How You Can Work From Home and Still Be Productive

The interest in working from home has surged over the last several years, with many employees finding satisfaction in hybrid work environments or exclusively seeking out remote positions. Still, people wonder how they can be productive while working from home — and whether they can be just as productive as their in-office peers.

A recent study shows that working from home, even two days a week, has the ability to improve job satisfaction and increase retention rates. In fact, that same study shows employees who work from home are just as productive as people who never work remotely.

According to clinical health psychologist Amy Sullivan, PsyD, working from home carries several benefits related to flexibility and autonomy. But it also forces you to confront a number of challenges related to:

• Burnout.
• Isolation and loneliness.
• Staying focused.
• Maintaining healthy boundaries.

In order to set yourself up for success and be the most productive while working from home, you’ll need to bolster your efforts in these specific areas without compromising your career goals.

Work-from-home tips

These tips can help you maintain the right mindset for productivity without losing sight of what’s most important like your mental, physical and emotional health.

Create a dedicated workspace

Create a dedicated workspace or office somewhere in your home where you can hunker down and focus on your tasks away from other areas where you tend to eat, sleep or socialize. Make sure you have an ergonomic workstation to avoid painful injuries. Consider bringing in some plants and other decor, too, that make you feel comforted and inspired.

Having a dedicated workspace not only limits the number of distractions you might face from family members and friends, but it also allows you to maintain a healthy work-life balance. That’s key to avoiding burnout and maintaining consistent productivity.

“It may be harder for some people to pull themselves away from other responsibilities that require their attention at home, or it could be harder to pull themselves away from work if they tend to work longer hours,” notes Dr. Sullivan. “You can improve your work-life balance by strengthening that separation between your work life and your home life.”

Or find a creative space to work

Alternatively, working from home frees you up to work really anywhere if your job allows it. Sometimes, it might be helpful to venture out to a coffee shop, friend’s house or other location to get work done. Having that change of scenery may boost your mental health, too, particularly if it opens up the possibility of connecting with other people or decreasing your isolation.

“When you’re in an office, you’re able to connect with other people because you’re working in the same environment,” says Dr. Sullivan. “At home, that’s challenging because you may feel more isolated. Getting out of the house can help with that.”

Dress for the occasion

They say you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have — and that still rings true when working from home. Sure, there might be days when the weather outside is frightful and you feel like wearing your comfiest sweatpants. But if you dress up the way you would if you were going into the office, it puts you in the right mindset for getting the work done.

“Dressing for work does something for our psyche to set ourselves up for success. When we look the part, we act the part,” explains Dr. Sullivan. “You want colleagues to know you take working from home just as seriously, if not more seriously, than working at the office. How you dress for meetings, for example, says a lot about how you think and feel about the work you’re doing and the environment you’re doing the work.”

Be actively engaged

Meetings can be tedious, especially when they happen often or run long. But making sure you’re actively engaged in every meeting or setting aside time to meet directly with your supervisor can help keep you on track. Plus, these activities let your employer know you’re dedicated to the work you’re doing.

“There are a lot of ways you can show up in the workplace without sitting face to face with colleagues,” states Dr. Sullivan. “You should make a point to show your face with video on in meetings and make thoughtful contributions to meetings, in emails, or make time to set up meetings with your colleagues and decision-makers. Let them know when you have innovative ideas or when you want their support to do extra projects and take on more responsibility. The more you show up for those experiences, the more rewarding they can become.”

Keep a regular schedule

Sticking to a regular schedule the same way you would hold consistent office hours is important when trying to be productive in an at-home work environment.

Break up your day the same way you would if you were to go into the office. Give yourself time to have breakfast, shower and get ready for the day. Be prepared for meetings. Block off time for lunch breaks. And try to work only during the hours that you’re required to be working. When it comes to meetings, stay on track and end on time (or early) whenever possible.

“If you are in charge of meeting schedules, please give the common courtesy of ending five to 10 minutes early so that the people in the meeting can shift to their next responsibility and have a second to stand up, move, get a drink or look at a cute photo that makes them happy,” recommends Dr. Sullivan. “In this era of largely virtual meetings, have kindness for the people in the meeting. It is reprehensible to make any meeting go over the allotted time, let alone go up to the allotted time.”

And if you’re ever feeling off-balance when it comes to your work life vs. your home life, know that it’s going to be OK.

