5 Secrets to Achieving Work-Life Balance, According to HubSpot Employees

As a marketing expert, you know firsthand how challenging it can be to juggle the constantly evolving demands of your career with your personal life and responsibilities. And if you‘re one of the 56% of U.S. workers with a job that is compatible with remote work, you may be struggling more than ever to unplug at the end of the day.

While remote and hybrid arrangements offer benefits like eliminated commutes and increased flexibility, they also make it harder than ever to fully disconnect from work. In fact, 69% of remote employees report experiencing burnout symptoms, and unplugging after work hours is their top challenge.

The costs of a poor work-life balance are significant, both personally and professionally. Overworked employees are at greater risk for health problems, strained relationships, and declining job satisfaction and performance.

So how can you achieve better harmony between your work and personal life, even in a remote or hybrid role? To find out, I collected wisdom from employees at HubSpot, which has embraced a hybrid work model since 2021.

Here are their top five secrets to work-life balance in 2023 and beyond:

1. Firmly communicate and maintain work-life boundaries

One of the most critical steps toward better work-life balance is setting clear boundaries between your professional and personal time—and sticking to them.

"I‘m very intentional about maintaining separation between work and personal life," says Jamee Sheehy, a Customer Onboarding Specialist at HubSpot. "At the end of the day, I fully shut down my laptop and work-related apps on my phone. I communicate to my team that I won‘t be available until the next business day except for true emergencies."

To follow Jamee‘s lead, start by determining what work hours are realistic for your role and personal obligations, and communicate those hours to your manager and colleagues. Use a shared calendar to indicate when you‘re available and when you‘re "OOO."

Then consider adopting some of these practices to protect your off-hours:

• Silence email and messaging notifications on your personal devices after hours
• Keep your work computer and phone separate from your personal devices
• If you have a company phone, turn it off after hours
• Don‘t feel obligated to respond to non-urgent emails after hours, even if you‘ve seen them

It‘s also helpful to create rituals that signal to your brain that you‘re transitioning between work and personal time. "I bookend my days with a short yoga flow or meditation to help me shift gears," says HubSpot Senior Product Manager Liz Moorehead. "In the morning it helps me feel centered before diving in, and in the evening it‘s a cue to let go of any work stress."

The key is to set your "work time" and "you time" boundaries and then communicate them clearly to others. Treat your off-hours as sacrosanct and non-negotiable, barring the occasional true emergency.

2. Create a dedicated workspace optimized for focus and comfort

Where and how you work has a huge impact on your productivity and ability to disengage at the end of the day. If you work remotely, carving out a separate space for work supports your ability to focus when you‘re on the clock and feel truly "off" when you‘re not.

"I‘m fortunate to have a dedicated office space with a door that I can physically shut at the end of the day," says Aja Frost, who leads the English SEO team at HubSpot. "I keep my desk tidy and try to only use the room for work, not personal tasks. If I‘m tempted to keep working after hours, closing the door helps me resist the urge to pop back on my laptop."

If you don‘t have a separate room for a home office, you can still create physical and mental separation in a number of ways:

• Use a room divider or curtain to partition off your workspace
• Keep your work computer and materials in a cabinet or cart that you put away after hours
• Avoid working in your bedroom if possible; reserve it for relaxation
• Invest in a supportive, ergonomic desk chair and any other equipment you need to feel comfortable

Think of your work area as your productivity command center. The more you can optimize it for focus and keep it distinct from your living space, the easier it will be to set it aside when you‘re off the clock.

3. Stick to a consistent routine and schedule (with flexibility)

Another key to better boundaries is to structure your days around a consistent schedule and routine, to the extent that your job allows. Following a predictable pattern helps you transition your brain between work and personal modes.

"Sticking to a general routine has been a game changer for me as a remote worker," says HubSpot Content Marketing Manager Meg Prater. "Of course, there are occasions when I need to deviate to accommodate an early meeting or pressing deadline. But for the most part, I block my work hours and personal time on my calendar and treat them as non-negotiable—especially my morning workout and offline dinner with my family."

