How can you maintain work-life balance when working remotely in Engineering Management?

1. Put absolutely everything on your calendar. Meetings, obviously, but also time blocks for heads-down work, meals, snacks, walk around to stretch your legs, your kids getting off the bus, everything. Your calendar should be full because you've planned your entire day proactively. 2. Color code your calendar. I use one color for my team, one color for peer activities, one color for my heads-down time, and one color for personal obligations (plus a few more). Look at your calendar each week to see where your time is going. 3. Every Friday or Sunday, look at your calendar and ask: what can I cancel? What can I shorten? What can I delegate and provide a growth opportunity? What isn't giving me energy? And then change your plan for the week.

The most effective way to manage your calendar when working remotely is not to schedule your work and life events in strictly segregated blocks. Instead, mark out specific hours in your calendar as non-working time. These are the hours you need for going to the gym, playing with your kids, etc. and make sure these are not in one continuous block but are 1-2hr blocks, spread through your waking hours. Let the rest of the time be for both work and life. This gives you many more hours to get through your work while not feeling guilty about being distracted by a kid running in to sit on your lap for a few minutes. And you have set the expectation with your coworkers that you'd be strictly unavailable during specific hours through the day.

Work life balance is a tricky thing specially when you are responsible for end to end engineering management. However, here are a few things you can try: 1. Define a well planned work timings 2. Do thoughtful delegation 3. Differentiate between P0 to P3 tasks and allocate time accordingly 4. Learn to say no it's not a bad thing

Periodically, it's also helpful to check in on your calendar. Are you chunking similar kinds of work at the same time? Is your calendar organized in a way that fits with how your brain works and thinks about the things you have to do? Do you have time and space for deep-think work? It's always good to do a calendar reassessment periodically to move things around and make changes that help you be more effective and create better boundaries.

Having a clear schedule is crucial for work-life balance, serving not just task management but also setting clear boundaries for personal time. This helps in communicating availability to your team and family, reducing stress and misunderstandings. While sticking to this schedule is key, flexibility is also important to accommodate unexpected changes. Incorporate breaks for rest, and regularly reassess your schedule to adapt to new demands, ensuring a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal well-being.

You may also determine a workspace schedule that helps you complete different kinds of work. In my experience, I like to take meetings from home, but prefer to write or do other kinds of work at coffee shops, libraries, or while coworking with peers. These alternate places can also be your workspaces if you find that you're productive while there.

For me, the best focus and deep work time is when I have daylight and blue skies visible from my workspace - These two on their own help me become more creative and forward-thinking.

Tener un espacio o entorno de trabajo, tanto en la oficina como en casa, ahora con la deslocalización y el home-office. Tener un espacio sano, donde puedas desplegar todas tus habilidades y donde sobre todo puedas fijar y profundizar con foco en las tareas en las que debes de ser resolutivo y entregar día a día. Fuera de ruidos, aislado de aglomeraciones de gente y donde, si se puede, existe algún espacio "verde" que te aporte una vía de desconexión cuando la requieras. Aconsejo parar y refrescarse cada X tiempo al día, ya que como gerente o manager, tech lead de soluciones o de proyectos, vas a encontrarte en diferentes escenarios en el día a día donde se te requerirá cambiarte el "gorro".

Working a fully remote job makes it easy for work to bleed into life, but resist the temptation to bring your laptop to the couch to "just do a little work" while you watch tv or respond to messages at the counter while you eat breakfast. If you have work to do, go to your dedicated work space and work there (and don't forget to leave that area for regular breaks!).

This is again an area where the concept of scheduling "non-working time" helps. When you have spread those blocks intentionally across the day, they provide you with the ideal mental and emotional break from the work as well as give you guilt-free time away to go enjoy an activity you love.

Structured Schedule: Set a clear start and end time for work to avoid overworking. Designate time slots for focused work and breaks. Regular Breaks: Schedule short breaks throughout the day. Technology Boundaries: Set boundaries on work-related communications after hours. Utilize 'Do Not Disturb' features on devices to minimize work interruptions during personal time. Mindfulness and Relaxation: Practice mindfulness or relaxation techniques during breaks to rejuvenate mentally. Social Interaction: Ensure regular social interaction with team members, even if virtual, to maintain a sense of connection and prevent feelings of isolation.

