Whether you work from home full time or just every now and then, it can be difficult to create an ideal working environment when you’re not in an office setting. Here we’ve rounded up some of our go-to tips and tricks for working from home.

1. Designate a Work Space

The first thing to do when working from home is designate a work space within your home. Even though it may sound enticing to work from your bed or the couch, this is not the most productive setting to get work done and has negative ergonomic affects. Ideally, you’ll set up your work space in a home office or section of your home that has optimal lighting, internet access, sufficient space to work, and minimal distractions. This will allow your mind to associate that space with working instead of other household tasks allowing you to stay focused during work hours. Likewise, it will allow you to mentally and physically walk away from work during non-scheduled work hours.

2. Schedule Your Time

Speaking of scheduled work hours, it’s important set work hours as if you were in the office and to create a schedule and take breaks within that timeframe. When working from home, it can feel like you always need to be working or available to your team. The truth is, taking breaks and stepping away from work at the end of the day will likely make you more productive during your set work hours and will offer you a better work life balance.

You may choose to schedule time blocks for different projects that you’re working on with breaks in between.  Make sure to set aside time for a lunch break. It can be easy to work through lunch or have a quick snack while working on projects, but taking the time to eat lunch away from your work space is better for your overall health and offers you a chance to refocus and get back to your projects with a fresh perspective.

3. Don’t Multitask

When working from home it can be easy to let your mind wander to all of the household chores you have waiting for you. This is where scheduling your work hours comes in handy to keep you on task. You may choose to spend the time you would have spent commuting to work to getting some of your household chores out of the way. This could include throwing in a load of laundry or loading the dishwasher before the start of your dedicated working hours.

4. Stay Connected

Working from home comes with a variety of benefits such as eliminating a commute to work and working in your own environment, but it also comes with a few challenges one of which is a lack of sense of community. Many of us thrive off the energy from others and collaborative team environments. To counteract this feeling of isolation when working from home, it’s important to stay connected to your team. There are many tools available to keep remote teams connected such as chats via Slack, video calls via Zoom, or simply making a phone call. Scheduling a call or video chat with a co-worker for a daily “coffee break” or a weekly team huddle is a great way to catch up with everyone and stay in the loop. Chatting with your team will likely be a good way to boost your spirits and keep you more engaged in the work you are doing.

5. Get Dressed

As nice as it may sound to work in your pajamas all day, getting dressed in work appropriate attire can help you stay focused and in a working mindset. Similarly to how a designated work space helps your mind to focus on work and avoid distractions, your attire can do the same. Your brain likely associates lounge wear with rainy Saturdays and watching movies – not the ideal mindset for being productive. Of course you can still wear comfortable clothing, but try to opt for pieces that help you feel motivated to get work done. You may also want to choose more professional attire for any video calls you may have scheduled.

6. Ask for Help

Working remotely is not for everyone and can be a challenge, especially when you’re first starting out. Talk to your manager about alternate options or suggestions. Ideally you’d be able to ease into working remotely, starting with just a few days a week before going full time. In some cases, such as we are in now with COVID-19, this is not an option and working from home full time becomes an instant shift. Know that it’s okay to struggle and your manager can be a great resource during this transition.

That's a Wrap

Working from home is sure to come with its fair share of benefits and challenges. We hope the tips and tricks in this article help to make working from home a positive experience for yourself and your team. To keep your team feeling connected while working from home, check out our selection of work from home essentials available for you to customize with your company logo.