Working from home is great—until your PC gets puked on by your cat. And across the street, your neighbor, who you can only guess is creating a time machine, starts turning on various power tools and loud gear.

For many professionals, remote work is becoming a necessity rather than a luxury because of COVID-19. But which setting—the workplace or the home office—allows us to be more productive?

In the office, your coworkers are frequently the biggest danger to your ability to complete any serious, focused work. According to what I’ve heard, they stop by your desk, start a discussion with you, and ask you to lunch. The social advantages are good, but they could be difficult if you’re easily distracted.

While family members might be a distraction when working from home, I find that it’s easy to turn into your own worst enemy. You can let down your guard when there aren’t any employees around. There is no one present in the home office. You might not have the same peer pressure or sense of duty to the community to complete tasks. (You’re not also required to wear pants.)

How to Work From Home

1. Anyone at home with you should be informed of your expectations.
2. Take clear breaks.
3. Interact with other humans.
4. Prepare meals the night before.
5. Pick an ideal finish time.
6. Eat and sleep.
7. Talk to your employer.
8. Join a remote-friendly company.
9. Start a career as a freelancer.
10. Start a home business.
11. Let them know what to expect if someone is at home with you.

Even if you work from home, make sure any roommates, family members, and even canines (well, maybe not dogs) respect your space while you are working.

It may be necessary to establish ground rules around meeting hours, shared desks and chairs, and quiet periods if you share space with another working from a home adult.

Sam Mallikarjunan, the CEO, explains how he continues to work while others are present.

“If anybody else is going to be at home when you’re working, they simply have to be clear that when you’re in your ‘office,’ you’re working — even if it looks like and feels like you’re hanging out at home,” the author writes. “In my situation, my signal to the family is headphones on.”

The many household chores that must be completed during the day make it simple to become sidetracked.

1. Take clear breaks.

It may be too simple to become sidetracked as a telecommuter, causing you to skip breaks entirely. Allow yourself five minutes to unwind without letting the guilt of working in the building you sleep in getting in the way.

Use your breaks to leave your work, though, rather than merely opening YouTube and watching some comforting videos. Go for a walk, enjoy the fresh air, or speak with any relatives or friends who might be there.

2. Interact with other humans.

You’ll probably miss the daily informal social encounters with coworkers when your workplace starts working from home. You don’t engage in the small conversation and other activities that distinguish each day in the workplace when working from home.

What then can you do? Communicate.

By talking to coworkers frequently, you can ward against loneliness and boredom. Send them a message via a hosted phone system, a video chat software like Zoom or Slack, or any method of communication that your business uses.

Remember, Not the moon, your place of business. Even if they are not your coworkers, you are permitted to socialize during the day. Seeing another face during the day is a good idea if you spend most of your working hours alone. So engage in social interaction throughout your breaks.

3. Prepare meals the night before.

Spending time making a good breakfast and lunch while you’re at home might be tempting, including cutting and cooking. Spend the evening before preparing your food rather than wasting valuable time on it the day of work.

By preparing meals in advance, you can make sure that you can eat throughout mealtimes and that you aren’t wasting energy on activities that might be done at your desk.

4. Pick an ideal finishing time.

You could believe that working from home creates a better work-life balance, but you should exercise caution in making that judgment.

Working from home may also be like going to a casino since you can lose all sense of time because you’re so engrossed in what you’re doing.

Set the alarm for the end of the day to signal that your typical workday is coming to a close, rather than relying on coworkers whose packing up and leaving the office serves as a reminder for you to do the same. Even if the workday is officially done at that time, knowing it might help you begin the process of saving your work and quitting for the day.

5. Eat and sleep.

What benefit of working from home is the greatest? For some individuals (like myself), having full access to the kitchen is one of the major advantages.

I automatically head to the kitchen for some nibbles as soon as I take a break.

A poor diet can reduce productivity and deplete energy. I could perform better and make the most of my routine when I transitioned to a healthier diet.

So when working from home, eat healthily.

You must also adhere to a regular sleep pattern. Your favorite program binge-watching should be saved for the weekend. You may succeed at working from home if you eat the right foods to keep your energy levels up and get enough sleep to rejuvenate your body and mind.

6. Talk to your employer.

What benefit of working remotely stands out most? For some (like myself), having unrestricted access to the kitchen is among the biggest advantages.

I always find myself heading into the kitchen for some munchies as soon as I take a break.

It can be detrimental to productivity and deplete energy to eat poorly. I became more productive and got more out of my routine when I changed to a healthier diet.

Consequently, if you work from home, eat healthily.

Observing a regular sleep pattern is also essential. It would be perfect for waiting until the weekend to binge-watch your favorite programs. Working from home may be successful if you eat well to maintain a high energy level and get adequate sleep to rejuvenate your body and mind.

7. Join a remote-friendly company.

You may need to find new employment if your present employer or organization forbids you from working from home even though your job may be done remotely.

You may employ the same strategies you used to discover your normal office job while looking for a work-from-home one. This covers job boards, regional classified advertisements, and social media sites.

Work-from-home job posting websites include:

• Flexjobs
• Telecommute Job List
• FreelanceJobOpening.com
• We work remotely

Some companies that welcome remote clients are:

• HubSpot
• Randstad
• Twilio
• NTT Group
• Aquent

Check out these companies to see if you qualify to begin working remotely for them.

8. Start a career as a freelancer.

If your present position does not allow for remote work, you can establish a freelancing or consulting firm and work from home.

You may launch your own freelancing business while still working, depending on the nature of your current position.

Launching a freelancing business while still working can ease the financial pressure that comes with starting a new company.

9. Start a home business.

One method to take advantage of remote employment is to launch a home business.

In contrast to other professions, credentials and schooling are not often requirements. Your research, business plan, and firm of choice will all have a greater impact on the outcome of your venture.

The books featured in this article’s list of the finest books for remote work contain further advice on working from home.