How to work from home: 30 tips for focus & balance

With the rise in both part-time and full-time remote work opportunities, you can say farewell to long commutes and office cubicles.

While the prospect of working in pajamas can be appealing (and more comfortable!), remote jobs also bring a new set of challenges when it comes to time management, workplace communication, and teamwork. Those who work from home have to readjust their schedules and learn new ways to succeed. Meanwhile, managers are faced with the challenge of leading and motivating teams remotely while maintaining the same level of collaboration and quality of work as before.

Thriving in these new circumstances can be challenging, so we're covering 30 workfrom home tips for boosting productivity.

Optimize your space and your life

To work from home successfully, you need a dedicated workspace, a consistent routine, and clear boundaries with those you live with. When you optimize these three elements, you create the foundation for sustained productivity and focus outside a traditional office.

1. Create a morning routine

Transitioning to remote work might have thrown off your schedule, so getting back into a daily morning routine can help you feel ready to start your workday. Set up your own "commute" to ease into your workday. If you're intentional about "going to work," you're more likely to be productive.

Here's how to structure your morning and evening routines:

• Morning routine: Get dressed like you're going to work, take a shower, and make a cup of coffee before sitting down at your desk.

• Evening routine: Review what you finished for the day, change your clothes, and take time to meditate or clear your mind.

2. Stick to a schedule

Flexible hours are a perk of remote work, but constant disruptions can slow you down. Designate work hours and stick to them when possible to maintain a continuous workflow. Schedule regular breaks, so you have time to recharge. Using time-tracking software can help you stay on schedule and avoid losing track of time.

3. Define a separate physical workspace

Working from your bed or kitchen can hurt your productivity. Separate your home life and work environment by carving out a dedicated workspace, even if it's just a section of a room. Invest in a good desk and chair so you can work comfortably. A designated workspace helps you get into the right mindset and signals to your household that you're working.

4. Create your ideal office

Working from home gives you the power to create the office of your dreams. You can get the standing desk you've always wanted or finally play your working music out loud without distracting anyone. Being the architect of your own office allows you to craft a space where you'll be happy, and therefore more productive. Limit the distractions around you, but also design a space you won't dread going to every day.

5. Declutter your workspace

It can be hard to focus on work when your desk is messy. Research has shown that clutter can make us feel more stressed and increase work anxiety. To avoid this, take the time to create a system to organize your home workspace. A tidy workspace will save you time in cleaning and finding things you need.

Here are some ways to stay organized:

• Develop a digital or physical filing system for the organization

• Organize your browser's toolbar with bookmarks and frequently used features

• Declutter your desk during breaks

At the end of the day, leave your desk the way you'd like to see it the next day.

6. Communicate expectations to your housemates

To keep everything running smoothly both at work and at home, it's crucial to set expectations for your housemates. Let them know your work schedule and how to reach you while you're working.

If you're a parent and you're sharing caregiving responsibilities, coordinate your schedules accordingly. For example, you can divide the day into shifts, alternating between working and focusing on child care.

It's a good idea to set expectations for your housemates on how to get your attention during work hours. For example, when your door is closed, they should slide a note under it instead of knocking.

7. Align your skills with a WFH role

If your current job doesn't let you work from home, consider exploring some roles that let you stay in your pajamas. There are many ways to work from home, so look for a position that matches your skill set. Some popular work-from-home jobs include:

• Blogger: One of the most popular and inexpensive work-from-home jobs, blogging truly offers the freedom to work whenever and wherever you want. However, you have to be patient, as it can take time to build an audience and generate revenue.

• Online educator: Online education offers an alternative for teachers who prefer working in a virtual classroom. This profession ranges from tutors to K–12 and adult learning teachers.

• Virtual assistant: Virtual assistants handle administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and booking flights. Working largely behind the scenes, virtual assistants can perform their duties from the comfort of their homes.

• Transcriptionist: Transcriptionists transcribe audio recordings into written text. This job requires training and certification, as it demands precision and patience.

• Editor: Being an editor requires focus and precision. Editors are experts in refining written work so it reads well, speaks to the correct audience, and is free of grammatical errors.

• Website tester: Web testers evaluate a website's performance and user experience. If you have an eye for good web design and a background in computer science, you'll likely be a good web tester.

• Bookkeeper: Bookkeepers manage financial documents and offer recommendations on spending trends. You don't need a degree or certification to become a bookkeeper, as most gain experience and training on the job.

Create ways to stay productive at home

Just because you're not in the office doesn't mean you can't be productive. Try these strategies to boost your focus while working remotely:

8. Find your productivity window

Working from home gives you the freedom to do your most important work when you're at your most productive. Schedule high-priority tasks during your peak production hours and save lower-priority work for other times. If your best hours fall outside regular working hours, talk to your manager about creating a schedule that works for you.

