We’ve all heard about the importance of “detaching” yourself from work when you leave the office as a step you need to take to get closer to creating a good work/life balance and having better wellbeing. But now, scientists from Portland State University (PSU)  are saying that “reattaching” ourselves for the day ahead is just as important and is a driver for success.

 

How do we reattach?

Charlotte Fritz, one of the study’s co-authors and associate professor of industrial-organisational psychology at PSU, says that re-attachment can look different from job to job. She says that for some people, reattachment can look like thinking about tasks for the day ahead while having breakfast or taking their morning shower. For others, it might even look like going through a to-do list while buying a cup of coffee; it can look different from person-to-person and day-to-day.

 

Study and findings

Researchers surveyed 151 employees from several industries, ranging from health to energy, and information technology. According to Fritz, the results showed that employees who were able to reattach themselves for their workday were able to accomplish their work-day goals effectively and feel more positive and consequently, be more engaged with their work.

So what is engagement, you might ask? Fritz describes engagement as a “sense of energy” where you feel absorbed in and dedicated to your work. And it doesn’t just cause employees to perform better at work, it even benefits the organisations they’re a part of, she says. This is because employees who feel more engaged with their work are not only more likely to perform better and find it satisfying but are also more likely to help complete extra tasks.

 

How workplaces can help

Researchers say that organisations can play a significant part in helping employees reattach. Some of their suggestions include giving employees some quiet time to themselves before starting their work, offering them brief checklists and encouraging them to focus on their top goals.

I don’t know about you, but I could definitely use the productive energy boost I could get from reattachment.

 

How do you plan to reattach? Share your ideas in the comments!

Written by Tesneem Ayoub

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190318084123.htm

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