Working from home is awesome, right up until your children come home from school and photobomb your weekly Zoom call with your boss or the dog throws up on your computer. It's no secret that COVID-19 has caused remote work to become a necessity instead of a luxury for many, and it's a change those are trying to figure out. But which environment allows us to be more productive: the home office or the office office? That's the question.

In the office office, your work colleagues often pose the greatest threat to keeping you from getting some real work done. The social benefits are nice to have, but they can become a challenge if you're easily distracted.

However, at the home office, while family members can be a rather distraction, we find that it's easy for you to become your own worst enemy. Because without coworkers around, no one's watching and find yourself procrastinating or getting easily distracted. You don't necessarily feel that same communal obligation to get stuff done.

Here are just 8 tips to ensure you work productively at home, no matter what - all compiled with advice gained by the Avanty team.

Have a designated workspace

Try to find yourself a dedicated and comfortable spot to work that you can associate with your job and leave when you’re off the clock — that means get off the sofa, and definitely out of bed. We recommend somewhere with good lighting, plenty of space, something to work on (i.e desk, dining room table etc) and quiet. Members of the Avanty team, whilst working from home, opted for the kitchen as the designated work space - bright, spacious, worked at the dining table and had plenty of room to spread paperwork and stretch their legs. However, some found that working in the kitchen prompted them to eat more and spend more time in the fridge than they would like to admit. So take into consideration the location that will best work for you.

Communicate expectations with anyone who will be home with you.

Of course, you might be working from home but still have "company." Make sure any roommates, partners, children respect your space during working hours. Just because you're working from home doesn't mean you're home. Lay the ground rules! Especially if you're sharing a work space with someone else who is working from home - set rules about meeting times, shared equipment/furniture, and break times etc.

Get dressed every single day

We know you love working in your pyjamas (members of the Avanty team have confessed that too), but the mere act of changing clothes to something more serious/ work related will give you a signal to get work done throughout the day. When you dress up, you give your brain a reason for dressing up, and it can keep you pumped throughout your work hours. So when you're working from home, do all the things you'd normally do to prepare for an office role: Set your alarm, have a coffee, and wear nice/smart clothes.

Structure your day like you would in the office

When working from home, you're your own personal manager and can choose your working hours.

However, without things like an in-person meeting schedule to break up your day, you can easily lose focus or burn out. To stay on schedule, plan what you need to do and when you need it done by. If you have an online calendar such as Google Calendar or Asana, create events and reminders to keep you on schedule.

Take breaks

It can be so easy to get distracted with work that you forget to take breaks or lose track of time. Don't let the guilt of working in the building you sleep in prevent you from taking five minutes to relax. However rather than just opening YouTube and watching some funny cat videos, get away from workspace. Go for a walk, get some fresh air, or even spend time with others who might also be in the house. Separate your time from work time - your breaks are your time to spend the way you want.

Also make sure you remain hydrated and have plenty of food throughout the day. Use break times to make sure you have food and drink, and ensure you're truly looking after yourself. Breaks, like making and eating lunch, can recharge you to do better work. Don't assume you need to be working 100% of the time while you're home to be more productive - it doesn't work like that.

Save calls for the afternoon

If you're struggling to develop a reasonable work schedule for yourself, start with the individual tasks in the morning. Save all your phone calls, Zoom meetings and other collaborative work for when you've officially "woken up". Take advantage of the morning hours to power through the bigger projects without distractions, and save any calls or virtual meetings for later on in the day.

Have a set finish time

Working from home can mean you get so caught up in your work, in a relaxing environment, that you lose complete track of time and work past your contracted hours. Maintaining boundaries is so important when it comes to being productive working from home. We recommend you set an alarm at the end of the day to indicate your normal workday is coming to an end. You don't have to stop at exactly that time, but knowing the workday is technically over can help you start the process of saving your work and calling it quits for the evening.

Talk to your employer

Communicate with your employer(s) about how you're getting on with the new dynamic of working from home. If you're struggling, discuss it with them. Not only will you feel like a weight is lifted off your shoulders, but you could also find solutions together to improve your experience of working from home.

On the other hand if you love working from home and you feel like you're more productive there than in the office, talk to your employer about it becoming a permanent thing. If you're not sure your employer will agree to working completely remotely, talk about the option of working remotely for one or two days a week. And when you use the work from home tips we've provided above, and your boss sees how productive you are, they could allow you more days to work from home. Win, win!