By Corinne Homer
Brits who work from home lose two and half hours over the course of a month – due to distractions and accidents, says a new study.
The average office-worker will work from home for five days of the month, the poll showed, but will spill 5 drinks and delete 10 important files over that time because they can’t get into ‘work-mode’.
Two out of three admitted they don’t have a designated work space at home, with almost a fifth who just set up a laptop from their bed.
And while a quarter confessed they don’t get dressed on a work-from-home day, a carefree 16 per cent don’t even make it to the shower.
A spokesman for Furniture at Work, which commissioned the study, said, “Having the option to work from home is an increasingly popular option for office-workers, and can be seen as a novelty.
“But the amount of distractions can have a negative effect on productivity, particularly when working somewhere we associate with relaxing such as the bed or sofa.
“No matter where you prefer to work, it’s worth bearing in mind that the office environment – particularly the modernised offices of today – have been designed to get the most out of our skills.”
The research showed the average employed Brit works from home around five days a month, and spends 30 minutes each day being distracted – in addition to lunch time and breaks.
So it’s no surprise one in four confessed they have trouble getting into ‘work mode’ when working from home, and lose track of their duties an average of four times a day.
Ten per cent admitted their makeshift workspace – often involving a bed and cushion set-up – causes them to be badly organised and ‘too relaxed’.
And there were other reasons to avoid working from home – one in ten said they feel ‘stir crazy’ being cooped up in the house, while a fifth confessed to feeling out of the loop with other colleagues.
The average home-worker will spill five food or drink items over the course of a month, and delete up to ten important documents when in a domestic mind-set.
Temptation to get household chores done was named as the top distraction, with watching TV instead of working was also seen as a problem.
Over a fifth said playing with the dog or cat causes them to ignore doing work in a domestic space, with freely browsing Facebook and Twitter proving too easy for one in six.
The doorbell brings more distractions, as deliveries from the postman and warding off unexpected guests were other reasons home-workers become side-tracked.
While 12 per cent said answering PPI and personal calls on the home phone mean items on their to-do list remain un-ticked.
And standards can slip in other areas it seems – a quarter of adults said they don’t get dressed when working from home, while one in ten admitted to barely leaving the bed.
Only one in five said they have a real home office set up specifically for professional use.
In fact, 71 per cent expressed they find it hard to distinguish between working and relaxing when at home, with a similar amount who admitted they function better from a real office.
A spokesman said, “Specialist seating and a clear workspace are key for getting the most out of your work day.
“Rather than going home for a change of scene, thinking of ways to modernise your environment at the office means you will be less inclined to be distracted.”
Top distractions when working from home
1. Household chores (dinner, laundry, cleaning)
2. Spilling food/drink
3. Wearing pyjamas/tracksuit bottoms
4. Watching TV
5. Doorbell ringing
6. Playing with cat/dog
7. Chatting online with colleagues
8. Unexpected guests
9. Personal phone calls
10. Postman/deliveries
11. Social media
12. Texting
13. Kids in the house
14. Oversleeping
15. Not having a proper work space
16. PPI calls on home phone
17. Balancing/dropping computer
18. Aching due to bad seating
19. Being too comfortable
20. Going to kitchen for food
