Work from Home Like a Pro: Top Tips for Maximizing Productivity Away From the Office

Working from home remains a controversial subject in each office (and their families) but seems destined to remain — with ONS data showing an increase of nearly 40 percent since the start of the Covid pandemic.

The problem has ignited a cultural conflict, with certain businesses shutting down their premises completely, whereas Others implement stringent rules mandating staff to come back. .

The practice was Still the target of ridicule Not too long ago, yet currently about 40 percent of us engage in remote work for part of the week, particularly more so in London.

Home workers, once considered novel, can today typically be grouped into two types: those who constantly feel tethered to their ever-present laptops and cannot detach themselves from work, and those who have difficulty accomplishing anything due to distractions at home.

Whether you're the type to work past 9pm fine-tuning a PowerPoint presentation or someone who can't focus with the washing piling up, we've scoured the web to find the best productivity tips for working from home.

Essential home office setup tips for maximum productivity

The realisation that it is technically possible to work not just from home but from bed ignited something of a Wild West of employees bragging about outdoing each other to the bottom (“You got up at 8.59am? I never actually wake up before the first meeting” etc).

According to a survey conducted by Uswitch.com, one-fourth of people working from home admitted to using their beds as their workspace. This trend became so common that the Guardian even compiled a guide to how best to do it .

As the article suggested, working from your bed ( or, as this Brazilian politician attempted, from the shower It’s out of the question. Stay at a desk—traditional or otherwise. If you frequently work from home, investing in a good setup is essential.

Choosing a desk is all about balancing style, practicality, and comfort while staying within your budget.

Your employer might even provide some money to help, but the Independent found that you can buy a decent desk from Ikea for as little as £30. Their ‘best buy’ was a £275 Barker and Stonehouse Modi reclaimed wood desk for its “charm” and space.

The Standard has also identified the best on sale and provided tips on which chair to buy .

A high-quality chair must have an ergonomic design to support your spine and overall body structure, enabling you to focus entirely on your tasks without interruption, Abha Shah from The Standard penned .

Flexibility is also crucial: seek out designs that let you adjust the seat height, seat depth, armrests, and tilt angles. Casters are an added bonus, enabling smooth mobility to reach your printer, house intercom, or the refrigerator for some snacks without having to stand up.

How to structure your WFH day for success

Unfortunately for those who have relied on this model to maximise their nighttime activities, WFH expert Pat Flynn strongly advocates a 'tomorrow starts today' approach.

“The beauty of leaving the house and going to work is that you get to leave the house,” he said on his YouTube channel . “When you start working from home that routine goes away. And that’s dangerous because you can have slower starts and later finishes.

“Freedom without routine can mean procrastination or being busy on the wrong things.”

He suggests avoiding late-night indulgences in favour of going to bed on time, allowing you to take time for yourself before your workday begins. Whether going for a run, heading to the shop, or simply enjoying a relaxing breakfast, this change of scene can help create clear boundaries between work and leisure.

Fellow YouTube creator Kaylyn Brooke emphasizes the significance When preparing for the day, get into a frame of mind that fosters productivity. Simply change out of your pajamas—even into more relaxed attire—can make a difference. Additionally, keeping your work area neat can enhance efficiency. If feasible, silencing your phone might also aid in reducing interruptions.

Brooke recommends that planning ahead and writing out daily tasks can be very beneficial, along with setting routines for beginning and ending your workday. It could help to organize activities according to times of peak productivity—morning types may find they excel at creative jobs during these hours, whereas less demanding duties like responding to emails might suit their natural decline in energy later in the day.

Pausing periodically is another commonly suggested advice. The Health and Safety Executive (no less) recommends taking a break of 5 to 20 minutes each hour Ideally, you should move away from a screen once your work is done. It's beneficial to get outside and engage in an activity outdoors as quickly as possible afterward.

Nicola Barron, penning an article for the Standard, takes it a notch higher by endorsing the Pomodoro Technique: focus on your tasks for 25 minutes followed by a brief five-minute respite. Once you've completed four such intervals, allow yourself a longer rest period of 15-30 minutes.

Best productivity tools for remote workers

Brooke mentions that "starting at a specific time" with a fixed work schedule (which isn’t always required for those who are self-employed) can be an effective method for concentration. She goes further to suggest this approach. recommends the app ATracker to help track this.

Flynn emphasises the importance of listing your tasks for the day and prioritising what needs to be done. He suggests using Trello, but other similar tools are available.

Meanwhile, Nicola Barron in the Standard advises replacing your to-do list with an 'impact list'— focusing on tasks that truly make a difference or bring you closer to your professional or personal goals.

To receive the best stories in your inbox every day, click here to register for one or more newsletters from The Standard.