For many, working from home sounds like a dream come true. Here are some reasons why.

One of the many benefits of working from home is that you get to sleep in a little extra and avoid the daily commute. That also means avoiding traffic, foul weather, crowds, horns, parking, and everything else. And if you miss certain rituals like listening to your favourite podcast, you can still stream it as you drink your morning coffee.

Okay, okay, so this one is a little conditional in the wake of COVID-19. After all, most schools are cancelled and if you’re stuck with kids, it can be the opposite of relaxing. Presuming you can carve out your own office space and some quality hours of isolation, you’ll find that working from home puts the environment on your terms and reduces anxiety in the process.

This benefit comes with an asterisk as well, since a number of companies are monitoring their employees via Zoom and other video conferencing services. Nevertheless, it beats the experience of being crunched into a cubicle or having your every move micro-managed by some wannabe. Then there are those who work for themselves and know all about the wonders of autonomy.

Along with the benefits of working from home come a handful of built-in challenges. Here are some of the biggest ones.

Everything from a kid to a pet to a significant other to a loud neighbour can be distracting when you’re trying to get work done. As a result, you face the risk of being less productive.

Like something out of an ancient parable, the more freedom you have, the more likely you are to procrastinate. Even without external distractions like neighbours and pets, figuring out how to stay focused represents one of the biggest challenges. After all, there’s beer in the fridge and a gaming console one room over.

Even with video conferencing services at your disposal, you might find it harder to communicate with clients and colleagues when working from home. This can, in turn, reduce productivity and invoke feelings of stress or helplessness.

You’ve now seen some of the benefits and the challenges of WFH, and are probably experiencing a few of each at this very moment. Naturally, you’ll want to crank up those benefits while overcoming the challenges. Here’s how to work from home consistently and effectively.

Superman had a fortress of solitude and you should have one too. Naturally, yours doesn’t have to be as big or as far away. What’s important is that you establish a distraction-free zone, where it’s just you and the work and maybe a desk toy or two and nothing else.

While easier said than done, learning how to stay focused at home is arguably the most important challenge to master. It starts by creating a distraction-free zone (see above). However, there’s far more to it than that. Consider the following pointers:

If you’ve ever worked in an office, then you’ve probably mastered the art of self-motivation by now. Apply that same craft to the homefront by way of similar techniques. Read an inspiring quote, set daily goals, visualise your future, think positively, and do whatever else it takes. One technique that rarely fails is the “reward method,” where you give yourself a little treat after completing a given task.

Time is money, as the saying goes, and that’s as true when you’re working from home as it is when you’re not. It’s therefore very important that you manage your time effectively. Here are some tips:

Home is where the heart is and it’s where the distractions are too. Friends. Family. Pets. As lovable as they are, they can get between you and your work. On the flip side of that coin, don’t let your new work patterns interrupt your personal life. Consider the following pointers when seeking proper balance: