What is the "Gray Zone" in Remote Work, and Why it Matters for Your Company‍

Our homes are no longer just homes in today's day and age. Likewise, our offices are no longer just offices. Instead, we use all kinds of spaces for all sorts of things. While this is convenient, it also has a major impact on productivity — one that’s not necessarily positive.

Researchers have coined the term “gray zone” to describe how many of us function and use our spaces today. A gray zone is undefined. While we used to know our homes were for relaxing and our offices were for work, the lines have now blurred, leaving us unsure how to proceed.

There are ways to hack the gray zone and create clearer boundaries for yourself, resulting in higher WFH productivity. But the first step is understanding there’s a problem. So let’s dive into what the gray zone is and why it matters.;

What Is A “Gray Zone?”

Marketing agency CraftJack surveyed 1,520 Americans who worked remotely during the pandemic. CraftJack wanted to get an idea of the experiences these employees have had in improvised workspaces — and how their work-from-home setup affected their work.

71% of the people surveyed said they were “improvising” regarding their workspace. 32% worked from a traditional office, while 31% said their bedroom did double duty as their office. The statistics got even crazier from there:

• 65% of remote workers had worked from their beds during the pandemic
• 35% had worked from a closet
• 45% regularly worked from a couch
• 38% worked periodically from a bed
• 20% regularly worked outdoors
• 19% worked periodically from a closet

Except for an office, these spaces count as a “gray zone” (although even a home office could be pushing it). Essentially, a gray zone is an undefined area. You use it for various purposes — to live, work, and play, all in the same environment.

91% of the employees surveyed had done something to improve their home workspace, such as purchasing a chair — whether a more ergonomic desk chair or a comfortable rocking chair to keep an eye on young children while “at” work. Other workers bought things like a webcam, desk, or ring light.

The study provided an interesting insight into the lives of remote workers today. But more than that, the study showed us something vital about how the gray zone affects our actual work: If we aren’t careful, this gray zone can negatively affect our productivity.;

How This Affects Productivity

Working on your laptop while slumped in bed might sound like a nice idea. But for the WFH employees in this study, it had consequences. 74% of people surveyed said they had experienced pain and discomfort in the back, neck, shoulders, hands, or wrists while working from home. They felt their body was less supported at home than at their office pre-pandemic — and 50% of remote workers said the physical pain associated with working at home made them long to return to the office.

It’s hard to focus and produce quality work if you’re uncomfortable or in pain. Pain creates stress; another study found that people who live with chronic pain were 64% less likely to view their job as rewarding. People with pain also missed approximately nine more workdays per year than respondents without pain.

Another productivity issue that comes with the “gray zone” territory: unwanted coworkers walking through the room (or, in some cases, even onto the laptop keyboard). For example, 37% of study participants worked in the same room as a partner or roommate, causing noise complaints and strain on the relationship. Moreover, 69% of people have had a partner, child, or pet pop into a video call.

When distractions run rampant, it’s difficult to keep your mind on your work. A partner making noise, a pet asking to go outside, or a child wanting a snack can pull your mind away from what you need to do. Studies show it takes up to 23 minutes to refocus after a single interruption. Considering how often kids get hungry, that’s a major chunk out of your workday.

These aren’t the only productivity issues associated with gray zone life. Working from home (or from a space other than a dedicated office) may mean that employees don’t have the practical tools and resources they need. In addition, depending on the industry, an employee’s role, and personality, a worker might be less productive when working alone, without coworkers who can bounce around ideas. And employees also could be more tempted to slack off without a boss looking over their shoulder.

All of these issues notwithstanding, remote (or hybrid) is the new norm for companies around the globe. People want to work from home. So it’s up to us to figure out ways to hack the gray zone and boost productivity.

7 Tips to Improve Productivity in a Gray Zone

Start with these seven tips to be more productive at work. These actionable tips help improve productivity in the gray zone by making it less of a gray zone, showing you the steps to define clearer boundaries between your work life and everything else.

#1. Create an Ergonomic Workspace

Eliminate the potential of chronic pain by purchasing ergonomic items for your workspace that will support your body. We recommend getting:

• An office chair with lumbar support (or at least a lumbar support pillow)
• A desk with an adjustable height
• An ergonomic keyboard
• An easy-to-grip mouse
• Task lighting such as a desk lamp

While this sounds like a lot, it’s completely possible to purchase these items on a budget. Try looking for furniture on sale or using platforms like Facebook Marketplace. Or just get creative — instead of a monitor arm, use a stack of books to raise your computer monitor and reduce eye strain.

It’s also helpful to remember that you don’t have to buy all these items at once. Even one new piece a month can help you build a better home office over time.

#2. Dedicate A Home Office Budget

Your gray zone workspace should boost productivity by supporting your body. But it should also improve productivity by supporting your mind.

