‘Sunshine guilt’ explained as expert shares best way to deal with it
If you've spent the past week staring out of the window instead of at your laptop, you're definitely not the only one.
With the UK recovering from yet another scorching heatwave, the third one in three months, plenty of people working from home are finding it harder than ever to concentrate.
While everyone else seems to be posting snaps of pub garden antics, wholesome park picnic outings and fun-filled beach days somewhere abroad, you're trying to remember what was said in a Teams meeting five minutes ago.
It turns out there's actually a name for that feeling known as 'sunshine guilt'.
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In short, the feeling comes about when you have the dawning realisation that you're wasting the beautiful weather by staying indoors and working, even though you're exactly where you're supposed to be.
With around four in 10 workers now spending at least some of their week working from home, the phenomenon has clearly become a very familiar summer struggle.
And, according to Jackson Parsons, founder of My Duvet Flip, there are a few reasons our brains find this so difficult when the sun comes out.
Around four in 10 workers are now spending at least some of their week working from home (Getty Stock Images)
Why does 'sunshine guilt' happen?
Without getting too science-y, humans are naturally drawn towards daylight.
This is because bright weather encourages movement, exploration and social activity, while sunshine also boosts mood through increasing serotonin production.
However, such positive biological responses don't always match well with sitting at a laptop all day indoors.
"Working from home amplifies that conflict because the outside world is constantly visible. Unlike an office, home environments provide reminders of everything you could be doing instead, from walking the dog to sitting in the garden or meeting friends outdoors," Jackson explains.
Even a quick glance out of the window is another reminder of what you could be doing instead of responding to your growing avalanche of emails sitting in your inbox.
Even small thoughts about heading outside can create what's known as 'attention residue', making it much harder to fully focus on the task in front of you.
Thankfully, there are a few simple ways to stop sunshine guilt taking over your workday.
Schedule sunshine into your day
One of the biggest reasons 'sunshine guilt' increases throughout the day is uncertainty.
If your only plan is to 'maybe go outside later', your brain keeps checking whether now would be a better time.
Instead, block out a proper lunch break or afternoon walk in your calendar and treat it like any other meeting.
"Knowing you’ve already planned time outside gives your brain permission to stop battling every 20 minutes," Jackson notes.
Move away from the window
Natural light is great, but watching everyone else enjoy it isn't always so helpful and can cause some pretty major FOMO - AKA the 'Fear Of Missing Out'.
If your desk looks straight out onto the garden or a busy street, try moving your workspace or partially closing the blinds when you need to concentrate and fully lock in.
Do the difficult jobs first
Use the cooler morning hours to tackle work that needs the most brainpower, then leave emails, admin and other routine jobs until later in the day when 'sunshine guilt' usually kicks in.
Stop comparing your Tuesday to someone else's holiday
Instagram has a funny way of making it look like absolutely everyone has the day off.
"In reality, many of the people posting sunny lunches, paddleboarding trips or café coffees are on annual leave, working flexible hours or simply sharing a carefully chosen moment from their day," Jackson warns.
"Comparing your workday to someone else’s highlight reels only triggers the feeling that you’re missing out."
Sneak in small outdoor breaks
You don't need to spend the whole afternoon lying in the park to enjoy the weather.
Having your morning coffee outside, taking a quick walk between meetings, or even answering a phone call in the garden can help scratch that itch without completely derailing your day.
Jackson adds: "Small breaks often reduce the urge to leave work altogether."
Don't promise yourself you'll work later
It can be tempting to disappear into the sunshine for hours and tell yourself you'll catch up in the evening, but that usually means work ends up eating into your downtime instead.
"Instead, set realistic working hours and enjoy your evening properly once you’ve finished," Jackson urged, before assuring: "The sunshine doesn’t disappear at 5pm during the summer."
As we know, the long evenings we're getting during this July heatwave, still allow for plenty of daylight left once you've finished for the day.
Lower the pressure
Summer productivity doesn't always look the same as it does in the middle of winter.
Rather than expecting eight hours of perfect focus, aim to get your most important jobs done while giving yourself permission to take intentional breaks.
Chances are you'll end up getting more done than if you spend the whole day wishing you were outside.
Topics: Weather, Mental Health, Life, Advice, Health
Rhiannon Ingle