At first sight the prospect of working from home seems like a dream come true. No boss looking over your shoulder, no more daily commute and even the chance to have the telly on in the background.

However, after a while the reality can set in. Less social interaction, a different working environment, plus a lack of routine and discipline present their own problems.

Nevertheless, following some simple guidelines will make working from home productive and enjoyable.

While there are many ways to achieve this, here are five tips to point you in the right direction…and they won’t cost you a penny!

1. Maintain a routine and stick to it. While working from home provides extra freedom, still treat the working day the same as you would in the office. Start at the same time, end at the same time. If you have a daily routine, such as checking emails first thing, then continue with them.

2. Take breaks. Similar to the above but if you normally have a lunch break starting at 1pm then keep to that whilst at home. Enjoy the same amount of time as you would normally do for morning and afternoon breaks if you have them, after all, having a break will help boost productivity, plus provides time to step back and return freshly invigorated.

3. Create a dedicated workspace. This is your chance to clear out the spare room and turn it into a study. Having your own space will lessen distractions, whilst providing a focal point for all your creativity. If you don’t have a spare room then choose a quiet part of the house or flat so that you have your own environment to work in. Wherever it is, make it clear to others that while you are at your work space then you are working and to keep interruptions to a minimum.

4. Personal appearance. Just because you’re not in the office and might not have any face-to-face contact with another human being all day, then don’t let your standards slip. While it would be tempting to stay in pyjamas, dress as you would for the office. In essence, start the day as you intend to go on. You’ll feel better and work better.

5. Stay connected. By nature, humans are social animals and in today’s modern world we’re more connected than ever. While we may not be in physical contact with colleagues and clients, that should not act as a barrier for regular communication whether that’s by phone, email, Skype, etc.

Working from home, whatever the circumstances, is becoming increasingly common and, who knows, going to the office may one day become a thing of the past.

Using cloud-based systems for instance, as we do at Red Marlin, provides flexibility for employees to continue with their work wherever they are and provide the best level of service to clients.

To see what we do, visit www.redmarlin.co.uk or drop us a line at hello@redmarlin.co.uk.