If you find it difficult to get work done remotely, you’re not alone. Many professionals find it easier to work in an office environment. Whether your company is preparing to head back to the office soon or you intend to work remotely for the foreseeable future, you can take steps now to maximize your productivity and thrive in a remote work set-up. 

Ystine Ompand, a content specialist at CloserIQ, has put together some best practices to help salespeople succeed at working from home. In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share her 11 tips. 

1. Establish a dedicated workspace. Ompand says it’s important to create a boundary between your work and your personal space. If you can have a room all to yourself, that would be ideal. But if it’s not possible, a work desk should be fine as long as it’s in a less crowded and quiet area. 
   
   
2. Stick to your scheduled work hours.If you’re not following a fixed schedule with the rest of your team, be sure to use your most productive hours for work. Respect your team members’ and your clients’ time as well, says Ompand. Don’t email or call them outside work hours if it’s not an urgent matter. 
   
   
3. Overcommunicate. When you work from home, it is even more important to stay connected and to build stronger relationships with your boss and colleagues, according to Ompand. Make it a point to always let them know your schedule. Respond to emails as soon as you can. Make sure you understand instructions clearly before carrying them out. 
   
   
4. Always plan your day and track your progress. Just like working in an office setting, the key to getting a lot of work done is planning. Make it a habit to list your accomplishments and progress within the day and prepare your tasks for the following day. 
   
   
5. Keep your workplace clean. Some people like to work with a bit of clutter, and some like to keep it tidy. Whatever is essential to keep your focus, Ompand says to do that. 
   
   
6. Establish boundaries with your personal life. One major thing that remote workers usually struggle with is keeping themselves from getting distracted by a lot of external factors. Ompand says that while you’re not expected to eliminate 100% of your household distractions, there are things you can do to reduce them. For example, stay off social media during work hours to minimize distractions, she suggests. 
   
   
7. Take breaks throughout the day. Block off 30 mins to an hour for lunch or to take care of personal things. You can either do a few short breaks distributed throughout your shift or one long break in the middle of the day. Adhere to these breaks for doing chores or any unfinished tasks at home, recommends Ompand. 
   
   
8. Switch your workplace up every now and then. When your work and living space are the same, it’s almost impossible not to get cabin fever. To avoid getting distressed by being in one place all day, try to switch up your workspace. Move around the house. If there are other places where you can set up a work desk, try it, Ompand says. 
   
   
9. Dress properly. Wear comfortable but decent clothes during your official work hours. When you work from home, it can be tempting to just wear sweats and a baggy shirt, but you never know when you might hop on a video call with a prospect or a colleague. 
   
   
10. Don’t forget the water cooler.Staring at your computer screen all day, not talking to anyone except for a few phone and video calls with clients and teammates can be distressing, notes Ompand. Break the ice by joining or initiating a virtual water cooler with the rest of the team. 
    
    
11. Always sign-off for the day. Let your colleagues know when you’re done for the day and you’re about to go offline. Ompand says if you’re on different schedules or if you have to end your shift earlier, let them know at least 30 minutes before you sign off just in case there are any last-minute items to sort out.

If you’re tired of working from home, try the tips above to stay effective and efficient.