In my opinion, taking breaks is vital, and it is important to allocate this time when your "health battery" is at least 10% or more. It's not beneficial to pause when your "health battery" is near 0%, as you will not be able to relax adequately. Additionally, take breaks after attending back-to-back meetings or accomplishing something that makes you feel proud of yourself. If you have pets, children, or a spouse, it is a good opportunity to spend time together.

Working remotely is a challenging, you have to take a break every 4 hours for 1 or two hours rest, don't think about the work, gym is the best solution in my opinion, so any ideas come after that and solution for any problems.

A clearly defined communication protocol is the most crucial element of a remote working culture. Lean towards asynchronous communication and make documentation a strict requirement. A great framework to follow in this regard is GitLab's TeamOps which highlights the concept of a "shared reality". When everyone has access to the same information, they are driven by the same objectives and share a common set of values it reduces the need for real-time meetings and the "always-on" culture, which can be both highly disruptive and stressful for remote workers.

Effective communication is crucial when working remotely. I recommend taking notes and creating action items during meetings to ensure clarity. If necessary, seek a review to confirm that these points make sense and that nothing important is overlooked. Additionally, it is essential for all action items to specify an Assignee and a Due Date to prevent misunderstandings.

Sé cercano en tus comunicaciones, se honesto contigo mismo y así comienza a tener conversaciones que generen valor, de verdad. Piensa en si tu estuvieses al otro lado, como te gustaría que te lo transmisiesen, ya sean noticias o feedback bueno, regular o positivo...., utilizando técnicas como el feedback sandwich o la basica sinceridad. No establezca objetivos u opiniones que tienen dependencias y que es probable que no se conviertan en realidad, sé franco y traslada lo que hay, tal cual sea la realidad, sin dar falsas esperanzas. Este contexto y este enfoque genera un efecto "boomerang" en el equipo, transformando el enganche al proyecto y a la misión en común.

As an engineering manager, great communication also means great delegation and a real trust in your team. Effective delegation is key in management. Trust your team with responsibilities and avoid micromanaging.

When you work remotely, life spills over to work and work spills over to life. Any attempt at strict segregation only leads to frustration and broken relationships both at work and in life. Understand that both life and work happen in concert and that you are responsible for the wellbeing of both. By adopting a truly remote-friendly culture and using techniques like "non-working time" calendars, you can set the right expectations for both your team and your family without creating friction between these often-competing priorities.

Working from anywhere in your house can be tempting, but it can also create distractions and interfere with your productivity and focus. To prevent this, one should create a dedicated workspace that is comfortable, ergonomic, and well-equipped. Set boundaries and rules with your family or roommates, and only use your workspace for work-related activities.

Get very clear about your expectations around availability and response times for both your team and for yourself and then stick to them. It can be very tempting to just hop on Slack or check email really quickly, but if there is no expectation to respond outside working hours, can you avoid that trap by simply removing them from your phone or turning off notifications? You can also use tools like your calendar or Slack notifications to communicate when you are or are not available. When an immediate response is required use different communication tools, such as incident response platforms like PagerDuty.

How can you reduce stress? Always invest some time during a meeting for ice breaking and celebrating the wins (without ignoring the losses obviously).

Virtual happy hours play a crucial role in fostering connections and trust within the team, enabling us to get to know each other better. Allocating time bi-weekly or monthly is a great way to ensure the team has the opportunity to come together, have fun, and celebrate achievements. Especially when the team is new or there are personnel changes, I recommend suggesting that each team member create a personalized slide or page showcasing pictures of their lives, hobbies, family, pets, their city, etc. This not only promotes a positive and inclusive atmosphere but also adds a delightful touch to our virtual interactions.

Here are some other strategies to maintain a good work-life balance: - Use Technology Wisely: Leverage tools and apps that enhance productivity and communication. However, be mindful of not letting these tools invade your personal time. - Practice Self-care: Engage in activities outside of work that you enjoy. Exercise, hobbies, and spending time with loved ones are essential for mental health. - Stay Connected Socially: Remote work can be isolating. Make an effort to connect with colleagues through virtual coffee breaks or team-building activities. - Seek Feedback and Support: Regularly seek feedback from your team and peers on your work-life balance strategies. Don't hesitate to ask for support when needed.

Support your teammates by incorporating the following practices: - Conduct weekly one-on-one sessions to comprehend their needs and assess their motivation levels. - Challenge your teammates by striking a balance that keeps them motivated. - Offer regular feedback on their deliverables. - Encourage them to develop individualized plans for professional growth, providing support along the way. - Cultivate a positive and conducive work environment that your team will genuinely enjoy.