Working from home. It’s something many of us have become more familiar with earlier this year. Whether it is your first experience with working remotely or you’re a seasoned work-from-home expert, we could all use a little extra advice to help us stay productive and focused. Here are nine tips and tricks from the experts to help you avoid work burnout and find balance, so you can actually thrive within your work-from-home routine.

Self-care

1. Take Time for Yourself

Research has shown that self-care also improves your productivity. Making sure that you are doing something for yourself each day is good for your mental health, and will help you manage stress. Pick a hobby to develop, a book to read or a self-care routine to incorporate to ensure that you’re taking the time for yourself. Chief Human Resources Officers at Nu Skin, Jeff Bettinger said, “We encourage a healthy work-life balance at Nu Skin. One of our values is to be accountable and empowered. We empower employees at all levels to act and take personal ownership for their actions. That’s no different with working from home, and our employees have embraced that in our new work environment. That includes being encouraged to spend ten percent of their time being innovative and for self-care during the week.”

2. Incorporate Physical Activity

Art Markman, PhD, the author of Smart Thinking, talks about the importance of being active and taking care of your body. “Social distancing doesn’t mean never moving. If you live in a place where you can keep your physical distance while still going outside, then make sure you run, walk, or otherwise exercise. If you have an old piece of exercise equipment gathering dust, then break it out. Or find some exercise videos online and follow along. Research suggests that regular exercise has benefits for your ability to think and also boosts your mood.” Find which form of exercise works best for your body and your schedule and stick to it.

3. Take a Break from Technology

“My rule is no screens on Saturdays”, says Nirav Shah, CEO of Senital Healthcare. “It allows me to recharge, spend time with family, and come back Monday better rested and with new insights.” She also encourages her employees to implement this tip as well. Don’t be afraid to unplug and take a break from technology, so you can be more in tune with what your mind needs.

Productivity

4. Set Daily Goals

The founder of Chanty, Dmytro Okunyev, commented on goal setting, “Don’t force your employees to be fully productive for 8 hours per day. Instead, set goals for the day, week or month and make sure that employees achieve them.” When setting your goals, try visualizing the results you’d like to see, and then plan your goals around that.

5. Keep Yourself Organized

“Set working hours, use a planner, create a workplace, leave the house and socialize”, recommends Celilna, co-founder of Career Girl Daily. It’s difficult to have a good work-life balance, but by setting times to start and finish work, a healthy balance can be achieved. Using a planner and writing down all your tasks and goals is key to staying organized and productive. Make sure you have a good work space, Having a set-aside space will help your mind focus better and get the job done more effectively. The Manifest, shared in a press release, says that the number one thing employees are doing to remain productive is to have a designated workplace.

6. Create a Productive Environment

Digital marketing author Shannon Belew talks about different aspects to create a productive work from home environment. "Its location, lighting, and confinement of clutter are all important." The right environment can help you be more productive and happier. Another tip from Shannon is to keep a plant or two in your workspace. It adds a nice touch to your workspace and research shows that having plants in an area increases your productivity and makes you happier while you work.

Stay Connected

7. Team Group Chat

Socialize with your co-workers using the technology that your company provides. Some companies prefer to use Slack to keep everyone in on the loop. Richard Dillman, Senior Application Developer at The Muse, shared, “Asking in private chats is like whispering in someone’s ear, while [doing the same] in the team chat is the equivalent of spinning your chair around and asking. The ability to overhear conversations and possibly contribute is the biggest thing missing in WFH.” It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a group chat to make sure all team members feel included.

8. Take a Mid-Day Break

An article by Virtual Vocations shared several tips to stay connected while working remotely. One of the tips was taking a mid-day break. “Make a lunch date with a friend, another remote worker, or neighbor. Staying connected could mean something as simple as getting some fresh air, trying a new restaurant, or exploring your neighborhood.” When you’re sitting in the same chair all day, it’s a good idea to get up and stretch your legs.

9. Virtual Team Building Activities

“It’s important to me to stay connected with my co-workers, even if we’re not talking about work-related topics”, said Jeff Bettinger. “For example, I’ve heard some teams organizing weekly trivia games in their chats. For them this breaks up the monotonous of only chatting about work-related topics. Having virtual team building activities is a good idea to maintain team unity. It’s nice to stay in contact with them and have a little bit of fun too, since we’re not getting that office interaction.”

At the end of the day, what matters most is that you find a routine that works for you. Pick and choose from these tips to see what helps you be the most productive working from home. Thrive at home like you thrive in the office. Be adaptable and flexible. With so much unknown, it’s important to take care of yourself so that you can make the most out of this transitional period and come out of it with new skills and routines.