Whether we like to admit it or not, everyone gets a bit distracted at work sometimes. And summer is no different. For some, summer might actually be the season where they’re the most distracted.
That’s unsurprising really, considering that most of us grew up accustomed to an extended break from school during the warmer months.
And it’s usually pretty obvious when the lazy days of summer start to hit the office. People start breaking out the flip flops and dipping out of the office early, and distractions run rampant. Here are 28 reasons your employees are distracted this summer.
- The Weather.
- FOMO. People are constantly checking their phone for fear of missing out on a spontaneous lake trip coordinated in the group chat.
- The Thermostat. According to Grasshopper, 46% of people don’t like the temperature in the office. Too much (or not enough) air conditioning in the office can affect productivity.
- Vacation. Planning it. Taking it. Recovering from it. Oh the myriad ways vacation can be a summertime distraction.
- Child Care. Now that the kids are on summer break, many parents struggle to piece together child care plans that won’t break the bank. Don’t take our word for it – here’s a reality check via New York Times.
- Water Breaks. Staying hydrated can actually help with remaining alert, but it’s easy to get pulled into conversation and distracted from work when you step away from your desk to grab a drink.
- Cookouts.
- Chatty Co-workers. They just have to tell you about their trip to the beach last weekend.
- Summer traffic. Who wants to stick around at work only to sit in traffic in a hot car?
- The Pool.
- Longer Lunch Breaks. There’s nothing wrong with stepping away from your desk for lunch, but sometimes it can be tempting to enjoy an extended lunch for the sake of catching a few rays.
- Landscaping. Sometimes even the best headphones can’t drown out the constant hum of a weed whacker.
- Allergies. Itchy eyes, sneezing and coughing can make it difficult to focus on much of anything.
- OOO Emails. Let the scheduling nightmares and vacation envy ensue.
- Summer Chores. The lawn is covered in weeds and the pool is full of leaves.
- Music Festivals.
- Longer Days. When the sun doesn’t go down until after 8 p.m. it’s tempting to stay out later and, ultimately, harder to get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
- The Glare. That sunshine we’ve all been longing for can make it pretty difficult to stare at a computer all day.
- Online Shopping. Who can resist a summer sale?
- Construction. The uptick in building and road projects during the summer can cause noisy distractions.
- The “Summer Slowdown.” A dip in the numbers when clients go on vacation can be disheartening.
- Travel Photos. Everyone knows its summer when social media feeds become a continuous stream of beach pics that you just can’t help but look at.
- Surfing. The internet, that is.
- Multitasking. Everyone thinks they can discretely book an Airbnb during a meeting with no trouble until they suddenly need to recall what was decided in said meeting.
- To-do List. With all the fun they have planned on top of their work to-dos, it can be pretty daunting.
- Summer Hours. Having a compressed work week can work for some people, but for others it only leads to more stress – having to adjust a child care pick up, fitting everyone’s schedule and working longer hours can be taxing.
- Summer Blockbusters. Everyone’s talking about that new superhero movie.
- Parent Guilt. You want to give your kids the best summer ever, but it’s not easy to plan trips to the beach, amusement park or campground when you have work responsibilities too.
READ MORE
- 15 Times When Working Parents Need Backup Care
- 101 Reasons to Care About Employees’ Lives Outside Work
- How Work-Life Benefits Improve Employee Productivity
- What Your Employees Need When Their Parents Need Care
- 8 Great Employee Benefits Millennials Actually Want
Find out how Care@Work can help limit summer distractions:
Call: 877-227-3916
Email: careatwork@care.com
