What’s the Role of Technology in Work-Life Balance?

father trying to maintain work and life balance

During the pandemic, the transition to working from home has brought along many positive impacts for workers. Flexible work schedules allow us to spend more time with family and friends and say goodbye to stressful commutes and even job burnout. On the other hand, it also poses its own unique set of challenges as many struggle to maintain productivity and juggle their work and home lives. If you can relate, understanding the role of technology in work-life balance can help you adjust to this change and stay on top of your career.

How to Use Technology To Your Advantage for a Better Work-Life Balance

If you’re one of the many Americans struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance, there are several ways the use of technology can help you gain more control. Start by implementing the following tips into your work routine.

1. Take Advantage of Video Conferencing

Face-to-face interaction is minimal when working remotely, but that doesn’t have to equate to a heavier workload. Video conferencing can help you feel more connected to your co-workers, even if they’re not in the same room working with you. Plus, some evidence points to video conferencing as being more productive than in-person meetings. Besides offering the convenience of connecting with team members virtually, it can also help you save on time with shorter meetings. Added features like screen sharing and annotation allow you to stay on course more easily, creating less overlap between your work hours and personal life.

2. Give Yourself a Designated Workspace

It’s hard to stay on track when you’re working in close proximity to your spouse, children, or even pets. If you’re easily distracted by the demands of your home life, consider creating a designated workstation for yourself. A designated work area can help you set boundaries between you and your family members during your workday. Consider using this area only during work hours and having others knock before entering while you’re in there.

3. Record Calls and Meetings

Interrupted video meetings can happen to the best of us, especially at home. Luckily, many of today’s video teleconferencing software and phone systems allow you to record your remote work meetings if you ever need to step away from your desk momentarily. They’re also beneficial if you need to re-play specific step-by-step instructions from a co-worker while you’re completing a task.

4. Utilize Cloud Technology

Despite only being around for the past decade or so, cloud computing continues to see tremendous growth in the workplace. With cloud computing in place, there’s no need to wait around for a document or paperwork. Thanks to this service, coordinating schedules, setting up office notifications, and sharing workplace projects among workers in different time zones is possible.

5. Try Using a Workflow Automation Tool

Workflow automation tools are great for streamlining complex tasks and accelerating team progress and employee engagement. Plus, many now include built-in analytics that help point out inefficiencies. When a specific field or action gets triggered, these tools can move or alter data per your instructions.

Most of them can also integrate well with other software apps such as:

  • Slack
  • Quickbooks
  • Google Docs

As with all advice intended for the workplace, each suggestion may work better for some than others. When it comes to managing your workflow, it’s crucial to find the right type of tools and processes that can help you stay focused and on task. At Warwick, we’re committed to delivering the right mix of IT systems and communications to our clients to support their business needs. Contact us today for your risk-free business assessment!