Working from home is an increasingly solid prospect for many professions the country over.

Great internet options, multiple points of communication, shifting opinions and mobile tech means many employees no longer need to take up office space.

Furthermore, many companies are understanding that remote work makes more productive, happier and long lasting employees.

But how to stay on task with potential distractions?

1) The right space is key

You know this, but I bet your space could be improved.

You will have to work with what you have here and find the most conducive work space possible. If you don’t have a spare room to make into an office, make sure to set up a specific corner at the very least. Even a sunny corner near a window with a simple small desk, good chair and a PC can do it.

The point is you should not be doing work in a shared space.

Not only should you associate work and the mindset of ‘being in the zone‘ with a particular space to promote the right mindset, you also shouldn’t have to pack it up or have competing associations with your work space.

If you get distracted easily try seeking out libraries or cheap shared working spaces to get yourself away from non-work associations and distractions like the TV, friends and housework.

2) Get up and get dressed

This is just as metaphorical as it is literal. You need to ‘show up’ ready for work.

You should be the master of your own domain when working remotely, which really means you need to take charge of your day.

Start by getting up and dressed – sounds simple, but this is a metaphor for your day and gets you into the mood. Wearing a bathrobe while writing on the coffee table is not conducive to long term productivity.

So treat your day just like a regular office day – be up on time, showered, fed, seated in your work space and no longer dressed in your pajamas. This is a state of mind and it will pay dividends in increased concentration and productivity.

3) Quarantine yourself

Not from germs, (although that’s pretty useful I guess) but from distractions – the disease of the workday.

Read this blog first for a really thorough and useful rundown on removing digital distractions from your work day – we have you covered.

The best way to do this without your head exploding is to block out your hours and breaks – you will of course need to refresh, feed yourself and get some air at some stage.

What we mean here is insulation from distraction:

  • Snooze social notifications
  • Tell friends you are at work
  • Leave the TV off
  • One browser tab at a time

4) Get out and breathe

A mixed message perhaps. Didn’t we just tell me to quarantine? Yes but balance is key. We aren’t pod people.

Once you have conscientiously put in your morning unit of uninterrupted work, block out your lunch time and get the heck out of the house! You will go mad if you don’t.

Get out and go for a walk, bring your lunch to the park, go out to eat at a local cafe, hit the gym, have a swim, go surfing, or head out to do a few quick chores.

The point is to leave the work space, refuel and preferably get some light exercise in. Hitting the reset button is key to all-day productivity.

Now all you have to do is get back in the zone, pump out your afternoon session as efficiently as you can and you are free for the day to indulge in all the distractions you desire.