Happy Testing: How to Maintain Work-Life Balance When You Test From Home

In the last few years, remote software testing went from an exception to a business necessity.

In the wake of this dramatic shift, software testing teams and developers have had to find new ways to collaborate, focus, and meet deadlines while still balancing their lives at home.

Naturally, the transition to conducting software testing from home isn’t always easy. However, with the right tools, structure, and communication, testers can find a work-life balance that keeps their tasks on track without leading to burnout.

This article will explore some of the common challenges of remote software testing and some tips on how to make it a win-win arrangement:

The Reality of Conducting Software Testing from Home

When quality assurance (QA) professionals, developers, and testers finished software testing in an office setting, the drive home offered a mental transition to focus on other interests and responsibilities.

But with many organizations maintaining a hybrid or fully remote workplace, keeping a healthy work-life balance can be more difficult. In fact, one study found that 77 percent of employees have experienced burnout at their current job, with 91 percent of those saying that unmanageable stress or frustration impacts the quality of their work.

Yet, with so much relying on the quality and performance of your software products—from customer trust to executive expectations for success—the inability to conduct thorough testing can be problematic. Some notable issues include:

• A growing work-life imbalance among your development and testing teams, leading to burnout and frustration.
• Fewer opportunities for coordination and collaboration, lowering productivity.
• Miscommunications that lead to conflict or misdirected work.
• Increased sick days due to stress or overwork.

How to Improve Your Work-Life Balance for Better Software Testing

So how can you find that work-life balance sweet spot, no matter where and when you get your work done?

Set limits. 

It can be difficult at first, but knowing how to set limits for when you are available to work and when you are focusing on other interests can create the break your body needs to recharge. Encourage your team members to do the same so that you can detach from work, relax, and recharge together.

Develop and nurture a support network. 

When our work schedules get full and our bodies feel drained from a heavy workload, one of the first things to fall by the wayside is time spent nurturing our relationships with friends and family. Whether you set up a specific time for exercise, a night out, or just family time each evening, establish and protect those times on your schedule. 

The same can apply to your professional networks. Make sure to budget time for mentorships, networking, and social events with colleagues to ensure you continue to broaden your career perspectives and share your experiences with others.

Take advantage of modern test management platforms. 

The rise of remote work necessitates the ability to coordinate schedules, communicate instructions and feedback clearly, and utilize tools that make your workflow efficient and productive.

Platforms like TestMonitor are designed to help testing teams no matter where, when, and how they work by:

• Boosting communication and organization through intuitive dashboards and interfaces. Say goodbye to crowded email inboxes and relying on team members “replying all” to stay in the loop. Say hello to centralized communication!
• Reducing administrative burden so teams can spend more time on testing.
• Tracking the status of testing from end to end.
• Creating and storing test cases with templates and libraries.
• Connecting with other software development tools via native application programming interfaces (APIs).
• Being accessible from anywhere! No need to scour network drives or waste time finding your test cases.

Create a dedicated workspace.

A remote work arrangement often requires dedicating a portion of our homes to work. For many, this means turning a family room, dining table, or bedroom into a dual-use workspace. 

Although it may not be a dedicated office, having a space where you can work away from family areas can set physical boundaries between your work and personal life and provide a quieter place to get work done.

Bringing It All Together

Work-life balance can mean different things to different people. However, the power that prior planning, a supportive environment, and the right software testing tools can bring to your team’s productivity, communication, and organization are universal.

Ready to boost your team’s ability to structure, manage, and execute tests while promoting collaboration and end-to-end traceability? Then click here to get started with a 14-day free trial of TestMonitor.