How to be productive when you work from home

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The way we work has changed: over the last few years we’ve seen a significant increase in remote and hybrid work.

According to a 2024 Gallup report on remote work, U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs worked 26% exclusively remote or 55% in a hybrid capacity. Five in 10 full-time U.S. employees currently work in remote-capable jobs. And of these employees, six in 10 prefer a hybrid arrangement and one-third prefer fully remote work.

Whether you freelance, run a small business, or work for an organization that supports telecommuting or a hybrid schedule, it’s important to stay productive when you work from home.

But remember: there isn’t a one-size-fits all solution for ultimate work-from-home productivity. How to keep focused on your work tasks when your house is also your office will depend on the nature of your work and your personal work style.

We spoke with Al Gorriaran, DBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, full-time faculty for the School of Business, and Cheryl Boncuore, PhD, associate dean of the School of Business, Technology, and Health Care Administration at Capella University, to find out how professionals can maximize their productivity when working from home.

Make your environment and habits work for you

Comfort is important. Dr. Gorriaran suggests starting with a good chair, noting that the one he uses has good back support. Other things to consider may be your desk setup, whether you have a dedicated office at home or if you carve out a workspace in another room.

The next thing to consider is the time of day when you’re most productive, if your working situation allows that kind of flexibility. “It’s important to have standard times, but they don’t have to look like the workplace,” Dr. Gorriaran says.

He goes on to suggest that some people may find it useful to have scheduled blocks where they focus on work, broken up in between by short breaks.

First, consider what may be required by your employer, if applicable. Then decide what your ideal work environment would be and personalize your work space or change your equipment to meet those needs. Some things to ask yourself:

• Does my job require being at a desk full-time or is there potential for flexibility? A laptop tray may be useful if you work in other areas of the house. If you stay in one location, a desk that converts to different heights can help you change your posture throughout the workday to avoid getting stiff.
• Do I need to attend on-camera meetings for my work?
  You may need to set up your workspace with a backdrop that won’t be distracting, or use background-blurring tools included in meeting software. Consider how your light source makes you look when on camera.
• Does my work require a specialized keyboard or additional monitors? Is my laptop touchpad all I need?
  If you work better with a monitor array or keyboard and mouse setup, you’ll need a dedicated desk for your workspace.
• Do I like background noise or music when I work?
  Decide if you want a speaker or a TV near your home workstation.
• Do I like talking with others during my workday, or do I need uninterrupted alone time?
  If you don’t have a dedicated space or separate room where you can work quietly, noise-cancelling headphones could help block unwanted distractions, especially if you live with others (including pets).

If you have meetings during your work, consider how much time you need for prep.

Dr. Gorriaran suggests, “One of the things we do at home that we think about is preparing for our day.” He adds that, for him, keeping appointments and deadlines in a physical planner helps reinforce that sense of preparation.

Find ways to engage with peers and team members

Staying connected to coworkers can help you continue to be an engaged, productive worker. If you work from home 100% of the time, you may not get many opportunities for in-person interaction with your coworkers, bosses or employees. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to stay in touch.

• Phone calls. Instead of shooting off another email, consider picking up the phone to discuss the project with your coworker or boss. For complex matters with lots of moving parts, a quick chat is often more productive and takes less time than going back and forth over email.
• Instant messages. Need a quick answer to a simple question? Use a messaging app to ask a coworker. It’s also a great way to just say “hi” when you need a little brain break.
• Video conferences. Team meetings and group planning activities are great ways to see and engaged with your teammates. You can connect names with faces for people you’ve never met in person. “I feel connected to everybody, even though we’re on Zoom all the time,” Dr. Boncuore says.
• In-person meetings. Don’t underestimate the impact of occasionally going into the office if you can.

If you don’t have coworkers or a team (as a freelancer or small business owner), consider setting up monthly lunch dates or coffee breaks with peers in your industry. The camaraderie can help energize you and may serve as a stress release while you’re working on a big project. The personal connection can help you be more productive when you get back to work and help you cultivate your communication skills.

Staying in the groove with hybrid work

For those who have hybrid schedules – where they work on-site for part of the time – maximizing your productivity comes down to figuring out how to allocate work according to the setting.

Dr. Gorriaran and Dr. Boncuore have some thoughts on this challenge in light of the rule some organizations have implemented, requiring on-site days for some people who have grown accustomed to being fully remote. When you have a routine at home, going back to an office environment may feel distracting.

“Video calls that may work really well when you’re isolated by yourself at home, but it’s not as effective in a cube environment,” Dr. Gorriaran says. Another thing to consider: if a virtual meeting requires privacy – such as conversations about performance – that’s something you need to plan for when you alternate between remote and on-site work.

“I think we all adapt to what we need to do,” Dr. Boncuore says.

The best way to navigate that transition is to look ahead when possible. If you have work that requires more focus or is more challenging, try to coordinate that for days when you’ll have fewer distractions at home.

Know when to separate your work from personal time

Striking the right work-life balance can help you avoid burnout. For some, the beauty of working from home is that you can often set your own schedule. That said, you need to make sure your family and coworkers are aware of your working and non-working hours.

If you can share an online schedule with coworkers, make it clear when you’re working and when you’re taking a break. Talk with your boss and coworkers about your schedule and see if they have any concerns.

If you’re someone who finds that work and life tend to blend together, find the routine or pattern that works for you and the tools to help you stick to it. That might mean scheduling blocks of time, staying on top of your calendar, and knowing when to create a time and space that’s just for you.

One of the main benefits of working from home is that you could save time on commuting and can spend more time with the family. Take advantage of that! The work will still be there tomorrow.

Want more tips about the skills needed for remote work? Capella University students and alumni enjoy ongoing access to the Capella Career Development Center for resources and strategies.

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