“We are either giving more to work or more to other responsibilities, and at some point, we have to figure out what responsibility needs more attention and spend our attention there,” she stresses. “It’s OK to be off balance, as long as we rebalance at some point and recognize that the pendulum swings back and forth.”

Build up your momentum

You may want to prioritize simpler tasks at the start of your day and then move up to more challenging tasks as your day progresses. For example, menial activities like catching up on emails first thing in the morning might better prepare you for the day ahead and improve your ability to focus than if you were to jump straight into a more complicated project you’ve been trying to finish.

In the same way you would if you were exercising, you may want to build in some cool-down time at the end of the day, too. Saving easier tasks for the end of the day or getting a head start on your to-do list for the following day can set you up for future success.

The key is figuring out what works best for you.

Studies have shown that people need mental energy to complete cognitive tasks. You can regenerate mental energy by completing a number of easier tasks in succession or by completing a more difficult high-reward activity. However you define your own success and find ways to stay motivated, avoiding procrastination is key.

“Task switching is tricky because we are the most productive when we are zoned in and focused,” states Dr. Sullivan. “If it is vitally important to switch between tasks, I recommend keeping a tab about your running thoughts on the initial project and jumping back in as soon as you can. Using a timer can also be helpful, where you set your time to five minutes prior to stopping your focus time, and jot down all your thoughts of how to quickly pick back up where you left off.”

Use screen time limits and set timers

If you’re spinning your wheels, you can rely on tools to keep you focused.

Social media can suck up a lot of your time if you’re not careful. If you find yourself easily distracted, set screen time limits on your phone so you can only access certain apps for brief periods of time during work hours. Switch on your do-not-disturb features on your phone and your computer when you’re really trying to buckle down. Or simply put your phone away.

Similarly, coming up with a list of tasks and using reminders, timers, alerts or checklists can really buff up your productivity and focus. A recent study shows using these modern tools can help with something called cognitive offloading — that is, reducing the mental processing that’s needed to complete a task.

The more you rely on these tools, the less brainpower you’ll need to figure out what you should do next.

Schedule time to socialize

There may be no shortage of virtual meetings, but scheduling time to connect with coworkers or other important people throughout your workday can actually benefit your productivity.

“When you work in an office, you’re in a natural environment that lends itself to walking, collaborating, innovation and building relationships. At home, you have to work at building those things into your calendar,” says Dr. Sullivan. “Those relationships are part of what makes work meaningful and fun.”

Meet a colleague for a coffee break. Start a virtual book club. Or simply meet up with a friend outside of your work for lunch. Having social interactions throughout the day can break up the monotony, but it can also ensure you’re mentally and emotionally stimulated.

Stand up and make time for exercise

The buck doesn’t stop at socializing. Exercise snacks, or small bouts of movement and physical activity, throughout the day can really boost your productivity while working from home. Setting aside time for exercise allows you to prioritize your mental, emotional and physical health so you can think more clearly and be more confident in your day-to-day.

“People will get up from bed, take a shower and then go into their office and not stand up for the rest of the day, and I think that becomes dangerous for a person from an increased stress perspective,” warns Dr. Sullivan. “From a psychological perspective, we’re able to decrease our cortisol levels when we get moving. That stress hormone really impacts us when we’re sitting all day.”

If you have a hard time tearing yourself away from your desk, try investing in a standing desk, treadmill or under-desk cycler. Even stretching bands or chair exercises could help you feel better without losing focus.

“Actively making time to take care of yourself is vitally important,” she adds. “When we exercise and exert any kind of activity, our bodies and minds feel better.”

Take a mindfulness break

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health when it comes to being productive. Setting aside time for mindfulness, meditation or guided imagery can help bust up any brain fog you have or simply help you clear your mind when you’re in between meetings or projects.

“Mindfulness is a really important way to reduce stress,” shares Dr. Sullivan. “The best way to pull yourself into mindfulness is observing everything around you using your five senses. What are you seeing, feeling, hearing, smelling and tasting?”

Establishing a work-life balance

Everyone works a bit differently. Figuring out what works best for you and your place of employment is crucial when trying to determine how to be productive while working from home. If you’re unclear how to proceed, or even where you stand in terms of productivity and output, schedule a time to talk with your supervisor to flesh things out.

A healthy work environment will set you up for success, but an ineffective or toxic work environment may leave you feeling stranded.