To craft your own work-life routine, start by assessing your energy levels and personal obligations to land on your ideal work hours—for instance, 8 to 4, 9 to 5, or 10 to 6. Then map out a typical day with time allocated for focused work, meetings, breaks, and a transition period.

For example:

• 6:30am – 8:00am | Morning routine, breakfast, exercise
• 8:00am – 9:00am | Planning, goal setting, email
• 9:00am – 10:00am | Deep work block #1
• 10:00am – 10:30am | Break (walk, snack, stretch)
• 10:30am – 12:00pm | Meetings, calls, collaborations
• 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Lunch break, errands
• 1:00pm – 2:30pm | Deep work block #2
• 2:30pm – 3:00pm | Break (walk, coffee, social time)
• 3:00pm – 4:30pm | Email, lower-priority tasks, planning
• 4:30pm – 5:00pm | End of workday routine, prep for tomorrow
• 5:00pm – 10:00pm | Family time, dinner, hobbies, relaxation

At the end of the day, do something that clearly signals to your brain that you‘re shifting gears, whether that‘s driving to the gym, pouring a cup of tea, or calling a friend. Then stay offline until the next morning, if possible.

4. Prioritize self-care and advocate for flexibility when needed

One of the most important things you can do for your well-being and performance is to prioritize self-care, both on and off the job. That means getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, nourishing your body, making time for exercise and hobbies, and scheduling regular screen breaks throughout the day.

"I‘m religious about taking my vacation time, even if it‘s just for a staycation to putter around the house and read books," says HubSpot Senior Marketing Manager Karla Cook. "Stepping away from work for a true break makes me so much sharper and more creative when I return."

Karla is onto something—many studies have shown that taking time off boosts productivity, engagement, and job performance. At HubSpot, employees are encouraged to use their full vacation time, including two annual "recharge weeks" when everyone is offline simultaneously.

If your workplace doesn‘t have a progressive time off policy, advocate for more flexibility when you need it. That could mean negotiating a mental health day to rest when you‘re feeling burned out or a temporarily reduced schedule to accommodate a challenging personal situation. Most managers would rather work with you to find a mutually beneficial solution than lose you to overwhelm or resentment.

5. Give yourself grace and embrace work-life integration

Striving for work-life balance is an admirable goal, but the reality is that the two will never be in perfect harmony at all times. There will be weeks when a major product launch or busy season for your industry requires longer hours. And there will be times when a personal priority has to take precedence over professional obligations.

"It‘s impossible to achieve a flawless 50/50 split between work and personal life, and holding yourself to that standard is a recipe for frustration," says HubSpot Senior Recruiter Sophie Salzman. "I think of it more as work-life integration. Sometimes my kids pop into the frame on a Zoom call, and sometimes I need to send a few emails after their bedtime. As long as I‘m being intentional about my time and showing up fully in each context, I count that as a success."

The key is to regularly zoom out and assess whether, on the whole, you‘re honoring your priorities and values with how you‘re allocating your resources. If you notice your energy and attention skewing too heavily to one side, make some tweaks to nudge the scales back to equilibrium.

Some strategies to try:

• Schedule (and keep) regular check-ins with yourself to reflect on your time management and headspace
• Enlist a friend or family member to gently point out when you seem overextended or out of balance
• Look at your calendar for the past month and add up how many hours you dedicated to work vs. personal activities
• Try journaling about times when you feel most/least balanced and what factors contribute to each state
• Regularly audit your coping strategies and self-care practices to make sure they‘re still serving you

"Work-life balance is a constant recalibration," says Jamee Sheehy. "What worked well for me last year when my kids were babies and I needed more flextime is different from what works now. The trick is to keep checking in with yourself and make small adjustments before you get too far off track."

Better Work-Life Balance Is Within Reach

Achieving an ideal work-life balance may not be a realistic goal, but that doesn‘t mean you can‘t take meaningful strides toward a healthier, happier dynamic between your job and personal life.

By setting firm boundaries, optimizing your workspace, sticking to a sane schedule, and prioritizing your own well-being, you can give your best to both your career and your life outside of work.

Remember, balance is an ongoing practice, not a permanent state. Give yourself grace as you experiment with different strategies, enlist support from loved ones, and advocate for the flexibility you need. You—and your best work—are worth it.