How to stay focused when you work from home

Chuck Vadun, 51, communications director at Fire Engine RED, father of two, Carlsbad, California figured out how to work his new flexibility-and do great work in the process:

My wife wasnt sure I could stay focused and productive working at home. That was almost five years ago, and Im doing well. She even admitted it. I wish Id recorded her saying that. Im in marketing, collaborative work, so I was used to saying, Lets go to the whiteboard and sketch it out. I cant do that now, so I use Google Docs and Sheets, Slack, and other tools to share ideas. It works very well.

When I started, I stuck to my morning routine: breakfast and a shower. My breaks include lunch, walking the dog, yoga, and playing the drums. Im also a neat freak, so another break may be tidying up one area or doing one cleaning task, but then getting right back to work.

In my last job, my office was next to an open-plan area with music blaring and Nerf guns going off. Now its easier for me to focus and actually think about what Im doing. This has made for better results.

Isolation is a problem, Ill admit. But if you acknowledge it, thats half the battle, and you just do something to counteract it. I meet friends for coffee or lunch. Sometimes Ill take a yoga class in the afternoon and then make up the work time later that night. If I dont have phone calls to make, I sometimes take my laptop to the library or the coffee shop. Just having a few micro-interactions with people-even if theyre complete strangers-goes a long way toward keeping me balanced.

All in all, this has been great, especially for my family life. When I worked in an office, people who left at 5:00 because they had kids got the side-eye a lot. Here, its not about when your butt is in your seat. Its about deadlines and results.

So Im fortunate to see my two daughters at 3:00 in the afternoon when theyre done with school. I get a hello from them, and my wife is supportive of my workday boundaries. She waits until my quitting time before asking me to do something. That said, Im part of the after-school and sports carpool system. Our CEO is a big fan of this: Remote workers can leave whenever for that kind of stuff. As long as youre doing good work, its all fine.

Use Chucks crush-it-from-home strategies

• Must-have equipment: a door on your office. You have to be able to shut out a barking dog or crazy kids. Its best if that office is a separate room. Psychologically, having a designated work area reminds me-and everyone else-that in there is where work is done. And being out of the office means Im done with work.
• Boundary worth pushing: overcommunicating with colleagues. We spend lots of time interacting via Slack, instant message, and conference calls. Im out of sight but dont want to be out of mind. So I overcommunicate. Not annoyingly so, but enough to compensate for the lack of office drop-bys.
• Best body-and-mind stretchers: yoga and drumming. I started practicing yoga about three years ago, so I keep a mat handy for a five- to ten-minute mini-session. I also have a drum kit in the garage and grab my headphones and play along for a song or two. Short breaks help my creativity. If I take my mind off a task Im struggling with, my subconscious often provides the answer when I get back to the keyboard.

How to take advantage of work-from-home flexibility

Heres how Mike Gutman, 37, director of marketing at FlexJobs, Fort Collins, Colorado aces it:

About ten years ago, I negotiated for some time to work remotely. I had been commuting an hour each way, and I wanted that time back to live the life I wanted. Suddenly those hours were mine. That meant morning runs and afternoon bike rides. Even though the whole idea is to escape the office routine and the meetings (and maybe some of the people), I found that you need both a routine and some social interaction.

I dont wear pajamas all day long. It helps to shower, brush your teeth, and dress as if youre going someplace. That sets the tone for the workday. And I plan my day-work assignments, errands, workouts. That structure helps set a routine, and a routine leads to productivity.

One of my tricks is reading in bed-something unrelated to work-for 20 minutes as I gradually wake up. That stimulates my mind, and then I do 20 minutes of calisthenics. Then I brush my teeth. The time I wouldve spent commuting I invest in myself. Its a form of self-love, and its hugely important.

I dont miss the political jockeying of an office. With working from home, quality talks the loudest. Im proactive, setting up phone calls and virtual meetings. Im also my own IT support, my own research institute. You have to problem-solve by yourself. Thats a skill that pays dividends down the road.

Once your home becomes your home and your office, youll get sick of it really quick. Getting out is crucial, even for a short walk. Of course I have Slack and video calls, but I actively schedule recurring team meetings, just for the sake of connecting. I also feed off the energy at coffee shops.

That said, I have to put up a virtual wall between me and friends and family. Its all about expectations and priorities. Its essential to set expectations with your loved ones. If they need something, they have to tell you its absolutely urgent. If its not, it gets pushed off.

Coping with loneliness is a critical life skill. I say embrace it. You feel comfortable with your own thoughts and learn to become your own best friend again.

Use Mikes make-it-work-from-home strategies

• Tally your time: For one week, write down exactly how you use your time. It can help you focus not just on what youre doing for work but also around your home. You get a sense of where you need balance, and you can adjust.
• Resistance is fruitful: When you wake up, resist the urge to check your cell phone. Create boundaries between the life you want and your work. Dont let that stuff infiltrate your mindfulness every waking hour. Youve built time back into your day, and its valuable.
• Find your happiest place: I work from my laptop and have noise-canceling headphones with a microphone, so I can have distraction-free meetings. And I will set up shop from my couch, my kitchen table, my office. That freedom to work throughout my house is my happy place.