Baylor Remote-Work Expert Shares Tips with The New York Times

Sara Perry, Ph.D., assistant professor of management in Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business, is a nationally recognized expert on remote work and working from home. 

In 2018, Perry led a team of management researchers who examined the relationship between stress and remote work, which resulted in a study published in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. 

Dr. Perry was recently a featured expert in The New York Times' piece by Jen A. Miller, "How To Work From Home, If You've Never Done It Before," which was written as millions of people were suddenly faced with launching home offices as a result of COVID-19. 

Regarding setting boundaries:

But being expected to work from home full time while also home-schooling children full time is just not going to be realistic, said Sara Perry, assistant professor of management at Baylor University. “There’s a lot demanding of your time and energy and resources right now,” she said. This may mean having conversations with managers about adjusting their expectations, given the extraordinary circumstances.

On the topic of "putting work away":

For those who are used to working in an office, the evening commute is often a way to end the work day and begin home life. Dr. Perry said it’s important to continue to make the same transition, even if you’re just moving from one spot on the couch to the other. So put your work materials and your laptop away (or just shut work applications if you want to use your computer for something else).

She added that this is crucial right now because “you’re already being challenged in terms of your personal resources,” she said. “You still have to take that recovery time from work.”