With distractions like cute dogs, endless piles of laundry, and the TV around, it's no wonder it can be difficult to manage the day and be productive at the same time.

In this article, we share five tips to minimise distractions when working from home. 

Start the day right 

When you work outside of the home, it's easier to establish a routine and the structure of it keeps you focused and keeps things moving.

When working from home, you should still establish a routine – but a word of warning, it may be easier to break since it can be tempting to hit the snooze button.

Instead, use that extra time to exercise, meditate, or journal. That additional one hour or even 15 minutes can do wonders to set your mindset right for the day. 

Create boundaries 

Since you are at home, it can be tempting to catch up on housework and get distracted by a messy house. Avoid housework during working hours – even if it's during your break. Create boundaries and make work time only for work.

Schedule proper lunch breaks, preferably not at your desk. Get dressed in something comfortable. After all, you may still have Zoom meetings, so you still want to look presentable, without being too formal.

A simple change can help you transition your mindset out of relaxation mode and into a productive work mode.

Plan and prepare lunch and snacks ahead of time

Just like you would plan lunch ahead of time, meals at home should be planned ahead of time.

For some, it takes a bit of time to figure out what to eat. Some of us are hanging out for the latest UberEats deal for inspiration, while others prefer to whip up a meal at home. Preparing your meals and snacks in advance means you won't lose precious time. 

Turn off your phone notifications

It isn't enough to put your phone on silent. What is distracting is the ping sounds of notifications. Disable social media notifications and anything else that is not work-related during working hours.

Put your phone on silent if you don't need your phone for work or leave it somewhere else where it is not in plain sight. 

Block out time in your diary

Use your calendar to block out time to actually do work and rest. Aside from scheduled meetings, there may be a one or two-hour window where you can block out time to catch up on admin or finish off that training course. You could also block out time to answer emails all in one go, rather than answering ad hoc throughout the day – which can be distracting.  

Make sure you schedule breaks to stretch your legs and to have lunch. It's also a good idea to go for a 15-minute walk if you can to help the brain refocus, especially since we're often sitting hunched up at our desks all day.

Working from home has a million distractions. With the five tips above, you will be on your way to a much more productive working day. 

Looking for more information on working from home? My Business Workplace has a library of documents to ensure you’re compliant with workplace legislation.