How External Factors Affect Your Work Performance

How External Factors Affect Your Work Performance

Companies have changed a lot over the past few years. Before, it was all about building the ideal office space to improve productivity. Now, remote work is as prevalent as ever. Despite the changes, there are some things that still remain. One of them is the employee evaluation.

No matter the industry or field, every company dedicates a time to review their employees’ performance. It can take place a year after the worker’s first day or in December. Whenever it actually takes place, it can be nerve-wracking on everyone.

The problem for employees is that their performance at work isn’t solely dependent on the elements in the workplace. There are external factors that change how efficient and effective they are.

The Home

A survey compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that Americans spend most of their time either at work or at home. Naturally, how you’re feeling at one place affects the other. For example, after a stressful day at work, you’ll likely feel tired and tense at home. There are even several studies about the negative effects of taking home work-related stress. Of course, this works both ways. If there’s tension between you and your roommates at home, you take the emotional strain with you at work. More likely than not, it can affect your work productivity.

The good news is that you can turn this situation for your benefit. If your home situation can negatively affect your performance at work, you can fix it and make it into a positive one. If your roommates are causing you distress, you can always move to a one-bedroom apartment. Or if you can’t take the daily commute, you can look for a rental that’s closer to your workplace.

Friends and Family

A person goes through many changes as they grow older. You move out of the house and into university and then go into professional work. It’s natural for your relationship with your family to change. But it’s crucial to keep strong ties with your siblings, parents, and other relatives. Studies have shown that people with strong family relationships have better mental health and self-esteem. Both important factors for a person to work effectively.

Besides the family, friendships are also paramount when it comes to mental and physical health. Your friends influence your daily habits and reduce your stress.

The problem is that making friends is difficult when you’re older. You don’t have schoolwork or extracurricular activities to bond over. It’s especially complicated because of remote work now. To make friends, you’ll have to go out of your comfort zone and actively seek relationships. Join clubs and classes to find people with similar interests.

Your Health

Annual Health Check Up

Work is stressful enough on its own. You have to meet tight deadlines, attend lengthy meetings, and deal with office politics. It’s all more challenging if you’re dealing with something health related. How can anyone focus on the performance of a new campaign if you’re also worrying about illnesses?

The first step to get on top of your health is to listen to your body. Don’t ignore changes or aches that have been occurring for weeks. See a doctor to find out the cause and how to resolve it. The next step is to get screened. Depending on the demographic you belong to, you might be more likely to get certain conditions than other people. As for all diseases, the best solution is to address it as early as possible. The Department of Health provides information on the tests that you may need.

Your Significant Other

There’s a reason why so many movies, songs, and even games revolve around love. It’s not just something that makes you feel good. Studies have proven that it affects your brain. During a relationship, your brain’s reward circuit is triggered which induces pleasure. On the other hand, after a breakup, your brain goes through a withdrawal of happy hormones which makes it hard to focus on anything else.

Besides your brain chemistry, it also affects your physical health in other ways. Research has found that people in long, committed relationships are less likely to develop disease and disorders. They are also more likely to live longer.

If you want to improve your performance at work, you have to look at the big picture. It’s easy to think that you might not be meeting your deadlines because you’re distracted or stressed. But the tension might be coming from something else. Try to look at things objectively and find out the root cause so you can sort it out. It might help not only your work productivity but also your well-being.

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