Conscientiousness
Do you like to keep everything in its place or are you sat looking at yesterday’s lunch plate? Is yours a tidy desk for a tidy mind, or is it a perpetual work in progress full of Post-it notes and unfinished tasks?
Conscientiousness is the personality trait that measure the difference between these two extremes.
A highly conscientious person tends to get tasks done quickly and efficiently. They are orderly and like to work to a clear schedule.
A person with low conscientiousness, on the other hand, dislikes structure or rigid expectations. They tend to be undisciplined, prone to procrastination, and keep a messy work environment. They do get things done, but in their own time.
Dealing with Working from Home – Low Conscientiousness
You may need to make a few changes to make working from home, work for you.
Without the buzz of the team and a manager over your shoulder, you may not feel as motivated to complete tasks in a home working environment. For you, it’s teamwork that makes the dream work.
You might not be a fan of structure but setting up regular meetings with your manager will really help. They will keep you encouraged and on track.
Also find time in the week to connect with your manager on a personal level. Ideally use video chat rather than a text message exchange. The social and emotional connections in a richer medium will be more motivating for you.
Consider WFH as an opportunity to work in a different, more flexible way. Just remember you still have a job to do!
Dealing with Working from Home – High Conscientiousness
Congratulations conscientious caller – working from home, works well for you!
A reliable and productive worker bee, you will crack on and get the job done, whilst keeping control of your hive. Be careful though, your driven nature could see you forgetting to clock off at the end of the day. Too much work and not enough play, can result in stress that will affect your mental and physical health.
You are self-disciplined. So use this skill to be kind to yourself. ‘Nudges’, like a timer to remind you to take regular breaks, can help. And stick to your schedule by all means, but just make sure you’ve planned start and stop times so you are not tempted to stay buzzing away all night long.