Set Up Your Office
Carve out a space where distractions can be minimized. If you have a room that allows you to turn off the lights and shut the door at the end of the day, it will help you to separate work from your personal time.
Look the Part
While casual is fine, take time to look presentable. Resist working in your pajamas (no matter how cute they are). You never know when one of your colleagues is going to facetime you! And when you look good, you are more prepared to meet the challenges of the day.
Develop Structure
Keep a daily schedule for work and personal time. Routine will help you to stay on task. To develop the mindset that will drive productivity, get up at the same time as you would on any other workday and commit to a time to “turn on the lights” in your home office.
Refresh
For those of us who love to be around our colleagues and clients, working from home can be isolating. Take a break to clear your mind and boost your endorphins. A workout or a walk will sharpen your focus and help get you in touch with the world.
Eliminate Distraction
Eliminate background noise like TV, radios, podcasts, etc. Most of us are used to an active, social atmosphere and feel uncomfortable with quiet. Embrace silence and concentrate on the task at hand.
Control Urges to Multi-Task
In the office, there is no opportunity to bake a cake, run the vacuum, or throw in a load of laundry. When working remotely, fight the urge to get things done around the house. It can throw you off your work-from-home productivity.
Organize
Keep your workspace tidy. Straighten up at the end of each day so you can start fresh the next morning.