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As an academic who regularly worked from home in the days before coronavirus, my friends often joked about what they imagined my daily routine might be (such as enjoying a morning gin and not changing out of my pajamas). But as many people now realize, the reality is quite different. Working from home can be quite a challenge.

But why? Research in occupational health psychology suggests one important answer which is all about self-control – the ability to suppress intruding thoughts, behaviors, and emotions which are not relevant or helpful for achieving a goal. Away from work, that may be as simple as refraining from eating a chocolate bar when on a diet or sticking to a training regime before running a marathon.