Working from home can be challenging with so many disruptions around. It’s not always easy to stick to a specific routine while at home and follow your own rules. So, unless you plan your day right, working from home can be really unproductive.

Whether you’re working from home as of recently due to the Coronavirus outbreak or if you have a permanent remote job position, you will find some useful tips below.

1. Set up your workspace

No, the couch is not considered to be a workspace. You need to find a dedicated space in your house where you can concentrate and feel that this is your office, the area where you have to work.

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2. Get dressed

Wearing pajamas all day long will not help your creativity. Get up in the morning, follow your usual routine but make sure to wear some proper clothes before sitting at your desk. It might just be a pair of trousers and a t-shirt; just avoid wearing your PJs.

3. Have clear working hours

Set a schedule and stick to it. It can be 9-5 or 9-3 or even 12-7, whatever suits you best and serves your job’s obligations, but you have to set a schedule. Having a specific work routine and deadlines, boosts your productivity, while maintaining a work-life balance.

4. Search for useful online tools

There are various online tools out there, that will really help you organize your day-to-day work. From content creation to online meetings and conferences, these are the top apps you should know about.

5. Set online meetings for your team

If your work requires daily or weekly meetings with your co-workers, then set specific days and times via the various online tools, like Zoom or more. This way, you will keep your team engaged and you’ll have better control over who is working on what.

6. Take breaks

Without a normal office schedule, it’s harder to take breaks and ‘sign out’ for a while. Make sure you eat your lunch as usual, have a short coffee break if needed or just go out in the balcony for 10 minutes to unplug.

7. Set rules with people at home

Setting ground rules with your family members or roommates is crucial if you want to be productive while working from home. Staying at home does not mean that you can do house cleaning, for example, any time of the day. If you have kids, it’s recommended that you give them rules on what they can or cannot do while you’re working. It’s not an easy task, we know, but you should at least try!

8. Disconnect from Social Media

It’s very important to stay away from Instagram or Facebook; these are major distractions while working at home. If you work in the Social Media field, try to control yourself and only use them for work purposes during your working schedule. If not, keep your phone in a safe distance; this way, you can hear it if it rings, but it will not be easily accessible. Using Social Media will keep you distracted, so try avoiding them as much as you can.

9. Make a to-do list every morning or every evening

Working from home often means that you don’t have your boss (or a boss) checking in the progress of your tasks every hour. That’s something you have to do. Every morning or every evening, make a list of all the tasks you wish to complete today or the next day. Once you complete each task, cross it off the list; this is both rewarding and effective.

10. End your day with an activity

What would you normally do after leaving the office? Hit the gym? Go home and cook? Try to maintain a daily activity that marks the end of your work. Go to the gym or do an online Pilates class (if you’re working from home due to the

Coronavirus outbreak), go for a 30-minute walk or jogging, cook for yourself or your family.

What about you? Do you have any tips to share with us?