12 Habits of Successful People Working Out of Their Home

If you're working from home, don't just wing it. Set yourself up for success with these best practices.

Published on 10 April 2023

What do Apple, Disney, Microsoft, Harley-Davidson, and Yankee Candle Company have in common? Besides all being successful and profitable companies you might not see any other similarities. But, they all started out in garages.

But, working out of your home is no longer reserved for aspiring entrepreneurs and freelancers. Approximately 6 in 10 U.S. workers said their jobs could be done from home. Furthermore, 61 percent of respondents who have a workplace outside the home report not going there.

With that said, there are a lot of us working from home. And, regardless if you pride yourself on being the next Steve Jobs or having a full-time gig that lets you work remotely, here are the 12 habits of successful people working out of their homes.

 

1. Separate work zones from relaxing zones.

Ideally, when working out of your home, you need a designated workspace. This could be a home office, garage, or kitchen table. It should have a door, a desk, and a comfy chair so that you can focus and keep distractions at bay. What if you don’t have a lot of space? If possible, create a place in your home where you can set up your equipment and leave it there when you’re done with it.

But, there’s another benefit to establishing different zones throughout your home. When your brain has a dedicated workspace, it functions more efficiently and productively.

When you work in the same place each day, your brain becomes accustomed to that spot as a place to work, explains Laura Mae Martin, Google’s in-house productivity advisor. As Martin clarifies, if you work in a different place every day, your brain has to retrain itself to be able to work there.

“On the opposite side, try to find some places in your house where you never work, because that creates that mental safety and distance,” Martin said. “As much as you can, still try to create those boundaries for your brain — that will both help you relax and it’ll help focus when you are in that space.”

Considering that, instilling the necessary work-life balance is the most important habit to cultivate when working remotely in an Office Depot survey, this is key.

 

2. Routine rules all.

Whether you had to adjust to working remotely due to COVID-19 or running a startup out of your house, routines can not be overstated. After all, besides providing structure, routines and schedules can be beneficial to your mental and physical health.

  • Having a plan allows you to feel more in control. In turn, this reduces stress.
  • If you have a consistent sleep schedule, you’ll get a better’s night rest. Not only does this make you more energetic, but you’ll also get a psychological boost.
  • You’ll be healthier as routines encourage you to eat healthily and engage in physical activity.
  • A schedule allows you to schedule time for play. Yes, adults also need time to play to help decompress and increase happiness.

Here’s the best part. Unless you have to work at specific hours, you can design a routine that works best for you. So, if you’re a morning bird, maybe jump into work bright and early before everyone else is awake. It’s a surefire way to prevent getting distracted.

If you’re not a morning person, that’s not a problem either. If you’re most productive between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m., then build your routine around those hours.

The takeaway? You need to establish a routine. And, more importantly, stick to it.