Due to the critical situation triggered by the current covid-19 pandemic, the number of people who work from home has highly increased. In the United States, the number of remote workers peaked at 42 percent amid the covid-19 crisis, yet only 2.5 percent prior to the crisis. It even appears that work-from-home would turn out to be a permanent option even after the pandemic.

Some employees who are not really accustomed to work from home may probably struggle to remain productive as the work environment does not match their real needs and expectations for the fulfillment of some tasks assigned to them. For some, working from home is so distracting and draining as they are not alone at home; they may deal with unceasing disruptions while working. Therefore, they find themselves less productive in their remote work experience than if they work in an office. From the article “Are employees more productive working from home?” written by Baruch Silvermann, founder and CEO at The Smart Investor, a GetAbstract study revealed that 43 percent of Americans would prefer to work remotely even once the current crisis has ended. Another research outcome from Buffer survey showed that 99 percent of workers would prefer to work remotely at least some of the time, and 40 percent of remote workers explain that the biggest benefit is the flexible schedule.

However, there are some challenges: 22 percent of survey respondents found it difficult to obtain a healthy work-life balance, and 19 percent reported feeling lonely. In some research cases, it is revealed that working from home makes better at some tasks and worse at others, gradually depending on employees’ remote work environment and their adaptation capacity. Indeed, work productivity which goes hand to hand with creativity and performance will definitely decrease when remote worker continuously struggles with a boring assignment and repetitive ordinary distractions while working.

Tips to boost productivity 

To remain highly productive while working from home requires good habits and practices as it is not always an easy choice to engage in a remote work experience. In fact, the ability to successfully work from home is not a prerogative that can be granted to everybody; however, it can be enhanced by following some productive-enhancing remote work tips. Here are a few practical tips proposed by Michael J . Breus, a clinical psychologist and a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, on Psychology Today to boost work productivity: 

• Do avoid using the bedroom as a workspace, bedrooms are meant for sleep and sex as he repeatedly reminds his patients. If workers persist on working in their bedrooms, he suggests creating a workspace – away from bed – to use for work.
• Do set concrete hours for working – and stick to them. time management skills are fundamental in enhancing productivity whether it is in a worker’s or a student’s life. It is always important to create a dedicated work time by avoiding distractions and make sure all tasks get done at the end of the day. 

Sources: Business.com/ Psychology Today