While we all hoped to be back in the office by this point in time, it doesn’t look like we're going to be anytime soon. Therefore, having a workday plan that makes working from home effective and efficient is important as ever!

It can be hard when you don’t leave your house to get out of “home” mode and into “office” mode. Which is why we put together a list of eight things to do that help make it seem as if you left home and are in the office (if only mentally!).

Maintain Regular Work Hours

When working from home, it’s important that you do everything you can to keep your regular office hours. This will help you keep your mind and body on track of when you are at “work” and when you are at “home.” While the idea of sleeping in till 10am sounds great, it means you have to work till 7pm when others are off work and wanting to catch up on the latest Netflix binge.

Morning Routine

One of the best ways to help keep regular working hours is to establish a morning routine. Work backwards from when you need to be “on the clock” and write down the things you’d like to complete before going to work.

Here are a few ideas you can include in your morning routine:

• Workout
• Journaling
• Breakfast
• Enjoying a cup of coffee in peace and quiet

Dress for Work

Comfy lounge wear is still in, but when you never wear anything else it starts to feel as if you are just going through the motions. You may no longer need to “dress up” for the workday, but you can at least put on a different outfit than the one you woke up in! Then when the workday is over, you can change into comfier clothes like you would when used to come home after work.

Have Roommates? Set Ground Rules

Working from home when you live with other people can be difficult. Help your workday be more effective by setting ground rules with your roommates. It helps to share your schedule with them! Let them know the hours you would like not to be disturbed unless there is an emergency. It will help you from getting interrupted every single time you get into a grove.

Break Time

When planning out your schedule for the day, make sure that you add in two break times! One in the morning and one in the afternoon. It will help give your brain a nice little breather when it knows it has 10-15mins to think of nothing important.

Separate Office Space

If it’s possible, make your workspace a separate space from your bedroom or your couch. While both your bedroom and couch are comfortable, it’s harder to be become engaged with work when you’re sitting in the same spot you’ll be sitting in when you clock out. Your favorite after work spot will also become not so fun if you work in it.

Talk to Co-workers

Make sure you are keeping in contact with your co-workers, whether it’s through an online app like Slack or Zoom, chat with each other for “water cooler breaks.” This will help you stay connected to the people you are used to seeing 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

End of Day Routine

An end of day routine is just as important as a morning routine. This allows your brain to begin the transition from being “at work” to being “at home.”

Your end of day routine can look like:

• Writing out tasks for the next day
• Saying goodbye to everyone in the group chat
• Cleaning up your office space
• Shutting down your computer

We know everyone has mixed reviews when it comes to working from home. Some people love it because it gives them more freedom, others hate it because they are ready to be back in an office setting. Whether you enjoy it or not, the list above will at least help you become more effective and efficient during your workday!