Dedicate a portion of your monthly budget to your home office so you can add other items little by little. Consider buying accessories to help you look and sound professional on video calls; employees in the CraftJack study bought things like a webcam, ring light, or potted plants to put in the frame. Or purchase items that relate to your line of work, such as an anatomical print from Etsy if you’re in the healthcare field. Remember, the goal is to create a room that feels like a dedicated workspace. And adding themed accessories is one way to do it.

Other things you might purchase to improve productivity could include colourful office supplies, a customized photo calendar, or a battery-powered coffee maker, which is a great option for digital nomads halfway between the office and a remote lifestyle. These items help with productivity because they improve your mood and mental health (and we all need that caffeine boost).

#3. Get Dressed

You don’t have to wear business casual to work from home. But you do need to upgrade from your pajamas — even if your pajamas are shorts and a T-shirt, which are in another type of gray zone between pajamas and real clothes.;

Changing clothes in the morning will change your mindset, helping you get out of the workspace gray zone. When you put on something fresh in the morning, you alert your brain it’s time to wake up and start working.

Consider investing in some upscale athleisure or purchasing stretchy jeans with nice tops. A jumpsuit or a T-shirt dress is a great way to look put together yet secretly stay comfortable for women. Men could buy sweatpants with a tailored fit or a few Henleys in different colours.;

#4. Close the Door

Closing the door is a small thing that makes a big difference. Remember the study that said 19% of WFH employees regularly worked from a closet? With distractions running rampant in the gray zone, we aren’t surprised.

Do your best to be alone during your working hours. Don’t work in a common area of the house where people and pets will be passing through. Instead, go into a room with a door and close the door behind you to eliminate distractions.

Let everyone know that you’ll be working from X time to X time, and they can ask you questions during your breaks. Also, get a pet sitter or a new toy for furry family members who don’t understand having a career.

If you miss the accountability that comes with people looking over your shoulder (“Mom, I thought you were working!”), use a tool like Google Chrome, which lets you create multiple accounts with different toolbars on the top. Try setting up two toolbars, one for home and one for work, to stay focused on work instead of giving in to the temptation to scroll Facebook in blessed silence.;

#5. Schedule “Deep Work” Time

We often scatter meetings or calls throughout our workdays — between the mornings and afternoons. On the surface, it might seem like a good idea. But you’re constantly interrupting the flow of your work.

Create dedicated times for deep work and meetings to enhance your productivity in a gray zone. During deep work time blocks, which should happen at the time of day when you’re most productive, do the heavy lifting — the tasks on your plate that require your undivided attention. Don’t take meetings in those specific periods.

You can let teammates know your schedule by sending them to a tool like Calendly, where they can only schedule meetings with you during the times you’ve specified. By separating your appointments from your deep work, you’ll be able to eliminate interruptions and make major progress on important tasks.

#6. Try Task Batching

Task batching is another way to improve productivity and focus, even if you’re working in a gray zone. With task batching, you complete similar tasks right in a row, grouping them, so it’s easier to buckle down and get them done. Task batching helps with productivity because it forces you to focus on one thing at a time.

For example, say you have to answer emails, redesign your website, and make several phone calls. You could switch back and forth from these tasks all day, continually distracting yourself by jumping to something else — fifteen minutes here, fifteen minutes there. Or you could answer your emails all at once, go down your list of people to call until it’s finished, and complete several websites sub-tasks simultaneously.

You can also batch your tasks by week, grouping them by day instead of the time of day. So, for instance, you could do all tasks that involve writing on Monday, all tasks that involve filming on Tuesday, and take all of your meetings for the week on Wednesday.

However you decide to split up your tasks, task batching is beneficial because it helps you get into a deep state of focus. This flow helps you get organized and take a deep dive into your work.

#7. Take Breaks Somewhere Else

It might feel counterproductive, but studies have shown that taking breaks during the workday will prevent burnout and help your efficiency. Work for 60-90 minutes and then take a break for 15-20 minutes. Feel free to play around to find a range that feels good to you.;

However, the key here to help combat the gray zone blues is to take your breaks somewhere else. Don’t just switch tabs and watch YouTube. Don’t stand up and stretch right next to your desk.;

Close your laptop and walk into a different room, if not an entirely different building. Go pick up lunch. Go into another room in your house or apartment. This change of scenery helps create barriers in your mind, separating your space into areas that are more black and white.

If you aren’t sure what to do during your break, choose from these ideas:

• Dance
• Call a friend
• Play with a pet
• Yoga
• Journal
• Vacuum your house
• Read a book
• Daydream;
• Make a cup of tea

Whatever you do, the important part is to do it in a location that’s not your workspace.

Conquer the Gray Zone Blues

Although the gray zone has major potential to affect productivity negatively, it IS possible to be productive. Recognizing there’s an issue that comes first. Then take these steps to help your zones become more black and white.;

Over time, you’ll see your productivity go up, conquering the gray zone once and for all.