9. Combine your to-do list with time blocking

It's easy to get off track or procrastinate when you're working from home, so it can be helpful to use time- or task-management strategies. For instance, you can use to-do list software and time blocking to schedule tasks in order of importance.

Visualizing your tasks can help you stay on track and get things done on time. If you start the day with a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, it'll help you focus on finishing one task at a time and prevent multitasking.

10. Limit distractions

When your personal and professional lives intertwine at home, interruptions are inevitable. Take these steps to limit distractions:

• Silence your phone: Set it to silent or airplane mode if you don't need it for work.

• Disable notifications: Turn off app notifications during designated focus time.

• Block out noise: Wear noise-canceling headphones to reduce distractions.

11. Commit to heads-down time

Even when working from home, it's sometimes necessary to tune out coworkers. If you need to commit to a project for a while, turn off chat and email notifications so you don't get scatterbrained. Use status updates in chat to let your team know when you're in focus mode. Make sure you're scheduling head-down time the same way you would a meeting.

12. Tackle high-priority tasks in the morning

As Mark Twain once said, "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning."

When applied to task prioritization, this quote is sound advice. By eating your "frog," or tackling the biggest or most important task, in the morning, you'll feel more accomplished and less stressed throughout the day as you move onto less demanding or time-sensitive tasks.

You'll likely be able to give a task your undivided attention first thing in the morning, since there will be more distractions later as other tasks and notifications start to come in.

Build remote communication best practices

Effective remote communication requires clear norms, proactive updates, and the right tools. When you establish guidelines for how and when your team communicates, you reduce delays and keep projects on track.

13. Set communication guidelines

To ensure everyone on your team is on the same page, establish a communication plan that outlines the frequency, timing, and communication channels. Decide which communication medium would be best in a given situation. For example, if questions or issues can be addressed via email or chat, there's no need to schedule a meeting.

Conversely, if the situation calls for frequent back-and-forths in real time, a quick call would be more ideal.

14. Set project goals and expectations early

To account for communication delays, set expectations early. Be clear in setting individual and team priorities, and provide detailed guidelines, goals, and project dates. Once projects are underway, provide regular feedback to ensure expectations are being met. Stay flexible and be prepared to shift dates if needed.

15. Overcommunicate when working in different time zones

When people work from different time zones, response times are prolonged. To avoid losing time between exchanges, be as detailed as possible in your messages.

Best practices for asynchronous communication include:

• Front-load information: Provide as much context as possible upfront.

• Set clear deadlines: Specify when you need to hear back.

• Link resources: Include links to related discussion threads or documents.

• Use visuals: Supplement your message with images or screenshots.

• Share your schedule: Let team members know when you'll be away.

Mastering asynchronous communication helps you avoid delays and keeps your team moving forward.

16. Record team meetings

Larger team meetings or all-hands meetings are good opportunities to connect with other team members and get company updates. However, not everyone may be able to attend these meetings due to time zone differences or if they're out sick or on vacation.

To ensure that all team members feel included and have access to the same information, record and share these virtual meetings with everyone. This also goes for training sessions or other important presentations. Make the recordings and slide decks accessible so team members can review and get up to speed at their own pace.

Support your remote team

Supporting a remote team means creating intentional opportunities to connect, recognize achievements, and maintain regular communication. Here's how to keep your team engaged from a distance:

17. Recognize your team's successes

It's important to recognize and celebrate team members'contributions so they feel valued and motivated. Whether it's through an email, a public shout-out in chat, or during a meeting, find ways to show your appreciation and support. This type of recognition also serves as a model for other team members to follow positive behavior and performance.

18. Provide opportunities for team engagement

Working remotely can get lonely, since it's harder to connect with other team members. But it doesn't have to be that way. To keep your team engaged, create opportunities for social interaction.

Here are some ways to engage your team:

• Do virtual team-building activities

• Schedule social hours

• Share some team motivational quotes

• Connect through virtual lunches or coffee breaks

These activities not only help team members feel connected but also strengthen team bonds, improving cohesiveness and collaboration.

19. Configure your remote collaboration tools

When working remotely, you'll likely send and receive more emails, so make sure you can access your work email from home. In addition to emails, every team uses different tools for remote collaboration. Your team should decide which tools to use for messaging and video conferencing, as well as for project tracking.

Agree on the remote collaboration tools your team needs and check that all your login credentials work ahead of time. Make sure you have a solid Wi-Fi connection so you don't risk losing your work or cutting out of meetings.

20. Implement a team collaboration tool

Managing remote teams requires a lot of flexibility in scheduling. You might have to learn how to use a new set of tools, embrace asynchronous communication, and get creative with problem-solving.

