Working from home can be a great way to boost productivity and increase flexibility in your schedule. However, it can be a challenge to stay focused and motivated when working from home. If you’re in a bit of a struggle with working from home, here are some quick tips to help you. 

We all need reminders now and then to help make working from home better. After all, we tend to be on an island when we are working remotely. Sometimes we need to tweak our home office space. Maybe we need a bit of a twist in our work from home routine. Or maybe our mindset has gotten off kilter and we need to remember our work from home wellbeing.  After all, we want to have a personal life and work life balance.

What Are The Top Work From Home Tips?

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Your Work From Home Space

1. Have a dedicated work space

Remote workers have a whole home to work from. Have a spot in your house where you will do the majority of your working from home. This makes it easy to “go to work” and not be lounging on the couch all day. 

2. Design your office for you

Your office should be a place you want to work. Set it up how it works for you. If you are able to paint the walls, paint them a color you enjoy. Or put up some peel off wallpaper to add a quick design to the walls as a backdrop for conference calls.

3. Get noise canceling headphones

These are helpful for a number of reasons. They are great to use on a video call so there isn’t an echoing. They are also helpful to block out sounds going on around you like family members or the neighbor mowing their lawn.

4. Have the right software

If you don’t have a company supplying your software, make sure you have the best software for your job. This could include conferencing software, scheduling software, project management software, etc. 

5. Have the right equipment

Understand what tools will be important for your working from home. Maybe you just need a tablet. Or maybe you will need to work with clients out of your home office and need a laptop instead of a desktop. 

6. Get a good desk

You will spend hours of time at your desk. Get one that works for you. Maybe a standing desk will help you move around a bit more. Or your desk needs to have lots of storage for papers not just be ‘pretty’. 

7. Use a good chair

You will likely also spend hours in your chair. Make sure to get one that is comfortable for you. 

8. Control the temperature

When working in an office we always wish we had control of the thermostat. At home you do. Maybe you don’t want to crank down the air when you are the only home, but make sure you have a fan or small air conditioner or space heater in your office. 

9. Have reliable internet

This is one area I highly recommend you splurge on if you have a home office. It never looks good if your internet is consistently going out. This can also include a high performance router. Remote workers need to stay connected.

10. Have a backup internet plan

Have a plan of where you can go if the internet in your home office goes out. Remote work means having a back up plan.

11. Get a notebook or note taking app

We remember things we physically write better than those we simply hear or type. Have a way to write notes or to do list during meetings so you are more likely to remember things you need to do and not have something fall through the cracks.

12. Use good lighting

Natural light is the best for an office. However, barring that, make sure that your light is appropriate for what you need it for. Get a good light for video calls or a light that makes it easy to read your screen.

13. Have cleaning supplies on hand

If you spill your coffee during a conference call you want to have quick access to paper towels. Have a special place in your office where you can reach cleaning supplies quickly.

14. Decorate with plants

Plants can be good for simple decoration and to help keep the air healthy in your office. In addition I hear they like to be talked to. Just don’t take all your frustrations out on them. 

15. Use cloud based software

If you are going to need work information from different devices (say a work desktop and home laptop) make sure you are able to easily access information across all your accounts and from different devices.

16. Be aware of security risks

If you are working for a company understand their security policies and abide by them. If you are working remotely for yourself make sure you have securities in place for your information. 

17. Use a white noise machine

A white noise machine can not only help keep noise, but also keep your noise from other family members and help sooth you. 

Communication While Working From Home

18. Be responsive

Make sure your team knows that you are at the other end of that computer. Give a little high five or smiley face to let them know you have seen information you need.

19. Have important phone numbers/emails saved

If everything goes down, you should have your important numbers like your boss and some coworkers, saved in your phone so you can easily get a hold of them.

20. Keep lines of communication open

Make sure that you have easy access to ways to contact your boss and your coworkers so problems don’t just sit unanswered. Stay connected with the other people you work with.

21. Ask for feedback

Periodically ask for feedback from your manager and your coworkers. Ask what you could do better and what you have been doing well. 

22. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

When we work alone it seems like maybe we should have all the answers. But we don’t. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others. 

23. Over communicate with others

You should really do this even if you aren’t working from home. However, when working from home it is even more important. Make sure you are communicating clearly with specific details. It will help remote employees know what you are doing and when you are doing it.

24. Continue (or develop) company culture

Remember that there is still a culture to be had in a company. If the company is formal, keep up with that in your dress and writing. If you are running your own business, make sure you set up your company culture and keep it going. 

Your Work From Home Routine

25. Have co-working sessions with others

this can be handy if you are having trouble focusing on a task while remote working. Set a certain amount of time, have whoever wants to jump on a conference call, and then sit there and work, together alone. 

26. Bring good office work habits with you

Remote workers can leave bad office habits at the office. If you previously worked in the office, bring the good skills you learned home with you. And, find a way to nix the habits that weren’t working so well in the office.

27. Get ready for work

Having a morning routine to prepare you for the work day will help get you in gear for work mode and give you a mind shift from home mode. The morning routine for remote workers is the line between working hours and non working hours.

28. Have set work hours

Even though we are working from home, we still need to have a life outside of working. Set your hours the same as you would if you worked in the office. Or work with your leaders to set up a schedule that works for you.

