Working from home comes with a lot of benefits from saving time and money, to making you feel more relaxed and working smarter not harder. Alongside the benefits there can be challenges, making it a bit less productive than desired.

We have itemized 10 simple tips to make your working from home the most productive:

Wake up at the same time Stay healthy with good fuel Prioritize your tasks Check-in with your work colleagues Invest in a quality work space Minimize personal disruptions Get some exercise in Listen to music Enjoy your own outdoor space Use a reward system

1. Wake up at the same time

Wake up at the same time as though you were getting ready for your daily commute to work. Use the extra time to drop the kids off at schools (if you have kids) or enjoy that coffee or tea in a lazy Sunday manner. This will help jump-start your day.

2. Stay healthy with good fuel

What you eat and drink will have a direct impact on your productivity throughout the day. Be sure to stock up on lots of healthy snacks, at least litre of water and home-made lunches (much healthier than the takeaway options).

3. Prioritize your tasks

Create a list of tasks and allocate reasonable amounts of time to complete each one. In addition to this, make a habit of keeping track of your upcoming activities in the weeks and months ahead. Trello is a simple and free online tool for managing your tasks with your team no matter where you work.

4. Check-in with your work colleagues

With the amount of free and inexpensive communication technologies (Skype, WhatApps, Microsoft Teams, etc) there is no excuse not to check in with your work colleagues regularly. Communication is the key to work as a team, keep the spirit up and achieve outcomes together. It’s all about the outcome, not the perception of being chained to your work desk.

5. Invest in a quality work space

Having a dedicated high quality and good looking workspace can give you clear your mindset and improve your productivity. Decorate it with items that spark enthusiasm and have tools in an organised mess to avoid wasting time.

6. Minimize personal disruptions

While it is tempting to mix up the work with non-work appointments, keeping it the same way as you would in the office is best for productivity. Make your personal appointments either first thing in the morning, at lunchtime or at the end of your day.

7. Get some exercise in

One of the advantages of working from home is your privacy and you can get your fitness up whilst working. You can even make time for a bike ride or swim depending you where you live. Check out our 5-minute workouts here to boost your productivity even more.

8. Listen to music

Studies have shown that listening to music while working can boost productivity. Check out our Chillax Spotify playlist to help you stay productive and relaxed through-out the day. The best thing about working from home is that you can fire up the music through a speaker.

9. Enjoy your own outdoor space

Working from home means that you can take regular breaks to enjoy your own outdoor space whether it’s a garden, deck, pool, balcony or another area. Check out our guide to blossom your tiny balcony and some eco-friendly ideas to transform your outdoor space.

10. Use a reward system

As you tick off your list, give yourself some mini rewards to keep motivated. Rewards could be whatever you’re into – a quick game of NBA live, going for a walk, making a coffee, watching a Youtube video or going for an extended lunch break.

If you had enough of your day job, take a moment and sign up for this free workshop dedicated to setting up an online business the easy way. There is nothing like working for yourself!