Work From Home Tips

If you are a new to the work-from-home world, switching from a traditional office can put a real damper on productivity—especially if you don’t have space carved out, both mentally and physically, to work comfortably and productively from home.

As someone who recently transitioned from working primarily in the office to working full-time from home, here are a few ways I’ve been able to remain productive.

Find your “desk.” When I was a kid, my parents purchased bedroom furniture for me that included a desk. That desk lasted me through high school and was always my spot to do homework. In college, my “desk” became more fluid and moved from a physical desk in my bedroom to a library, an empty classroom, a coffee shop, or (sometimes) the desk in my dorm. Today, I’m fortunate to have a dedicated office in my home. But, while my desk has changed physically over the years, the concept has not.

First, my desk is a place where I have what I need to accomplish the task at hand. Though I have a dedicated home office, it’s easy to move around the house when the office gets stale. Right now, the recliner is my desk since I just need a laptop (shh!). Tomorrow, I’ll need to work with paper, pens, and my laptop, so I’ll be sitting at the desk in my office.

Second, it’s a place where I can focus. Unless I'm in a coffee shop with background conversations (not an option right now), this means no conversations, no podcasts, and no songs with lyrics. And while nobody is next to my recliner talking to me, there are more emails and messages than usual. Muting those notifications can be helpful if I really need to focus. That’s my zone. What’s yours?

Avoid home distractions. While it’s tempting to throw in a load of laundry, hearing the cycle noises and folding laundry will undoubtedly break concentration. The same goes for cooking, cleaning, and unloading the dishwasher. If you can, steer clear of these normal home distractions—unless you’re using these tasks as a break (see the next point). Try to avoid things that take you away from your “desk” and out of your zone.

Make a plan. At the beginning of each day, write down a short list of things you want to accomplish. My lists usually contain only 3 to 4 tasks, but make sure you write down enough to stay busy. I’ve found that if I don’t, I tend to get distracted by household things as noted in the point above. Likewise, at the end of the day, assess how you did and make a game plan for the next day. While this is generally not something I had to do in the office, I’ve found it essential for staying on point when working from home.

Take breaks. This is important when working in the office as well, but I have found it more challenging while working from home. The consequences of not taking breaks may include lack of focus, decreased productivity, and a sore back. Some of my favorite ways to get away for a few minutes are taking a walk, stretching, or doing a puzzle. Find something you enjoy to help recharge your battery and do it!

Know when to stop. You’re working at home, you don’t have a commute, and there’s one more thing you could get done today—but you’ve been working since 6:30 a.m. and it’s now 5 p.m. What do you do? Eventually, you have to know when to quit. Burnout will start to set in if you don’t set boundaries over your work time, and the last thing you want is the stress of your job to infiltrate your home. Do your best to set work-from-home hours and stick to them. While it may feel sustainable to stay logged in 24/7 at first, it’ll catch up with you quickly.

These are just a few ways I’ve stayed productive while working from home. What are your work from home tips?