18 essential tips for working at home

Whether you've only been working from home for the past couple of years or are a longtime remote worker, pretty much everyone could stand to make some improvements to their work-from-home set-up.

Flip through the slideshow for 18 essential ways to make your work-from-home life a little bit easier, from finding the right equipment and investing in a good chair to tips on how to establish work hours and stick to them

Set working hours and stick to them

When you're working at home, sticking to the typical 9 to 5 routine can be a challenge. If you're able to set your own hours, that's even more difficult. Establish your working hours and stick to them, or you'll end up working far longer hours than you should

When you're off, be off. Turn off notifications for email and chat apps on your phone, and make sure that folks on your team know who they can contact in an emergency outside of your established working hours

Consider putting on real pants

For many people, getting into the habit of getting up and getting dressed for the day makes it easier to get the job done. If that's you, build a morning routine that includes breakfast and putting on real clothes for more at-home productivity.

Make sure your team knows your working hours and availability

If you're trying to avoid off-hours pings, keep your calendar updated so that everyone you work with knows when you're going to be around. You can, of course, let your manager or other coworkers know how to reach you in an emergency, but generally, you should be protective of the time that you're not on the clock.

Go for daily walks

When you're working from home, it's easy to get stuck inside for days. Make it a priority to take a short walk, even just 15 minutes a day is helpful, in the outdoors to get your blood flowing and take a quick break away from work. 

Create a comfortable workspace

Depending on your living situation, you may not be able to have a dedicated office, but that doesn't mean that your workstation can't be comfortable. If you're stuck at the kitchen table, invest in equipment like laptop risers and a supportive chair to make your workspace a little cozier. Decorative elements and plants are also an excellent touch. 

Invest in the right equipment for your job

If you're going to be working at home long-term, it's essential that you obtain good-quality equipment needed to do your job. Invest in a nice keyboard, external monitor, or other essential equipment, or see if your employer is able to provide those items for you

...and a really comfortable chair

When working at home, a comfortable, supportive chair is an absolute essential. It's worth investing in the best chair you can afford if only to prevent you from having terrible back pain after sitting in one of your kitchen chairs for hours. Pro-tip: secondhand shops and sites like Facebook marketplace are often replete with good-quality used office chairs that can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of retail

Consider an adjustable standing desk

Health experts generally agree that sitting all day isn't great for the body, and a new generation of adjustable standing desks makes it easy to get a little more standing time into your day. Invest in a desk with a quality movement mechanism and it will last for years, no matter how many times you move it up and down. 

Take a real lunch break

So many people eat lunch at their desks, and that's one of those little things that add up to total burnout over time. Take 30 minutes — or an hour, if you're able — each day for an actual lunch that isn't eaten in front of your laptop. Bonus points if you're able to sneak in a post-prandial walk

Invest in noise-cancelling headphones to cut out distractions

Whether it's a noisy neighbor or your spouse who is also working from home, cutting out distractions can be tough. Noise-canceling headphones can be a huge help, even if you don't use them to play music. 

Most office workers get to take breaks, but work-from-home folks often forget that they're entitled to step away from the keyboard from time to time. Pencil a 15-minute break into your calendar in the morning and afternoon and use that time to go for a walk, zone out, or enjoy a snack before getting back to work. 

Keep your workspace clutter-free

If your workspace is cluttered and messy, you might feel like it's tough to get things done. At the end of each day, take a few minutes to clean up your desk and organize your stuff for an easy start the next morning.

Work outside occasionally for a change of pace

Bored of working in your office? Switch it up! Head to a park if the weather is nice, or take advantage of the free WiFi at a nearby coffee shop for a few hours to get a nice change of pace

Listen to music you love

One of the best things about working at home is that you've got the ability to totally customize your work environment. As long as you're not on client calls or Zoom meetings, play your favorite tunes to energize you in the morning, or consider lo-fi beats for those times when you really need to concentrate