I waste just as much time on my phone at work that I do at home, but at home I’m able to freely seek out a distraction when I need a break, and devote my attention to it until I’ve got some motivation again, then get back to work. In the office I have to try taking a break covertly when I need one, which doesn’t lower my stress very much, and leads to me taking even longer breaks trying to regain my motivation.

As for separating work and free time, I have no issue stepping away at the end of my shift; I only work for money - I don’t give a shit about the company itself - so, as soon as I’m no longer counting the time toward my paycheck, any and all motivation to continue working immediately evaporates.

A lot of people seem to really need social interaction, which definitely seems to be the biggest reason they might not enjoy long-term work from home. I seem to be the exception to that. During the height of the pandemic even my most extroverted friends eventually started craving social interactions, but I would stock up at Costco and go literal months without ever once leaving my house, and I loved it.

Have you tried walking to and from work every day? It can help you pretend they are different places.

You wake up and do your morning routine, then you walk around the block and start your working day when you reach your home office. Then at the end of the day walk around the block and home to mark the end of your work day.