People who started working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic spend less time with live and time-shifted TV and more time with digital than people who were in home offices before the crisis, according to a new study from Nielsen.

With more people working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, media habits are changing, and Nielsen decided to put together a special work from home edition of its periodic Total Audience Report.

In a survey of 1,000 adults 66% said they started working from home full-time because of the virus.

Related: Sports Fans Support Black Lives Matter: Nielsen Study

Nielsen found that traditional work-from-home employees spent 3 hours and 39 minutes with live and time shifted TV, 1:09 with TV connected devices and 5:38 with digital media. People who are working from home since COVID spend 3:05 with live and time shifted TV, 1:18 on CTV and 5:44 on digital.

“Brands and agencies looking to reach either work from home group have an impetus to reach these consumers where they work, literally, via their digital marketing strategies,” the report said.

During working hours, 40% of those surveyed said they listened to music every day, either on radio or via streaming services, which compares with 33% who say they watch TV or stream content during breaks and 29% who watch TV while working and 25% who say they watch TV, but without sound, while working.

When they’re watching while working from home, 47% said they watch news, 40% comedy, 36% movies, 30% drama, 24% sports and 21% short-form videos and clips. Of those watching news, 64% viewed local news, 62% had national cable news on and 58% watched national broadcast news.

“COVID-19, cultural and civil unrest and continued evolution in the media landscape have altered all aspects of our everyday lives. The way we shop for groceries, receive medical care— even how we see each other—have all been upended. Many changes won’t be temporary, and this disruption will breed a slew of transformations that are here to stay, many of which are already evident,” said Peter Katsingris, senior VP, audience insights at Nielsen. “Amid all the change, however, none is bigger than how many of us work—and that change may be more long-lasting than we originally expected.”

Despite the potential out of office distraction, 39% of those who started working from home since the Coronavirus outbreak, 39% said they’re more productive working from home, 28% said they were more productive at work and 33% said it was about the same.

Among those who worked from home before the crisis, 60% said they were more productive working from home, 11% said they were more productive at the office and 29% said it was about the same.

People who thought they were more productive at home said it was easier to have a work-life balance that way, that there were fewer distractions and they didn’t have to worry about commuting. 

Among those who felt they were less productive at home, 47% said there were too many distractions, 41% said their job wasn’t intended as a WFH job and 38% said they were more productive surrounded by co-workers. Others said they have responsibilities for children, parents and pets, a lack of office space at home and a lack of technology or technical know how.

Working from home has a big effect on people’s morning routines, with 54% saying they get up later in the morning. 

Nearly half of those studied also said they go to bed later now that they work from home.

“Of course, not having to worry (as much) about wardrobe and styling decisions helps maximize time, as does not schlepping into the office during a commute, so it is important programmers, brands and marketers to note that this free time is often spent consuming additional media, whether it’s streaming the latest TV series, listening to music or browsing the web,” the report said.

Most importantly, consumers want to have a choice between working from home and working at an office. 

“To put it simply, consumers are hooked on choice and now want the liberty to choose what location is best-suited for them. In fact, 52% of work-from-home employees think they should have the ability to do so moving forward, and of those a whopping 80% would prefer to work for a company that gives them the freedom to work remotely from a location of their choosing, regardless of where their office is,” the report said.

“Our research highlights just how quickly Americans have adapted and now want to work remotely, largely due to the flexibility it affords,” Katsingris said. “Small to big businesses all stand to win if they are agile enough to meet consumer demand, identify implications and understand the marketing challenges and rewards of these habitual and geographic changes we are only beginning to uncover.”

The FCC will allow staffers who can telework to continue to do so--through June 2021. 

An FCC staffer confirmed the extension. A report in Bloomberg Law cited the coronavirus pandemic and related school-opening issues for the decision to keep folks working from home. 

Despite the President's push to reopen schools, many are starting the school year with virtual classes, including those serving the Washington suburbs where many FCC staffers live.  And as with the majority of states, coronavirus cases are on the rise in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia.

FCC chairman Ajit Pai has also noted how much the FCC has been able to get done while staffers were sheltering at home.  

FCC staffers were sent home March 13 "until further notice."

The rise in teleworking is just one of the reasons the FCC and Congress are focused on funding broadband buildouts to those who do not have the option of working remotely.

My co-workers look very different these days. I’m sure yours do as well. My daughters, 8 and 13 years old, and husband and I have been on lockdown in Chicago since early March. The last time I spent this much time with people in their demographics was when I was in grade school. Instead of back-to-back meetings, client lunches and strategy meetings exclusively, I now look at my “office mates” and see my 8-year-old daughter working on adding and subtracting (I’ll teach her the finer points about ACR and real-time ad decisioning soon, I'll bet). She’s at the kitchen counter in what truly is an open office plan.

The other vertical in this space are my two 160-pound dogs, snoring very loudly as I try to lead my Nielsen Advanced Video Advertising team through this new way to work. As much as I try to create a daily routine for all of us, I have had to let go of a time schedule with my kids and focus more on what needs to get done.

This is a new normal that none of us could have ever predicted or prepared for. So, how do we manage it all? On the eLearning front, here are some tips that worked in my home:

Don’t Expect Perfection: Focus on a daily routine of what needs to be accomplished versus a timed schedule. By creating a list of goals daily, setting aside 10 to 15 minutes to get the morning going and an afternoon daily wrapup, you and your child can share in the list of accomplishments you have both achieved and hold each other accountable. Kids love to help enforce the rules!

Establish Some Routine: Make it clear to your children when you need to do your work and when they need to do their own work. I know this can be much more challenging for those with younger kids, but during those times, have them engage in reading a book or listening to a podcast to inspire more scientific thinking and innovative tinkering at home, “Wow in the World” is a great resource for this.

Bring Fun Into eLearning: Find ways to encourage their creativity and thinking, one thing we have done at my house is to allow my kids to use our front glass door like a dry-erase board, our girls list their goals for the day or my youngest has had fun writing out her math problems and solving them with her sister’s help. Think of ways you can create a safe and fun environment for them — this will only encourage them to want to lean in as well.

Don’t Forget Breaks Are Important: Your kids don’t need to finish all of their learning in one setting. Balance activities to make sure kids have breaks. And just as important for your own sanity, schedule in work breaks so you and your kids can have some time to unwind. I understand some countries and cities have rules on being outdoors, but if you are able to take a walk in your neighborhood or go on a bike ride, it can be very beneficial. This is a great way to remove your own anxiety and stress this new “WFH” environment is likely creating for you as well. Don’t worry, there is no 9 to 5 or typical school day anymore!

Kids Are Social Creatures: Don’t forget that your kids need social interaction and space away from us to develop and grow. For younger kids, schedule virtual playdates where maybe they can play a board game or card game over Facetime or watch a kid’s movie together with their friends. For the older kids, allow them to do virtual hangouts with their friends over their social media platform of choice. Make sure they are staying in touch with friends, this is just as important as you staying in touch and connected as well.

So, when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed managing your new “WFH” reality, take a step back. Reach out to your friends and colleagues and ask them for advice or help, as likely they are feeling the same stress too. By all of us being more vulnerable, the level of trust we will have as a Nielsen business will continue to go higher as we are humanized to all of the people around us. In the end, just remember, we are all learning some very valuable lessons together on how to weather a crisis and come out on the other side stronger, and this may be the most important lesson your kids will ever learn as well.

The irony is a global pandemic might have moved co-workers apart, but when this is all over and done with, I think we’ll be a lot closer as colleagues and recapture the true insurgents in all of us.