While many may dream of working at home, the reality of it is not always as easy as it seems.

It can be very difficult to stay focused and productive when there are chores to be done, or the comfy couch is calling you!

Here are 3 tips for a productive home office

1. Define Your Space. While it is tempting to just flop on the couch with your laptop and work, you will find you are much more productive if you create a designated space to work in. Ideally, you should make one room your home office. For one thing, you may be able to take advantage of tax breaks if you have a defined space. Equally important, though - it's easier to set boundaries. Let your family know that when you are in your office, you are working and not available to play, do chores, cook meals or locate lost toys. You will also find that it helps your own mind-set and work ethic by actually "going to work" in your office – even if it is just upstairs.

2. Set a Schedule and Stick To It. Examine your work habits to determine when you are most productive and arrange your schedule accordingly. Set specific hours of work and stick to your schedule – no working late into the night or squandering half the day on Facebook! You may find it beneficial to set certain tasks for certain times of day too. Perhaps you're most creative in the morning, so do your blog posting, ad writing, planning, etc. in the morning and reserve the afternoons for email, phone calls and book keeping, for example. Whatever schedule you set for yourself, make sure the family knows what it is and respects it.

3. Pay Attention to Ergonomics. You're going to be working in your home office for
several hours a day, so make sure you invest in a good quality office chair that is
comfortable and fits you properly. Repetitive strain injuries are very common when you work at a computer all day, so make sure your keyboard and mouse are at the right height so you don't damage your wrists, back, neck and shoulders. Be sure to take frequent breaks as well. Get up and move around every hour or so, just for a few minutes. You'll give your mind a break and time to refresh and your muscles will thank you too.

There are many things you can do to improve your productivity in your home office. We've just scratched the surface here with these three, but these three simple tips will go a long way in helping you get the most out of working from home.

Recommendation: Free Time Management and Productivity Course to get more done from your home office.

Actionable Business Training | Blog | Contact Us