The pandemic era has been challenging on many levels, but with so many of us working from home, it has prevented an inevitable blurring of our work/life boundaries.  Research from Portland State University highlights the importance of the right mindset for work in such circumstances.

The researchers find that when we mentally reconnect to work each day, such as by thinking about the tasks we wish to achieve, what events are on our agenda, or the situations we might face, before we start our day, the more successful and engaged we are throughout the day.

What’s more, leaders who were able to successfully reattach each day also experienced more positive moods and were better able to focus on their work, which greatly helped their success.

Reattaching to work

The authors suggest that this reattachment can occur in a range of circumstances, whether while at home, during a commute, or even when we physically arrive at our workplace.  They believe that for those of us working from home, the time saved from not commuting can be effectively spent reattaching to work and getting into the right mindset before we get started each morning.

The study, which focused on the productivity and effectiveness of leaders, found that by reattaching to work each day, managers were more energized, engaged, and successful at work.  What’s more, these leaders were also able to engage in more transformational behaviors than their peers who had not successfully reattached each morning.

“These leader behaviors are crucial for a variety of employee outcomes,” the researchers say. “Providing a vision, being inspirational and motivating for employees, listening carefully and supporting employee needs and providing them with opportunities for growth.”