Does working from home make you drift?

Working from home makes us more easily distracted by the internet.

Even the most pro-active, accountable and self-motivated person could develop unproductive work habits when lacking human interactions if the internet is the only platform their work is based on.

Some people are creative, relying on an associative approach, while others favour a sequential, step by step method. No matter the preferences, we all need structure to progress towards our goals. Drifting is inevitable, and to some extent, even beneficial. It gives our brain a break, opens up new perspectives, and prevents monotony. It can also lead us to new resources, as we may come across information, opinions, and tools that we haven’t even imagined they existed. All the same, drifting could lead to procrastination, loosing focus and performance decline. Once more, the golden mean wins.

Some of my close collaborators have labelled me as a structure-oriented person; identifying patterns, designing and improving processes, planning and keeping things on track are, indeed, matters that I thrive on. Yet, others would say that creativity is my main feature; I can’t help myself from producing new ideas, challenging the status-quo, and experiencing new territories. Truth is, both parties have a point. I constantly mitigate facets of myself.

I started my day with a clear to-do-list, of which studying for the on-line CIPD certification was the first task. If going by the book, and provided with all the tools and technical resources, pursuing a SMART goal with the right motivation should assure anyone of their path to success. Yet, very soon, I found myself side-tracked, gallivanting on the internet, chasing areas of my main interest, spanning from HR, to Psychology and English language and British culture. Fortunately, over a 50-year life experience, I’ve developed a good level of self-awareness, so I haven’t got completely lost in my associative research. Half an hour later I shut all the windows, and returned to my CIPD lessons.

But, then, the idea of sharing my experience with others, hoping that someone would empathise with and benefit from it, popped-up. As if dragged by an invisible force, I summarised my today netizen journey in a Canva design, and then I considered posting a few lines about it for on my blog.

Since English is not my first language, it’s always a struggle for me to discourse. And there is where my time went. None of these activities were part of my to-do-list, so my drifting was at other tasks’ expense. Hopefully, it led me to new achievements.

I’ve always loved working remotely, for the freedom it gave me. Yet, since this way of functioning has turned into more of an imposed way than a personal choice, I absolutely miss human interactions. Having someone to converse with, to share ideas, to ask questions and to get feedback from, is a normal, human expectation. No matter how experienced, self-driven, focused and results-oriented we are, having a sounding board, a travel mate, a learning buddy, or a mentor, helps us to stay on track, enjoy the journey and reach the desired goals. And this is the reason I’ve never stopped being a coach.

If you think that you could use some help to progress towards your goals, have a look at SevenSight Transformation Program and book your free exploratory session. A short conversation will give you the chance to experience the energy I bring and to discover if I’m the right partner for your transformation journey.

I’d love to hear from you. How do you cope with working remotely? What are your challenges? What helps you stay focused? And how do you keep yourself motivated?