How To Thrive (and Not Overwork Yourself) In A Hybrid Environment

"Some days you're at home, laptop open longer than usual because your desk is just steps away. Other days, you're in the office, wrapping up at a set time and letting your commute mark the shift into your evening. Some mornings it might even take you a few minutes to remember whether you'll have to put on real pants that day. Hybrid schedules can blur the lines between work and home. Different rhythms each day make it easy for boundaries to slip-and it can feel like you're living two different lives. With more than half of remote-capable workers , this challenge is hardly unique. But done right, hybrid can be the best of both worlds."

"The lack of structure can impede efficiency. Some teams set anchor days, and others leave it up to employees. Neither approach is foolproof, but employees who set their own schedules are more likely to struggle with fatigue and work-life balance. Proximity bias is real. Leaders notice who's in the office. In fact, 96% admit they pay closer attention to employees they see . The early arrivers, late stayers and always-online workers will get noticed more, whether it's fair or not. Personal and professional boundaries can get blurred. On days when your office is your kitchen counter, unplugging feels impossible. Worse: 72% of hybrid and remote workers say they're less likely to unplug completely when they take a sick day. This always-online culture isn't sustainable."

"Hybrid works best with intentional structure. Here's how to not only survive, but thrive: Set anchor days. Decide when you'll be in the office, and determine what work belongs there-like meetings or collaborative tasks. Coordinate these days with your colleagues. Teams that plan"

Hybrid work mixes remote and in-office days, producing variable daily rhythms that can blur work and home boundaries and create fatigue. Lack of structure can reduce efficiency and lead self-scheduled employees to worse work-life balance. Proximity bias favors employees who are visible in the office, and always-online expectations make unplugging difficult, even when sick. Intentional structure mitigates these risks. Setting anchor days, coordinating which tasks belong in the office, aligning schedules with colleagues, and planning ahead allow teams to leverage collaboration benefits while protecting boundaries and reducing unfair evaluation and burnout.

Read at Forbes