I’ve worked from home for almost 11 years now. I’ve learned a lot through trail and error about how to stay productive and motivated to get work done, so I wanted to share my top tips. I’ve heard from people over the years that swear they could never work from home because they would just be too distracted, and it can be – try different things, if you feel like you’re getting distracted, try something else. Find what works for you.

I recognize if you’ve got little kids at home with you, it’s going to be a different story. Just do your best with your situation, and try not to be too hard on yourself. It takes a while to get into the swing of working from home, all you can do is your best, even if that looks different from day to day. Be kind to yourself.

Tips and Tricks for Staying Productive:

1. Try to keep to your usual schedule as much as possible.
This will help set boundaries in your head to separate “working time” vs. “relaxing time”. I work 9am-5pm, and then I close my computer. Evenings are for chores, relaxing, and hobbies. Schedules can help you unwind faster when you’re done work. If you can make an area in your home for work only – that’s even better to separate the two.

2. Timers, Timers, Timers.
Setting timers are going to help you stay on track: breaks not going too long, getting motivated to actually start when you feel like there are a million things that you need/want/should do.

3. Make lists.
It’s easy to get distracted by dishes, laundry, and all the things you usually do at home that isn’t work. Make lists to get every task out of your head and on paper. Look over the list and prioritize it, categorize it. Rewrite the list in priority so you know what needs to happen first.

4. Limit distractions where possible.
I need noise to focus, but I suggest listening to music vs having the TV on. Podcasts or audio books are also a great option depending on what you’re working on.

Good luck! Let me know if any of these work for you!