Ever heard yourself or others say this:

“I need to concentrate so I’m booking a meeting room”

“I come in early to work so I can get stuff done before anyone gets in”

“When I work from home, I get so much done”

The three main reasons we are not as productive at work are:

We get distracted – Everything from well-meaning people who pop in to say hi, to the general sounds, sights and smells that happens in workplace environments.  Despite what you might think about your ability to work in noisy environments, research suggests that we are more productive in quiet environments.  I get that some people like working in coffee shops or “buzzing” environments.  Don’t confuse “feeling good” with “being productive”.

We get interrupted – If we are visible we are deemed to be available.  It’s expected that we can be called into a meeting or discussion irrespective of what we might be working on, or our schedule. 

Visibility = Availability.  I remember in my last job I would put on a pair of speaker headphones and pretend I was on a conference call.  This gave me up to 2 hours of productive uninterrupted time.

We commute during our most valuable time – Granted, this is more of a morning thing.  In the morning, your brain is at its most rested and functional (notwithstanding a hangover….).  Many of us spend much of that valuable time commuting when we could be using that prime-time brain power for our most challenging thinking.  What if you worked from home until 11, and then went to the office.  Firstly the commute would be quicker and/or more comfortable and secondly, you have had 2 solid hours of productivity under your belt.

Don’t get me wrong, workplaces are essential for getting face time with each other and productively working in teams. I’m just saying that sometimes we need to get away from it all to get stuff done.