29. Stick with the same routine

As much as you can, have the same schedule each day you are working remotely. Keep the same routine during work hours.

30. Be aware of your time

Especially when we are new to working from home we often think, “Oh, I can just do that real quick later.” Yet, we often underestimate how long a task will take us. That means we can end up working more hours than we would in the office.

31. Institute good organizational habits

Have spaces for the things you need. Tidy up your office frequently. It may seem like a waste of time, however, a neat environment can help you stay productive.

32. Let other people know your scheduled work hours

If you live with other people or family members let them know your schedule so they know when they can interrupt you.

33. Set ground rules

You will need to be in charge of keeping your work/home boundaries. If people in your home are constantly interrupting your work hours come up with a way to alert them to when you will be available. 

34. Decrease distractions

There are a lot more distractions we can run into when working from home. Make sure to decrease as many as you can. Put your phone on ‘do not disturb’ during the work day.

35. Stay off social media

Social media can be a total time suck. Use it as a reward for making it through the day. If you absolutely must scroll while taking a break from work, set a timer.

36. Work at your best times

If you are able to work a variable schedule, schedule your work time for when it fits for you. Maybe you want to work in the morning before the kids get up. If you can’t set your own schedule, pay attention to when you perform certain tasks the best. Maybe you are more creative in the morning, so use that time for creative tasks.

37. Finish your work day

Close your computer and put it aside. Get up and walk out of your home and then back in. Have something that signals the work day is complete and it is time to get to your personal life.

Your Work From Home Wellbeing

38. Get an imaginary colleague

It can be difficult going all day without anyone to talk to or blame things on. If you have an imaginary colleague you can blame them for not getting the coffee pot started early enough. 

39. Be kind to yourself

While working from home has become acceptable and even desired in the last few years, it can still be a lonely, difficult journey. Just as in the office, working from home is going to have its ups and downs.

40. Lean into your strengths

Focusing on our strengths instead of our weaknesses can help pull us through in good and bad times. If you are competitive, set a timer to complete a task. If humor is a strength then make up jokes about the work you are doing. 

41. Take vacations

It might feel like you get more “time off” since you don’t have to commute to the office. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take bigger chunks of time off. Make sure to use your vacation days. Your to do list will be there when you get back.

55% of American workers do not use all of their vacation days.

Bureau of labor and statistics

42. Get enough sleep

No matter what we do, sleep is something we often try to skimp on. Make sure that you are getting enough sleep so you can start each day fresh. A proper sleep schedule will help you make it throughout the day with a positive attitude.

43. Have A Group To De-stress With

Make sure you have people outside of your work life that you can talk with. Whether it be about work related issues or other things going on in your life.

44. Have snacks on hand

Have handy snacks that you can grab quickly between meetings or for a quick pick-me-up. Bonus points if the snacks are healthy. 

45. Eat away from your desk

This can be an issue in the office as well as your work from home office. Make sure that you step away from work to give yourself time to decompress. Even working remotely you deserve a lunch break.

46. Take breaks

Contrary to popular belief, a few breaks actually help us work better and be more creative. A benefit of working from home is that you can use things around the house for a break. Use the laundry as a timer. Or get a Pomodoro timer to help you know when to take a break.

47. Have fun things nearby

Maybe you have to have a conference call with that coworker who is really frustrating. Have something that you can look at quickly to give you a good laugh to lighten your mood.

48. Wear comfy clothes

This doesn’t mean wear your pajamas when you work from home. But you can have stylish clothes that are still comfortable. If you aren’t comfortable it will hinder your work. 

49. Get some natural lighting

Having natural light in your office can be a mood booster. If you can’t have natural light in your home office, make sure to get outside and get fresh air a few times a day. Call it a Vitamin D break. 

50. Focus on your needs

Working from means you have more control over your time and environment. Set it up in a way that works for you. 

51. Make time to be around people in real life

Virtual communication is great, however as humans we need human interaction (and not just with the checkout person at the grocery store). Have coworker get togethers after hours. Go out to dinner with friends. Don’t let working remotely turn you into remote friends.

52. Mix up your work space

While you should have a dedicated work space at home, it is OK to mix it up once in a while. If it is nice out work on your patio. If you need a pick me up, work from the coffee shop. 

53. Give yourself rewards

There is no around to give you a pat on the back for a job well done. Make sure you are rewarding yourself for the tasks you accomplish. It could be as simple as a break or a special treat. 

54. Keep your tasks organized

Working from home means that you are in charge of your time and tasks. Make sure you are keeping organized with what you need to do and when. Find an organization system or software that will help you stay on task. 

55. Take advantage of being home

You are working from home, make sure you take advantage of it. And for more than just getting things done around the house. Play with your dog when you take a break. Eat that stinky tuna sandwich for lunch. 

56. Do not work around the clock

One issue with working from home is that the lines between home and work are blurred. Keep the hours for home and work separate.

57. Evaluate your work from home life often

Evaluate what is and isn’t working with your work from home situation often. Your working from home is not a one and done deal. You can look at what works and what doesn’t and change things up. 

Working from home comes with great benefits. Working from home also has some drawbacks. When you are working remotely it can interfere with your work life balance. However, you can make remote work the best experience for you that it can possibly be. You just need to stay on top of these work from home tips.