It's also beneficial to set up a centralized project management platform to plan and track your team's projects and tasks. You can do this by building spreadsheets, creating shared project folders, or using project management software to automate processes.

With a robust project management system in place, team members will be able to find the information they need and submit deliverables in one place, reducing the number of unnecessary emails and meetings.

21. Schedule regular check-ins

Communication is key to collaboration, especially when working in remote teams. To maintain communication, schedule regular meetings with your direct reports, whether it's daily, weekly, or every other day. By holding these check-ins, team members will be able to address things that are hard to convey over email or chat.

Here are some talking points you might want to include in the meeting agenda:

• Get updates on current projects

• Give feedback on past or current projects

• Check on teammates' overall well-being

• Discuss upcoming projects

• Provide additional resources or training

These can help create a more productive and engaging meeting.

Prioritize your mental health

To maintain your mental health and employee well-being while working from home, set clear boundaries, stay connected with colleagues, and prioritize self-care. These strategies help you avoid burnout and stay balanced:

22. Reach out to other team members

The isolation of remote work can take a toll on our mental health. Having a network of people that you can reach out to can be immensely beneficial.

Find a work buddy that you can connect with and reach out to share challenges and successes, work- or non-work-related. That way, you can also continue to build work relationships even when you can't meet each other in person.

Additionally, bring up any concerns with your manager. They'll be able to readjust your workload or provide mental health care resources as needed.

23. Schedule time for yourself

Create a rough daily task schedule to keep yourself accountable. Make time for the things you love, as penciling in personal activities can decrease the likelihood of burnout.

Your personal schedule could include tasks such as:

• Take a 15-minute walk

• Read a chapter of a book

• Call a friend or family member

It's a good feeling to cross those activities off your list at the end of the day, and it can help fuel your passion for work the next day.

24. Practice gratitude

Without face-to-face collaboration, it's easy to feel like the work you're doing is less personal and, therefore, less important. When reviewing work or collaborating on a project, let your coworkers know that they're doing a great job. A simple kudos or short message celebrating someone's progress can go a long way.

25. Be patient with yourself and those around you

Whether you have distractions around you or are merely distracting yourself, patience is key. It's OK to ease up on rules and take incremental breaks, just don't drop the ball on deliverables. Balancing work, self-care, and relationships can be tough. Plan in advance, communicate with your team when unexpected issues arise, and accept that some days will be better than others.

26. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule

As work hours become more flexible, it can be tempting to stay up later to watch Netflix or sleep in until noon. However, disrupting your circadian rhythm might leave you with varying energy levels or fatigue throughout the day.

It's recommended that adults get seven or more hours of sleep each night. Stick to that rule of thumb so you'll be able to feel your best at work and maximize your concentration.

27. Set work boundaries

When boundaries between home and work life blur, burnout risk increases. In fact, burnout remains a significant challenge for remote workers. Work-life balance remains a key concern, as the lines between home and work blur when working from home.

To achieve work-life balance, set clear boundaries:

• Define work hours: Establish when you're available and communicate this to your team.

• Disconnect after work: Leave emails and tasks until the next day.

• Prioritize personal time: Focus on yourself, your hobbies, and your relationships.

28. Take breaks from screens

Staring at a screen for hours on end and processing large amounts of information can be physically and mentally exhausting. Whenever you have a longer break, step away from the screen to give your eyes and your brain a rest.

Here are some ways to do this:

• Cut back on social media

• Go on walks during breaks

• Turn off work notifications until the next workday

• Put away your work equipment after work

A change in scenery can also help you get your creative juices flowing.

29. Prioritize exercise

While working from home allows you to spend more time on the couch, it's important to make time for regular exercise. Whether it's a run before work or a walk during your lunch break, exercise gets your endorphins flowing and keeps your brain sharp throughout the day. Try starting your day with a workout or doing some midday yoga.

30. Take time off

Just because you're not going into an office every day doesn't mean you don't deserve time off. Time off is more important now than ever. With looser hours and fewer boundaries, it's pivotal that you schedule time off and take mental health days. If you take a mental health day, try to stay active. You can do activities like:

• Exercising

• Reading and writing

• Meditating

• Catching up on tasks around the house

• Calling a family member or friend

• Doing one of your favorite hobbies

Make sure your team is prioritizing time off and mental health days, even in the era of remote work.

Start working from home with the right tools

Balancing home and work life takes time, but with the right strategies, your team can thrive remotely. Stay flexible, communicate your needs, and practice these remote work tips consistently. A work management platform helps connect your team's tasks to company goals, ensuring everyone stays aligned and productive. Ready to put these tips into action?

Get started with Asana today.

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