Nowadays, working from home is a privilege and not too many people have that kind of option. Imagine not having to commute on the way to your office and not going through the distractions from your associates. How does that sound to you?

Working from home might feel surreal: doing your tasks with music on the background while allowing you to work according to your preferences and needs. But, it could also get lonely. It could make you busy but you’d feel isolated in the long run. You could also feel working a little too long even if you already finished your working hours.

Having said that, here are some best practices for people to stay well balanced while working at the comfort of their homes.

1. Take a break
Even in the office, employees don’t work eight hours straight. Coffee breaks and little chats with your colleagues won’t hurt your productivity. Julie Morgenstern, an organization and productivity consultant said that “It’s not going to take anything from your effectiveness. Stepping away for breaks is part of productivity; they actually make you smarter and give you perspective and answers.”

2. Be organized but not too much
Find quiet spots in your house that match your usual working environment so you could work without being disrupted. But also, consider some places as work-free zones. “You should preserve some spaces in your home that you never do work in. It is very hard to relax at night when you start to associate those spaces with work”, Morgenstern suggested.

3. Repurpose your commute
One of the biggest perks of working from home is eliminating commutes from your routine. You could spend your supposedly travel time to work on exercising or meditating. According to Morgenstern, “Use your commute time in the morning for self-renewal or family time, not work.”

4. Set very clear boundaries
Morgenstern said, “Working from home doesn’t mean you are working more hours.” Stick to your working schedule. Put away your work equipment once you have already logged out. Working from home doesn’t mean not working at all. Basically you need to know the difference between your work life and time off. Remind your household not to disturb you during work hours so you don’t lose your focus.

5. Socialize online with your colleagues
To cope with loneliness, it’s better to build more connections through video tools like Facetime or Zoom. Meetings at least thrice a week could help see each other’s faces and interact with colleagues even if you’re all working apart. Have regular meetings with your team members to update them about your progress when you’re working on a specific project. Acknowledge their messages and ask for collaboration if you need help.