Page 30 - August-2020-Issue

ARTICLE

Work at home in times

of COVID-19

Dr. Farah Naqvi
Management
Professor, AAASM

s everyone had initially inhibitory control; so that we can from home to work to office caf-
pictured Work from temporarily dissociate ourselves eteria, to formal and informal
AHome as a temporary from other cognitive and emo- meetings; it is now about com-
work change that would offer tional distractions and focus on muting from work desk at home
lots of free time coupled with the task itself. Working in an to living room, kitchen, fridge,
flexibility in work schedule. As office environment enables em- balcony, window, bathroom,
the pandemic data turns scarier ployees to distance themselves children play area etc. Working
each day and news of forced sal- temporarily from home and so- from home struggling to main-
ary cuts, layoffs are increasing so cial distractions effectively psy- tain focus on a thought by in-
are the uncertainties. Employee chologically. Getting dressed, hibiting all potential distractions
learning to work at home, were travelling to work and working rather than strengthening ones'
eager to please and meet all work in a space designated specifically focus on the central mental ac-
requests with enthusiasm. Very for work with proper infrastruc- tivity associated with work can
soon this started to get replaced tural and systemic facilities as- cause directed attention fatigue
by lassitude, a state of mental sist in concentrating better, en- leading to irritability, impatience
and physical weariness, discom- hancing productivity. This is the and forgetfulness.
fort, fatigue and burnout. reason companies are motivated The pandemic situation that

If ones' job is relatively secure to invest heavily in employee has brought work to home has
and one is performing the same wellbeing and workspace. With caused unique unrest, especially
work from home, then why is it the disappearing boundaries be- in employees who functioned on
leading to increased stress when tween work and home coupled the principle that when at home,
working from home. Some of the with lack of training, remote leave work and office thoughts
possible causes have been ex- working has increased the pres- behind. Such employees who had
plored below. sure on many employees. The been naturally programmed to
cause of this increased stress and separate their work and personal
fatigue can be attributed to di-
Directed Attention rected attention fatigue (DAF), lives are now caught in a circum-
Fatigue and inability to a neuropsychological phenome- stance that is not allowing them
positively disengage from non resulting from the overuse of to do so. Understanding from the
distractions perspective of self-complexity
brain inhibitory attention mecha- theory as individuals we have
To perform our work effectively nisms. The nature of commute multiple aspects- context-depen-
on a job requires us to draw on has been totally reversed by this dent social roles, relationships,
our executive functions especially lockdown. From commuting activities and goals, and we

30 KaleidOscope August, 2020