If you’ve ever googled “How to stay focused when WFH,” [working from home] this is the post for you! Regardless of where you work, there can be distractions — in office environments, water cooler chats, and nearby conversations can disrupt focus and on the flip side, working at home can present challenges with structure and discipline.

So today we’re sharing our six favorite tips to help you stay on track and stay focused when working from home. 

SUBSTITUTE THE COMMUTE

You heard me; no more hitting snooze and rolling out of bed. Use the time you normally commute to get ready for the day, even if you stay in sweats. Whether indulging in your 9-step skin-care routine, starting the morning with meditation or simply enjoying quiet time with your coffee. Creating a consistent routine before starting your work day can go a long way in helping to switch your mindset from relaxation to work and prepare you for the day ahead.

SETTING OBJECTIVES FOR YOURSELF  

If you find the hours getting away from you, setting personal objectives/having an end goal for what you want to achieve during the day can help keep you focused when working from home. Some helpful practices might be setting twice-daily objectives — one set to complete by lunchtime, and another to complete by the end of the working day. Or you might find it useful to invest in time blocking by fully going into DND and working for increments of 30 minutes. This minimizes your risk of procrastinating and enables you to prioritize more important tasks.

AVOID DISTRACTIONS

This might be an obvious one, but distractions at home are ten times worse than distractions in an office. You have your tv, your bed, and the fridge calling your name. Whatever you have, try and minimize as many distractions as possible. Here are a few tricks:

• Try to not binge listen to Netflix, as much as you are using your eyes to work, you also use your thoughts and ears. If you can’t handle the silence, put on instrumental music at a very lower volume.
• Answer emails and text only once or twice a day while working – If you already do this, than you are a legend, but if you are anything like Soigne’ you tend to want to answer emails and message live. You will be so much more productive if you schedule a time to answer all emails and messages at a certain time and avoid responding the moment you get one.
• Use your eating and drinking water as your break – Yes, we get it the fridge is calling your name. Since breaks are important and standing up from your desk is even more important, utilize your meals and fill up your water cup as a break. Dr. Elisha, from Chiropractic Life located in Ulladulla, NSW, suggests avoiding having a water bottle at your desk and replacing it with a cup. That way, you get more breaks standing by filling up your cup.

TAKING BREAKS  

If you typically take a mid-morning coffee break at the office or a 30-minute lunch, do it at home. Carving out a little “you time” isn’t frowned upon, it’s encouraged. Maintaining even minor daily rituals create continuity for the days when you’re working from home — so fix yourself that 3rd cup of coffee, healthy lunch or give yourself a little mid-day movement. 

YOUR AT HOME WORKSPACE

A dedicated workspace is the most important element, so whether you have a sprawling home office or a nook in your kitchen, it’s important to have a dedicated space to work. Keep it clean, organized, and stocked with all the necessary tools to make working from home functional and attainable. 

KNOWING WHEN TO CLOCK OUT

It can be tempting to squeeze in something after dinner or on a Sunday afternoon, but when it feels like you’re working all the time, that can quickly lead to burnout. That’s why you should stick to a predetermined set of work hours and maximize your workdays so that you can enjoy your time off and feel refreshed and ready to clock back in on Monday morning! 

LET’S WRAP THINGS UP

Staying focused at home isn’t rocket science—it’s about finding your groove. Start your day by swapping that snooze for a bit of “you time.” Whether it’s a skincare extravaganza, a moment of meditation, or just soaking in the calm with your coffee, set the vibe for a productive day.

Next up, goals! Don’t let time slip through your fingers. Set some daily targets, maybe a few pre-lunch and a couple more to conquer by day’s end. Time blocking can be your superhero here, keeping procrastination at bay and helping you rock those important tasks.

Now, distractions—those sneaky culprits. Your TV, bed, and fridge might try to lure you away, but resist! Skip the Netflix binge (we know it’s tempting) and keep instrumental tunes on standby. Also, try not to be the email ninja—schedule specific times to tackle your inbox and dodge the constant ping-pong.

Taking breaks? Absolutely. If you’d usually grab a coffee or enjoy a lunch break at the office, do it at home. Small rituals maintain your sanity, whether it’s that third cup of coffee, a healthy lunch, or a little midday movement.

Your workspace is your castle. Big or small, keep it organized and armed with everything you need. And, most importantly, know when to call it a day. Working round the clock is a shortcut to burnout. Stick to your work hours, savor your downtime, and come back Monday ready to crush it. Here’s to making working from home feel like a breeze—because, hey, you’ve got this!