When U.S. Catholic bishops gathered in Baltimore in 2023, they were prepared to vote on an updated document for believers seeking guidance in voting booths.

CLINTON DAILY NEWS EDITORIAL

From left, friends, Peter Naylor of Auckland, New Zealand, Karola Giesler, and Neill Wilkie of Cape Town, South Africa, pose with Director Pat Smith for a photo at the Route 66 museum.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve recently transitioned to working from home full-time, and I’m finding it challenging to separate my work life from my personal life. While my home office setup is functional, it has made it harder for me to switch off from work mode at the end of the day. I find myself checking emails or thinking about tasks long after my workday is supposed to end. I have often caught myself working late into the evening because my office space is so integrated into my living area. It’s been difficult to create a clear boundary between work and home life, and I feel like my productivity during work hours is starting to wane as a result. I want to establish a routine that allows me to be productive while also making the most of my downtime. How can I create effective boundaries and a schedule that helps me balance work and personal time, ensuring that I stay focused during work hours but also genuinely enjoy my time off? – Work-From-Home Balance DEAR WORK-FROM-HOMEBALANCE: Establish office hours for yourself, including breaks, and enter them into your calendar. Also, set alarms for key pivot points in the day – such as the start of your day, lunch, breaks and the end of your day. Train yourself to turn off your computer when your day is complete, unless you anticipate some kind of extenuating circumstances that might require your attention. Turn off the light on your desk, and possibly cover it so that you cannot see your work papers. If you treat your workspace as singularly for work and shut it down entirely when you are not working, you will begin to think of it as a separate space even though it’s in your house.