to strive for a healthy work-life balance to reduce the risk of burning out.  

Achieving that balance, especially in a remote or hybrid environment, requires you to be more intentional behind your actions and behaviors. Develop a strategy that helps you sustain that balance, and you’ll see how it not only improves your performance at work, but it helps you enjoy your free time at home even more.  

Looking for your next remote or hybrid IT position? Get in touch with our team today. 

Contributions from Bella Gordon