Many people dream of working from the comfort of their own home. Imagine exchanging that time needed to commute to work for more sleep and family time. Who wouldn’t aim for that, right? But working remotely is a can be a blessing or a curse — you get to stay home, but it can be harder to focus on the actual work. There are a lot of distractions all around the house and they’re more appealing than your job’s to-do list.

Below are some tricks on how you can stay productive while working from home.

1. Stick to your usual morning ritual

Try to stick to your usual morning routine just as you’d prepare to go to the office. If you set an alarm to wake you up in the morning for work, continue doing it. If you are used to eating your breakfast and making your morning coffee before going to work, do it. Anything that you do to prepare yourself in the morning and to help you get in the right mindset. It will be easier for you not to be sidetracked and lose the willpower to start your workday right.

2. Location is key

If your goal is to be productive, and I’m sure you do, dedicate a specific place where you will work. Try to avoid your bedroom as it will just pull you to go back to sleep again. Look for space where you will be motivated to finish your tasks for the day.

3. Set your work time

While it is true that when you’re working from home, you are your own manager, it is advisable that you have a structured daily schedule. One pro tip is to schedule your work time matching your usual workday in the office. Without setting your work time, tendencies are you lose focus, procrastinate, or you’d easily feel burned out because of working too much. To stay on track, list down your tasks and dedicate a time when you’ll work on each for the day.

4. Take a break

One of the setbacks of working from home is the tendency to overwork. Remember that it is also really important to take regular breaks because your brain needs to rest, too. You have to know when to rest so you don’t end up working the whole day. Take a coffee break away from your computer, eat proper lunch, or go out for a short walk. You can also chat with your housemates to stay connected with them so you won’t feel isolated and alone.

5. Avoid distractions

You have to stay dedicated and for doing that, you have to avoid distractions. Be it house chores like doing your laundry, taking care of your baby, or visiting your social media accounts. It is true that when working from home, there are just so many things to do. But if you will clarify which are work and non-work activities, you can finish your office tasks on time and have enough time for doing the chores.

6. Call it a day

Some people think that working from home would give you work-life balance, but be careful with that belief. One of the effective aspects of work from home set up is setting your boundaries. Working from home can get you so caught up in your tasks that you lose complete track of time. In the office, your cue to stop is when you see your coworkers packing up and leaving. When you’re at home working, no one would remind you that. So, set an alarm at the end of the day reminding you that your workday is coming to an end. Just because you are working from home and you have access to work anytime doesn’t mean you have to be on it 24/7.

7. Bonus pro tip!

Have you heard of the Pomodoro Technique? It is a time management method developed by a business consultant, Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. This technique uses a timer to break down work into two intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. A Pomodoro, the Italian word for tomato, is the interval of time spent on working. This technique will help you be more productive and avoid overwork.

Let’s get the job done! Send us a message at the MRS V now for more pro tips on how to stay productive while working in the comfort of your home.