Working from home isn’t by any means a new concept. But ever since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, 42% of the American workforce found themselves moving from the office to their homes. And with things slowly getting back to normal, experts predict that 25-30% will remain working from home multiple days of the week by the end of this year.

That’s because both employers and employees found working remotely to be greatly beneficial. Born out of necessity last year, now it has become a preference.

However, the transition can still pose a challenge, so here are some tips on staying productive when you’re working from home.

Designate a workspace

It might be tempting to work from bed all day but you’ll find having a proper workspace will get you in a much more motivated mood. If there’s an extra room in your home you can turn into an office, that would be ideal. But just having a desk in your bedroom or living area is already a good start. Try to condition yourself into only doing work on your workspace and nothing else.

Set regular hours

Aside from the freedom of location, another attractive aspect of working from home is the freedom to set your own schedule. If you’re more productive at night, go ahead and set your hours later. The important thing is to stick to your schedule once you’ve set it just so your work day still has structure.

Take regular breaks

With more distractions at home and your break time not being supervised, it can be a slippery slope into not getting anything done. One way to keep your breaks regular is the Pomodoro technique, wherein you pick a task to focus on for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break after. Once you’ve completed four 25-minute sessions, you can take a longer break at 15-30 minutes. This method helps with mental fatigue so productivity increases.

Set clear boundaries

The thing about working from home is no matter how many habits you adopt to become productive, the fact remains that you’re not in a work environment. The people you’re with aren’t your colleagues, they’re your family. In order for it to work, you need to set clear boundaries. Tell your spouse and kids you’re not available to them during work hours and in the same vein, don’t entertain work when it’s family time. 

Hydrate often

Just because you’re sitting at a desk all day doesn’t mean you don’t need to hydrate as often. Coffee is great for productivity but can be dehydrating, which can affect cognitive function. To up your water intake, keep a liter of water by your desk to easily stay hydrated throughout the day. Add lemon slices for a more refreshing drink!

Make more than one to-do list

Everyone already does this and with good reason: to-do lists are effective. They keep you accountable and organized. Plus, crossing them out one by one is so satisfying. But here’s a pro-tip: have three types of lists. One is for tasks you absolutely have to do on that day, another for tasks you’d like to get done, and the third is for tasks that need to be done at some point. That way if you end up coasting through your first list, you’ll get future things done with the time you have left.

Try meal prepping

Having to cook lunch or dinner in the middle of a task is certainly challenging if you’re new to the work-from-home set up. If you have help in your house or if your spouse can do it, that’s great! But if you live alone, try prepping your meals in advance so all you have to do is heat them up when the time comes. Pick a free day to just cook a variety of meals you like for the whole week, put them in containers, and freeze them until it’s time to eat. It’s a great time saver and an opportunity to get healthy! Need ideas? Check out this helpful guide.

Get rid of distractions

This will depend on your habits. If you’re used to constantly checking social media on your phone, keep it away from you during work hours. If you like having Netflix or a podcast on as background noise but you know it’s taking a lot of your attention, do away with it completely and instead keep it as a treat during your 30-minute break. If listening to music eventually has you singing along, try listening to songs with no lyrics or classical music instead. 

Stay connected

It can be lonely working alone with no colleagues to laugh and chat about work with, like how we’re all used to. If you work with other remote workers, put in the effort to get to know them through chat and the weekly video calls. If you work alone, step out of your office once in a while to chat with your family or roommates. If you know other virtual workers who work the same schedule as you, have a video call while you’re all working and just put it on mute to recreate that classic office vibe.

BONUS: Hire a Virtual Assistant

Be even more productive when you work from home by delegating tasks. Hire a virtual assistant from us and free up time to do the more important things. 

Remote Workmate handles the recruitment and screening process, then we endorse the best candidates to you. All you have to do is perform the final interview and choose the one you like most.

Choose your virtual assistant today. Schedule a call and watch your productivity boost.