Working from home this year and clueless as to where to start? You’re not alone. Millions of American workers have started working from home this year. With a drastic increase in at-home workers, it’s important to find ways to integrate spaces to work in the home. Your main focus should be to design a space that enhances your productivity and decreases stress. This can be incredibly difficult, especially for the millions of people living in small apartments or living with family and roommates. If you’re looking for tips on how to make your home office the best it can be this year, this article is for you.

Assign a Designated Workspace

With so many people entering the workforce without expecting to, many are forced to find ways to change their homes into productive work environments. Having a closed off space with a door is the best way to be more productive to decrease noise and distractions. Outfitting a designated space with home office furniture near natural light can increase your productivity and give you the ability to streamline your workflow.  If you do not have a spare room to transform into a home office, you should reconsider the options your home has to offer. A little extra room in your bedroom can be made into a home office with some simple rearranging.

Stick To a Routine

Working from home can be difficult to master, especially if you no longer have to go into an office at a designated time. Working from home in your pajamas without taking a shower everyday can be an easy routine to fall into without the pressures of going to work in an office. However, setting up a routine that prioritizes productivity and focuses on maintaining a healthy mind and body will put you in the mode everyday to do your best work.

Keep Socializing

People get most of their social interactions inside of the workplace, and that obviously subsides when you begin working from home. It can be difficult to maintain a steady relationship when you’re not consistently in contact with people everyday. Instead of letting these relationships deteriorate by working alone at home, give yourself a mental boost by designating time to socialize. Your options are endless for different ways to socialize, but video chats give you a more intimate interaction with other people, and group video chats are a great way to connect groups of friends.