Attempts to stop the spread of coronavirus are resulting in a lot of us suddenly needing to work from home.
While for many this is the standard (thank you for your tips, longtime work-from-home people), and a large portion of people will be rejoicing at the prospect of slumming it in their PJs, some workers will be experiencing a touch of dread.
Some of us just aren’t suited to working outside of an office environment. We’re easily distracted, prone to snoozing if we don’t make ourselves leave the house, and struggle to be productive without physically getting ourselves into work mode by sitting in our designated workspace.
If you’re one of these people, don’t feel silly – it’s pretty common to not feel at your peak when outside of a set work environment.
Magda Osman, a reader in psychology at Queen Mary University of London, explains that so much of how we work depends on our physical context, and that suddenly needing to work from home will require some mental adjustment.
Magda tells Metro.co.uk: ‘The transition for some from working predominately in the office to working mostly from home will be difficult because not only is it unfamiliar, but because it requires having to establish associations that are atypical with being at home.
‘If home is typically a place of respite, then the transition from that to work will be harder, because the switch may be from a highly positive association to a negative one, not only will that be demotivating, it will also be mentally effortful to adapt to the switch; there are mental effort costs in doing so.
‘If work has multiple negative associations regardless of context, then switching from office to working from home is also unlikely to lead to sustained or improved productivity, because there are greater opportunities to procrastinate.
‘Without other colleagues to regulate and determine the level of work we do, being at home and working will likely seem like a greater mental effort cost.’
So there’s already the mental strain of adjusting to a new setup that puts a dent in your productivity. Then you add in all the distractions that naturally pop up at home.
‘At home, we are exposed to various distractions, including the household, children and catching up with the latest Netflix series, none of which apply in an office environment,’ psychologist Daria Kuss notes.
Our ability to block out all those opportunities for distraction depends on our personality type and working style – and it’s vital for employers to be conscious of our differences when instructing everyone to work from home and use the same methods of communication.
Managers can make the sudden need to work from home an easier adjustment for staff – and ensure higher levels of productivity – simply by being aware of the potential challenges and adjusting demands to fit individuals’ working styles.
It’s vital that before you settle into working-from-home life, you chat with your managers about the expectations of communication.
It’s your boss’s job to make sure that working from home doesn’t mean you feel completely isolated from your office. It needs to be clear how you can communicate, who you can contact if you have an issue, and how you will complete tasks in a way that works for this adjusted working style.
‘Structured regular meetings over video conferencing platforms can help to remind people that they are still part of a community,’ says Magda.
And on an individual level, there are tweaks we can make to ensure working from home doesn’t wreck our ability to work.
First off, it’s key to create a designated workspace within your home so you can create those context clues that tell you when it’s time to work and when it’s time to relax.
In the same vein, it’s crucial to stick to working hours and make sure you move from your workspace to your relaxation space when your working day is over.
‘It makes sense to stick to the same working schedule, setting the alarm for the same time as if one would typically go to work to the office,’ says Magda.
‘The closer the conditions of home are to work during working hours, the more likely the routine of working from home aligns with working practices in the office.
‘This helps to psychological bring in relevant contextual factors we associate with working in the office to portions of the home so that we maintain equivalent levels of productivity.
‘This also helps to demarcate when we are in “work mode” and when we are in “home mode”.’
This will help you focus when it’s work time, but is also key in helping you shut off – which can become even harder than usual when you don’t have the usual cut-off of leaving the office.
It does mean that you really shouldn’t work from your laptop in bed. That will only blur the lines further between your work and home mindsets.
Daria adds: ‘I strongly encourage not to engage in any work-related activities in the bedroom as this may negatively impact sleeping patterns and stress levels.’
Daria also recommends adding some structure to your day by starting each morning with a full to-do list, then enjoying the freedom working from home allows to work with your own natural cycles of energy and creativity.
‘Some people thrive when working from home because of the increasing flexibility it offers as well as the peace and quiet it may provide for intricate tasks that require longer periods of heightened attention,’ she explains.
‘One of the ways we can stay focused and keep working when working away from home is to set daily tasks to be achieved. Once the list of tasks to be achieved is completed, the working day may come to a natural close.’
Beyond that, the rules of working from home aren’t so clear-cut. You should use this opportunity to really figure out how you work best, and then use your newfound freedom to create your ideal working environment.
Perhaps you like some low-volume music in the background, you prefer to walk around while taking a phone call, or you like being able to cook a proper meal on your lunch break – these are all things you can test out when working from home.
Remember that working from home will be an adjustment and you might come up against challenges (terrible internet connection, the distractions of the TV, a sudden desire to eat everything in the fridge), but that the more you do it, the more you’ll discover about how you best work.
Keep at it, keep experimenting, and do enjoy the luxury of wearing cosy sweatpants in your home office. It’s delightful.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/16/might-struggle-focus-working-home-coronavirus-pandemic-12386770/?ITO=squid
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