The smooth running of your office when you work from home is one of the most important elements for productivity and profit.
Of course, working from home has its fair share of perks, but there are also plenty of challenges. Whether you run your own business from home or can work from home as an employee, you’ll value smooth running tips.
With family committments, chores getting in the way and the dog throwing up on the carpet, you can be easily distracted and unable to get any work done. I mean, that washing isn’t going to get put on the line by itself, right?
These distractions pose a serious threat to your livelihood. So, here are just a few of the ways that you can keep your home office running smoothly and your sanity intact.
Smooth Running Tip #1: Structure Your Day
Without a clear sense of structure of when you should be working and when you are relaxing, they easily start to overlap and you can’t do either properly.
Try to structure your day like you were at a regular job by giving yourself a start and finish time each day. As a general rule, try to deal with all your client-based jobs first before launching into your personal projects.
Have a to-do list and cross off the things as you go along.
Smooth Running Tip #1: Stay Connected
Modern technology allows us to stay more connected than ever. So, it may be worth getting a phone, tablet or laptop which is just dedicated to your working activities.
Don’t keep all of your information in one place when you could easily use cloud-based software to have it easily accessible from anywhere.
Smooth Running Tip #3: Make Your Office a Productive Place
If possible, it is a good idea to have a spare space where you can close the door and shut yourself off from distractions. Start by getting a desk and chair that are comfy and stylish.
After all, you will be spending a lot of time using them during the day. Control the temperature so that you are comfortable by getting an air conditioning service in the room.
Give yourself some task lighting so that you can continue when things get dark. Don’t make the place too sterile; instead, you should have some personal items and mementoes to give your mind the distractions that it needs from time to time.
Even in the smallest of spaces, you can create a functional home office. Read more in our article on setting up a home office in a closet.

Image and paint courtesy of Taubmans
Smooth Running Tip #4: Organise Your Family Time
If you have children, it is highly likely that you will organise your work to fit around their schedules.
However, there may be times that you need to arrange additional childcare as it is simply too distracting to have them with you while you are trying to work.
Having said that, you don’t want to neglect your family, so it is just as important to schedule your time with them as it is to keep yourself working.
There you have just a few of the ways that you can keep your home office running smoothly and your income flowing in.
Ultimately, it is all about achieving that sense of balance between your working life and your personal life.
Obviously, this takes a bit of time before you can achieve it properly. So take your time to make the adjustments you need before everything starts running nice and smoothly.
Need Help To Set Up Your Home Office?
From decluttering a new space to setting up your furniture, lighting and decor contact Plush Design Interiors for expert advice.