How can you help remote workers balance their work and personal lives?

1 Assess their situation

The first step is to understand your client's current situation, goals, and challenges. Ask them to describe their typical workday, their work environment, their communication tools, and their expectations from their employer and themselves. You can also use a self-assessment tool, such as the Remote Work Competency Model, to help them identify their strengths and areas for improvement. This will help you tailor your coaching to their specific needs and preferences.

2 Set clear boundaries

Remote workers often experience difficulty in establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries between work and personal life, leading to stress, burnout, and reduced productivity and satisfaction. To help your client create these boundaries, you can suggest strategies such as designing a dedicated workspace that is separate from their living space, setting and communicating a regular and realistic work schedule that fits their rhythm and responsibilities, using a do-not-disturb mode or a sign to signal when they are working and when they are available, taking breaks and logging off at the end of the day to recharge and disconnect, and respecting their own and others' boundaries while avoiding unnecessary interruptions or requests.

4 Foster their connection and communication

Remote work can offer autonomy and independence, but it can also lead to a sense of isolation and disconnection from colleagues, managers, and clients. To help your client foster their connection and communication, you can suggest strategies like selecting the most appropriate communication tool for each purpose and audience, communicating clearly and respectfully, checking in on team members and clients regularly, participating in virtual meetings and activities, and seeking and offering support. These strategies can help build trust and rapport while showing interest and engagement.

5 Develop their skills and growth

Remote work can provide many opportunities for professional and personal growth, but it can also require more initiative and self-motivation to access learning and development resources. To help your client develop their skills and growth, you can suggest strategies such as identifying their learning goals, exploring and accessing various learning resources, applying their learning outcomes, seeking new challenges, and celebrating their achievements. Aligning their goals with their career aspirations and values, reflecting on their progress and feedback, expanding their scope and impact, and acknowledging their efforts are all important steps in the process.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?