If you work from home, you probably know this struggle – you sit down at your computer, and within fifteen seconds, you’re up to because the phone is ringing, then you go to the kitchen to take the chicken out of the freezer for dinner, the washing machine chimes at you that it’s time to put the clothes in the dryer or any number of other distractions that would only happen to you in a home office.

It can be really challenging to stay focused and productive when you have a home office, and when you first learned how to make money from home, you probably didn’t anticipate just how distracting your home could be. But don’t worry, there are some simple changes that you can make to your work style and your home office to boost productivity.

Here are our tips to improve your work from home jobs:

Tip #1: Set up a clear schedule

One of the hardest things, when you’re just starting to learn how to make money online, is realizing that your home is full of distractions. Keep yourself on track by setting up a clear work schedule, and sticking to it. If you’re used to working at an office from 8am to 5pm, that’s going to be the time that you’re in your home office as well. 

And make sure your family and flatmates know your schedule, too. After all, they wouldn’t call you during the middle of the workday to ask you if you’ve seen their car keys, so they should be able to give you the same space when you have that home office door closed. 

Tip #2: Clear your home office of clutter

It may look great to have a floor-to-ceiling bookcase in your home office, but if you’re an avid reader, it might be a good idea to keep those tempting novels out of sight. In fact, anything that isn’t necessary for your job shouldn’t be in your home office.

This can be a struggle if your home office doubles as storage. In that case, you might consider investing in an off-site storage unit so that your home office is clear of clutter and distractions. Spacer has plenty of affordable storage solutions right in your neighbourhood.

Then, from day to day, make sure you keep your work area clean. Piles of paperwork, misplaced items that belong in other areas of the home, and dirty dishes will drive you crazy when you’re trying to focus on your work from home jobs. 

If you need some extra space to store some extra documents or other things that you house in your home office, you can always use Spacer and choose from the thousands of spaces available to you. 

Tip #3: Get as much Vitamin D as possible

One of the complaints that often comes up with people who work from home is that they feel cramped in their home office. It makes sense. When you’re home all day, all you want to do is get out and enjoy some sunshine. That’s fine, but there are ways to do that without lowering your productivity. 

On the one hand, you should start your morning with a brisk walk. There’s scientific evidence to show that exercise in the morning can help stimulate cognitive activity throughout the day. It also helps, the study showed, to have periodic breaks throughout the day. Just like you might take a lunch break at a corporate office, you should schedule these breaks into your home office routine. 

The key, here, is to get outside for whatever exercise you do throughout the day. It’s not enough to spend 15 minutes on a stationary bike in the garage. To really boost your productivity, you should get away from home.

And when you are in your home office? Open up the windows. Natural light has been shown to boost emotional wellbeing, which will make you more calm, focused, and productive.

Tip #4: Invest in home office furniture

Finally, let’s talk about furniture. Here are some of the best home office furniture purchases that you can make for your home office more productive:

• A convertible sitting/standing desk – When you’ve been working all morning and you have that itch to go to the fridge to see what there is to eat, or you remember that you wanted to take the trash out, try to remind yourself that you probably just need a slight adjustment. Convert your desk from sitting to standing, and you’ll be right back on track.

• A comfortable chair that you don’t mind sitting in for long stretches

• A good light source – since you’re ditching the corporate office for a home office, take the opportunity to banish fluorescent lights from your life!

• Plenty of storage – remember, you want your home office to be clean and tidy, so get some nice storage boxes or filing cabinets to keep things organized

When you’ve got all the home office furniture you need to complete your working space, you’ll want to consider placement carefully. It can be helpful to position your desk in front of a window unless an afternoon glare is going to affect your focus. You should try out a few different configurations until you find one that works best for your productivity. 

Good luck with your new home office!

With these tips, your friends will be asking you how to make money from home so they can start their own home office!