Skip to main content

8 productivity tips for working from home

It comes as no surprise working from home can be a dream for some professionals in the workforce. The elimination of the potential office politics, a significant amount of time spent in the office, lunches out, and most of all, the commute, can make working from home seem ideal. Whether you have been working from home for years or are transitioning from home, adjusting to the work-from-home lifestyle and productivity can be a learning curve. Understanding how to be productive while working from home is one of the biggest struggles for any professional. Let’s explore 8 tips to stay successful and productive while working from home. 

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Work-at-home productivity tips

Keep your standard morning routine

Having a regular morning routine can be challenging to maintain when working from home at times. Since you are already at home, it seems easier to put off tasks or habits as part of your morning routine. Not keeping your standard morning routine in place while working from home can throw your day off balance and make productivity a challenge. For example, if you enjoy drinking a cup of coffee to start your day, or taking a bike ride as a form of exercise at the beginning of the day, ensure you still do it as a regular morning habit. 

Create a designated workspace in your home

Just because you no longer have to sit at a regular desk in an office or a desk cubicle does not mean you shouldn’t designate a specific place to work. Providing yourself a space that is quiet, comfortable, and free of external diversions will increase your workflow throughout the day and keep your productivity at more elevated levels. Not to mention, it is pleasant to have a space in your home where you only really get to make it indeed the area of your creation. Enjoying the space you create develops a sense of pride for you and increases productivity levels while working from home. 

Set firm boundaries with your household

Working from home does not always translate to working alone. Your household may still be active between other family members, pets, and even distractions from mail deliveries while working from home. When creating your designated space where you have to work from home, set firm boundaries with your household and cordially remind other household members that while working, you need to be productively working and preferably distraction-free.  

Establish schedule limitations with your employer

If your boss would typically not ask you to work overtime or stay late to complete your daily tasks, you should reinforce the same while working from home. Establish a set schedule for your days while working from home and aim to only work during that set scheduled time block. This not only avoids burnout for you but increases productivity for your work. 

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Take regular breaks during the day

Working from home can create some more unproductive and boundary limitation habits. If you want to be productive, you need to schedule and take regular breaks throughout the day. Although it could be tempting to continue to work without taking breaks, if you took breaks when working in an office environment, you should aim to do the same while working from home. Taking a moment to get up and move your body or taking a lunch break to ensure you eat for the moment will increase your productivity while working from home.

Prioritize your time wisely

It is essential to remember that even though you are working from home, you still have a schedule to keep. That regular 9:00 AM meeting you may have always had in the office is not going to disappear just because you work from home. Before you get started for your workday, such as diving into your emails, responding, and creating your daily task, look at your day’s schedule. Between emails and functions, make a point to increase your work from home productivity by planning out your day and prioritizing your on-the-clock time for the day. Doing this will keep your day on schedule and save you more productivity while working from home.

Minimize potential distractions  

You can quickly find yourself getting distracted when working from home. Between the house needing to be cleaned, mail deliveries, or the laundry, the distractions will be all around you. If you want to work from home as a productive success, you need to minimize distraction potential. While working from home, put your phone or even personal devices on do not disturb while focusing on work. By doing this, you are completely removing the temptation to check your phone or email until you stop for a break or at the end of the workday.

Communicate and collaborate with colleagues

Even while working from home, it is imperative to still communicate and collaborate with your colleagues often. As humans, we are social beings. Even introverted people will still need some social interaction. If you feel your productivity needs a boost while working from home, regular schedule time with your team and colleagues to collaborate for work.

By incorporating these tips into your daily work schedule, you’ll set yourself up for not only more productivity, but more success now and into the future as well.

Editors' Recommendations

Amanda Scheldt
Amanda is a self employed content writer with a diverse and multifaceted niche background. After over a decade in the…
Ink vs. toner: What’s the difference?
Office worker using a printer

Have you asked yourself in running your business, "Is toner the same as ink?" If you don't know the answer, you'll want to discover the difference between ink and toner to ensure you purchase the correct office supplies for your machine. Given the importance of a printer at work, learning the difference will not only help you change the cartridges when it's time, but also help you ensure your device is always working to the best of its ability.

What is the difference between ink and toner?
Knowing the difference between ink and toner will help you more easily get the job done when printing needs arise at work. The biggest difference between ink and toner is that ink in an inkjet printer is dye-based and toner in a laser printer is pigment-based. Another very notable difference is that inkjet printers output at a much slower rate than laser printers with toner. Additionally, the quality of laser prints with toner is much higher than with ink prints. Though ink is a more costly way to go, what you save in money, you'll spend in quality.
What is an ink cartridge?
Ink cartridges come in inkjet printers, and this type of cartridge contains dye-based ink, which is liquid. This liquid ink sprays onto the surface of the paper. Most inkjet printers use black ink cartridges for the standard text you see in workplace printed documents, such as memos and invoices. If you're looking to print photos with your inkjet printer, you need the other three colors of ink cartridges to go with your black cartridge.

Read more
How to create a shipping label
Person holding a labeled package

There are many kinds of shipping labels used to deliver mail and packages. Some postage is merely a stamp. But more complicated packaging, due to weight or shape, impacts the type of shipping label needed. Sure, you can pay for standard or generic shipping labels on your goods, but this may not be the best option for you. If your packaging is heavily branded, your shipping labels should be, too. Or, if your industry demands efficiency and practically, you'll want something you can easily correct and adapt.

Read on to learn more about shipping labels, like the difference between a label and a stamp, and discover how to create a shipping label for your business.

Read more
Unique gift exchange ideas for the office party
serving platters office party man woman

Office gift exchanges can be intimidating at times - particularly if you're in a new position, or at a new company. While we all enjoy giving gifts, there's no denying that a certain amount of stress can accompany the gift shopping process. It can be hard to know what to get a coworker - harder still if the gift exchange is one where the recipient isn't set and the gift must be suitable for any coworker who happens to pick it during your party game of choice. We've put together this helpful guide of unexpected items that can fill a need, spark creativity, or simply make their day-to-day easier.

No matter who ends up taking home the gift you brought to the office gift exchange, you want to make sure it's something that they'll be happy to receive. Haven't we all come away from a work party or function with a prize or gift we weren't sure what to do with, only to donate or sell it later? We're confident that any of these gifts would be a great choice, from gadgets to entertain and spark creativity to more practical items that will help to make their lives outside of the office run more smoothly, you can be sure your contribution will be unique and appreciated.

Read more