Coping With Remote Work-Life Balance During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The Covid-19 Pandemic has struck almost every country of the world including India, started from December 2019. The higher rate of infectivity, risk of death, a previously non immune population, inadequate treatment protocols and a non-available vaccine forced large scale lifestyle changes on entire populations of the world to prevent the spread of the disease. The previously unheard concepts of social distancing, lockdown, isolation, containment, quarantine became the new norm.  Most countries of the world had forced different levels of restriction on human behaviour requiring people to stay at home and work from home. The current study has been conducted with the aim to study effect of remote work-life balance during Covid-19 Pandemic. The objectives were 1) to understand the factors affecting work- life balance during lockdown, 2) to study work life balance and its relationship with age and gender3) to recommend effective coping strategies for maintaining work life balance during COVID-19 Pandemic. Total Sample of 54 individuals (27 males and 27 females) between the age group of 20-54 years working from home in varied professions was considered for the study. Data was analysed further which showed that behaviour patterns amongst educated men and women in urban areas are similar. Women had greater stresses arising out of their responsibility towards household chores and managing with work life. People respond similarly in times of crisis. The ability to adapt to changing work environment in times of crisis has been an important skill which has helped the wheels of economy in current times. Future studies on this subject can help develop a more efficient new normal.