20 Tips for Leveling Up Your Work-at-Home Game

Whether you're new to working remotely or just looking fo do if beffer, fhese fips can help you stay productive and maintain balance.

- By Jill Duffy

In early 2020, when COVID-19 struck, more people than ever before began working from home—most of them with little or no notice. Organizations and individuals didn’t have time to prepare for remote work or to think about the best ways to transition teams, processes, and culture to an online-only environment. No one knew then—or even knows now—how long the pandemic will affect workplaces.

If you’re new to the work-from-home lifestyle, for whatever reason, you may have found that you need to change your habits and routines to make working from home a success.

I've worked 100 percent remotely for more than seven years, and several of my friends and colleagues have led entire careers from home offices. My book, The Everything Guide to Remote Work, is the result of my own experience and learning from others. Each remote worker faces unique challenges, not only because of our different personalities but also thanks to our various lifestyles and the type of work we do. Still, many of the core issues we face are the same.

Everyone who works remotely has to figure out when to work, where to work, and how to create boundaries between work and personal life. Beyond those basic considerations, questions arise about office equipment, career development, training opportunities, and how to build relationships with colleagues remotely.

Working remotely, especially when you're working at home most of the time, means figuring out these issues and others. Here are my tips for leading a better and more productive remote-work life.

1. MAINTAIN REGULAR HOURS