How to Stay Focused While Working From Home

Want to stay productive while working from home? Set up an inspiring space and stick to our smart home-working rules

For many of us, the thought of swapping the daily commute for the chance to work from home sounds like a dream come true. However, when you’re working remotely, you can fall prey to the distractions of the home environment, making it harder to hit the same goals and productivity levels that you would in the office.

The key to maintaining productivity is to set yourself home-working rules that will keep your mind on track and away from domestic interruptions, such as the washing up or piles of laundry. To help you further, we’ve identified four strategies to help you stay focused so you can achieve your targets while working at home.

Carve out a dedicated workspace

Whatever the size or location of your desk space, it’s essential to identify it as a dedicated working area that feels professional and inspiring. Make sure that everyone in the household knows it’s not somewhere to dump washing. Make it a comfortable and inviting spot with a practical work surface, good task lighting and a supportive chair, and ensure there’s plenty of storage space for staying on top of paperwork. Interior designer, Vickie Nickolls of Interior Therapy, explains how tidying her desk each evening resets her for the next day. “Keeping my work space neat and orderly makes it an appealing spot to sit each morning, as well as ensuring it’s a smart feature of my home when it’s not in use.”

Set yourself a daily schedule and stick to it

From starting the day with a good breakfast and a cup of tea, to turning off a desk lamp when it’s time to wrap things up, it’s good to have structure. With set working hours, you can distinguish between work time and home life. Nickolls says, “A daily regime gives me a sense of starting and finishing work, otherwise the boundaries of a working day can become a little blurred and I find myself working in the dark,” she says. Working longer hours is often a trap home-workers fall into, so it’s important to maintain perspective and keep your work-life balance.

Another tip that some freelancers find useful is to get showered and dressed in smart work clothes as if they’re leaving the house, so as not to succumb to the allure of working in pyjamas. Nickolls says, “This can give you a sense of professionalism, particularly if you have important client calls to make.”

Be sure to keep a healthy routine

With no daily commute, except the one from your bedroom to your desk, it’s easy to see how you can become glued to your work space for hours without getting up, let alone leaving the house for fresh air. While this might sound efficient, it can actually have the opposite effect as your mind can hit a creative block and your body can feel cold from the lack of movement. Try factoring in some exercise each day, or at least a walk to the local coffee shop, so you can refresh and reset your creative juices. Freelance Houzz UK Staff Editor, Amanda Pollard, often finds a change scene can reboot her focus. “When I’m struggling with a feature I take a walk to a cafe with my laptop. I find the the fresh air clears my head enough that I feel recharged and ready to work again.”

Stay in touch and make a phone call

Talking to colleagues, clients and even interacting on social media can help stimulate your productivity and keep you feeling positive, reminding you that you’re not alone. Why not schedule in weekly meet-ups with a colleague or fellow home-worker to bounce ideas around or air any issues? Working from home may save you from those annoying interruptions from other colleagues, however you still need a good natter and gossip to keep you sane.