It’s been widely reported and commented on that during lockdown and working from home many people have had their productivity affected. Whilst we can technically get more done as we don’t have constant work interruptions and a zero commute, it’s not been that easy for many.
As we now move into a period for the medium to long-term term where more of us have the freedom to work from home more, which many of you will want to take advantage of and many employers will encourage, let’s look at how we can make sure we stay energised and productive. Over the next few weeks, I’ll unpack all the key aspects of how to optimise your energy whilst working more flexibly.
Today, let’s look at the issues. What are the pros and cons of working more flexibility?
Pros
Greater flexibility
No Commute
Better for the environment
Potential for better work / life balance
Reduced childcare costsSaving money on commute
Ability to create more killer routines that work for you
Ability to live further away from work
Opportunity to use extra time to exercise, hobbies etc.
You can prepare a proper lunch
Potential to be happier
Cons
Lack of direction
Lack of informal contact with colleagues leading to less creativity
Hard to stay motivated
Risk of losing work life balance
Children / distractions
Can get monotonous
Loss of home space to work
Less commuting can mean less exercise
Lack of Structure
Risk of making more bad food choices
Zoom Fatigue (It’s now a thing)
More flexibility about workstation (for instance working in the garden on a sunny day)
Poor desk setup can cause musculoskeletal issues
Potential to sleep longer as no commute
Lack of clear on / off periods can lead to poor sleep (permanently switched on)
Less contact with colleagues could lead to less conflict
Harder to resolve conflicts
More likely to work in “Silos”
Isolation / Loneliness
Loss of commute leading to loss of unwind time
No one to spot when you are having a bad day and offer you tea and sympathy
Harder to get clear instructions from your manager on work required and to see you've done a good job
wonder if when you started reading this post, you hadn’t thought of many of the above?
As I said above, over the coming weeks, I’ll talk about how to overcome the above cons so you can be the top performer, whilst still reaping the benefits.
Before I go though, I just want to talk about hydration. It’s so easy when we are in a different routine to let your hydration go. The impact of physical and mental impairment is significant. You’ll feel tired, you’ll make mistakes, you’ll get grumpy, you’ll forget things.
So think about your hydration strategy. You should be getting a minimum of 6-8 cups of water a day. If you’re not already, how could you incorporate staying hydrated into your flexible working routine? I would suggest at the very minimum, an investment in some water bottles, so you can have water with you whether it’s a home day, a work day or a travel day.
If you focus on implementing this one habit this week, by the time you read my next blog, you’ll be more resourceful and ready to act on next week’s blog when we cover off some the above cons around lack of structure to your day.
Ian Hacon
PS, do let us know if you think we’ve missed any of the pros and cons.