Productivity
July 21, 2023
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How to Stay Effective When Working From Home

Productivity and Working From Home

Does our productivity take a hit when we work from home? According to one study of more than 16,000 employees, WFH increased productivity by 13%, while a survey of another group of workers reported that 30% of them felt they got more done at home vs. at the office. Even Mark Zuckerberg publicly endorsed WFH back in 2020, saying in a company memo that: “Working remotely has given me more space for long-term thinking and…has made me happier and more productive at work.”

So Why Do We Become Unproductive?

While for some the office can be a place full of distractions, for others, working from home presents even more productivity hindrances. When at-home distractions end up simply replacing the office distractions we left behind, (sometimes even distracting us more often and for longer) we can find ourselves less effective in a WFH setting than we were at the office.

You might be surprised to learn however, that the reason we become unproductive has little to do with the source of our distractions, but rather, how we deal with them.

According to research, humans naturally lose focus and feel tired about every 90 minutes or so. This can sometimes mean we welcome distractions, or go looking for them just to give our brain a break.

How Do We Correct For Unproductiveness?

Giving our brain a break is actually one way we can counteract unproductiveness. The trick is to make your break a good one; not something that's going to drain your brain power further and make you feel worn out (like another work task), and not something like social media that can distract you for too long.

When working from home, things like pets, children, chores, and other things can all serve to detract our focus away from our work, and yet, these same distractions are some of the greatest benefits of a WFH lifestyle. So how do we cope?

The easiest way to nip unproductive habits in the bud is simply to build good habits to counteract them. This can include habits that help you stay organized, or stay focused, or both. According to neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, 40% of what we do (or don’t do) in a day actually depends on our habits, making them absolutely critical to the way we work and get things done.

Build good habits that include blocking time to get your tasks done, and taking good short breaks to recharge your batteries throughout the day. You may find these two simple practices will help a lot!

How Can Brightspot Help Me Stay Effective At Work?

Brightspot offers easy learning programs and tools to teach you about (and help you build!) all sorts of good habits that’ll help you stay effective no matter where you’re working. With topics like:

  • Staying Organized
  • Time Blocking
  • Taking Breaks
  • Wellness Exercises

and more!

The best part? Brightspot plans are made to be quick, fun, and easy. Sign up for our waitlist now to get access to all of our learning content and tools for free the minute we launch. You’ll be owning your productivity in no time.

The Power of Habits
Charles Duhigg
With penetrating intelligence and an ability to distill vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives, Duhigg brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation.
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How to Stay Effective When Working From Home

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Productivity and Working From Home

Does our productivity take a hit when we work from home? According to one study of more than 16,000 employees, WFH increased productivity by 13%, while a survey of another group of workers reported that 30% of them felt they got more done at home vs. at the office. Even Mark Zuckerberg publicly endorsed WFH back in 2020, saying in a company memo that: “Working remotely has given me more space for long-term thinking and…has made me happier and more productive at work.”

So Why Do We Become Unproductive?

While for some the office can be a place full of distractions, for others, working from home presents even more productivity hindrances. When at-home distractions end up simply replacing the office distractions we left behind, (sometimes even distracting us more often and for longer) we can find ourselves less effective in a WFH setting than we were at the office.

You might be surprised to learn however, that the reason we become unproductive has little to do with the source of our distractions, but rather, how we deal with them.

According to research, humans naturally lose focus and feel tired about every 90 minutes or so. This can sometimes mean we welcome distractions, or go looking for them just to give our brain a break.

How Do We Correct For Unproductiveness?

Giving our brain a break is actually one way we can counteract unproductiveness. The trick is to make your break a good one; not something that's going to drain your brain power further and make you feel worn out (like another work task), and not something like social media that can distract you for too long.

When working from home, things like pets, children, chores, and other things can all serve to detract our focus away from our work, and yet, these same distractions are some of the greatest benefits of a WFH lifestyle. So how do we cope?

The easiest way to nip unproductive habits in the bud is simply to build good habits to counteract them. This can include habits that help you stay organized, or stay focused, or both. According to neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, 40% of what we do (or don’t do) in a day actually depends on our habits, making them absolutely critical to the way we work and get things done.

Build good habits that include blocking time to get your tasks done, and taking good short breaks to recharge your batteries throughout the day. You may find these two simple practices will help a lot!

How Can Brightspot Help Me Stay Effective At Work?

Brightspot offers easy learning programs and tools to teach you about (and help you build!) all sorts of good habits that’ll help you stay effective no matter where you’re working. With topics like:

  • Staying Organized
  • Time Blocking
  • Taking Breaks
  • Wellness Exercises

and more!

The best part? Brightspot plans are made to be quick, fun, and easy. Sign up for our waitlist now to get access to all of our learning content and tools for free the minute we launch. You’ll be owning your productivity in no time.