Does Working From Home Make You Lazy?

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Working from home may seem like a dream; since the pandemic, it has been a reality for many people. There are many advantages to working from home – you don’t have to spend hours in traffic, you can wear whatever you want, and you’re just a few steps away from your kitchen. How cool is that?

However, as wonderful as working from home may be, there are disadvantages too, particularly when it comes to productivity. So, does working from home make you lazy? This is what I’m about to share with you!

Working from home can make you lazy. There are so many distractions, and because there are no fixed times or work hours, it’s easy to procrastinate. Feeling comfortable being in your own environment doesn’t do much to help motivation, either.

It’s easy to generalize, but everyone is different. While the vast majority of people may succumb to laziness and adopt unhealthy work habits while working from home, others may be super-productive and get more done than at the office.

In this article, we will look at why working from home makes so many of us lazy and what we can do to get motivated.

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4 Reasons Why Working From Home Makes You Lazy

Apart from feeling more relaxed – which does nothing to drive a sense of urgency – there are a few other reasons why working from home makes you lazy and decreases your motivation. Some are:

1. Your Mind Is Not In Work Mode

So many of us are guilty of this. You likely fall asleep late, binge-watching your latest obsession on Netflix, convincing yourself it’s okay since you’re working from home and don’t have to get up too early.

Or, your alarm goes off shortly before you need to start your work day, you rush to the bathroom, brush your teeth and head straight to your laptop to start work. While this may save time, it doesn’t help prepare your mind for work.

Your body and mind need time to transition from sleep and rest into work mode for you to function more efficiently.

2. There Are Too Many Distractions

You may think that working from an office has many distractions – like that pesky colleague who has to stop by your desk to fill you in on the details of what her cat had for breakfast. Or maybe you struggle to concentrate because your cubicle mate talks loudly on the phone.

Working from home may seem like the ideal solution to avoid these distractions since you can work in peace and quiet. However, your home provides distractions of another kind;

It could be your dog, thrilled to have you home and insisting on having your attention.
Maybe the kitchen is tempting, and you think it won’t hurt to take ten to fifteen minutes to prepare a quick snack.
It could be chores you feel you must do – whether unpacking the dishwasher or doing laundry.

These distractions can derail your workday because although individually, they don’t take long, they all add up to a large chunk of wasted time.

3. You’re Dealing With Cabin Fever

Working from home and being able to access everything we need, thanks to online shopping and delivery apps, while convenient, isn’t always a good thing.

Cabin fever, caused by being confined to your home for long periods, can cause depression and restlessness and interfere with your sleep patterns, impacting your motivation.

4. Lack of Fixed Work Hours

Even though your employer might have dedicated work hours, like 9 am to 5 pm, if you aren’t client-facing, you can work whenever you feel like as long as you meet your deadlines. This means you have no set work hours, and your work and personal time may often blur.

Not having a fixed work time and clear boundaries between work and personal time makes it easy to procrastinate and push work to later. This inevitably makes you lazy to get down to it.

3 Things You Can Do To Make Working From Home Productive

There may be many triggers causing you to feel lazy when attempting to work from home, but all is not lost. If you plan on working from home long term, there are things you can do that will keep you motivated and focused and prevent you from becoming lazy.

Being said, try adopting the following practices during your work days and you are more likely to see improvement in your working productivity:

1. Build a Routine

Having a routine that you follow helps to structure your day. Also, a routine provides you with a plan you must follow, so you aren’t left wondering how to fill your time and since.

Since you will follow it daily, you’re less likely to forget what you should be doing and waste time on useless things.

The way you structure your day is up to you, but to maintain a good routine, you should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. After waking up in the morning, spend some time getting ready for the work day.

This means showering and changing into fresh clothes. Sure, you don’t need to wear a suit or dress in something office-appropriate. Nevertheless, changing into clothes rather than working in your pajamas does wonders to shift your mind into work mode!

2. Prioritize Movement

Everyone knows exercise is important, even more so if you barely leave your home.

When you work from an office, you have to commute to work and likely walk around the office to chat with colleagues and attend meetings. So, even if you’re not exercising, at least you get to move.

You probably don’t move much when you work from home, which leaves you feeling lethargic. Exercising gets your blood pumping and gives you a boost of energy. There are so many ways to exercise – you can follow an exercise class online, join a gym, or go for a walk.

And, while we’re on exercise and movement, consider stepping outside for a few minutes. Also, open some windows to let in fresh air. Working indoors for a long time with the windows closed can also make you sleepy because you’re breathing in stale air.

When you’re feeling a bit tired, go outside and take a few deep breaths. Getting some fresh air can be invigorating and help you feel refreshed.

3. Have a Dedicated Work Area

It may be tempting to get into bed with your laptop when it’s cold – or slump on the couch. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good idea. Beds and sofas are for personal time and relaxation. You need a dedicated work area where all your work things are within easy reach.

If you have a spare room that you can convert into an office, this is the best option since it allows you to compartmentalize work and personal spaces. This may not be an option for most, though, since many people live in small houses or apartments with used rooms that can’t be converted.

The next option is to dedicate a space in your home to work. This can be in the living room or your bedroom, where there is some space for a desk and comfortable chair. Having a desk for work allows you to keep all your work things together.

If you don’t have room for a desk, you may have to work in the dining room or at the kitchen table. In this case, ensure the table is clear of any distractions and set it up for work. You can do this the night before or just before you begin working every morning.

Conclusion

Working from home doesn’t have to turn you into a lazy person. However, chances are you may be affected by this new practice, and the pipe dream will turn into a deadly routine, unless you control it!

In this article, I’ve shared with you some helpful tips that you can follow and you’ll soon be upping your productivity levels dramatically.

For me, I would die trying to figure out a healthy routine for working from home rather than working a day in an office!

Luckily, I’ve been working on the internet for the past 7 years, and I know how distracting things can get.

Thank you for taking that far and I wish you a productive working environment! If you’re looking forward to starting something for your own that will allow you to work from home or anywhere else, but are not sure where to start, I recommend you take this online training, for FREE! (It can change your life!)

Kindly, if you found this post inspiring and valuable, share it with your friends, please! (Virtual high fives and hugs to all my sharers out there)