Tips for Working From Home (Without Losing Your Mind or Wearing Pajamas 24/7)
Working from home: sounds like a dream, right? Roll out of bed, fire up the laptop, and boom—you’re “at the office.” No traffic, no awkward small talk at the coffee machine, no coworkers microwaving fish.
But here’s the thing they don’t tell you: working from home can also feel like you’ve been trapped in a time loop where it’s always Tuesday, your posture is terrible, and you haven’t spoken out loud in 3 days.
So if you’re struggling to stay focused, stay sane, or just find a rhythm that doesn’t feel like chaos, here are some real-life, actually doable tips that’ll help you make WFH suck less.
⏰ 1. Have a Morning Routine (No, “rolling over and opening your laptop” doesn’t count)
It doesn’t have to be intense. You don’t need to meditate for 40 minutes or make bulletproof coffee. Just something that tells your brain: hey, it’s work time now.
- Shower (yes, even if no one’s going to see you)
- Make a real breakfast, not just a sad granola bar
- Put on actual clothes (fine, “real” joggers count)
Start the day on purpose, not by accident.
💻 2. Set Up a “Work Zone” (Even if It’s Just a Chair in the Corner)
You don’t need a Pinterest-worthy home office, but your bed ≠ your desk. Your couch? Tempting, but also a trap.
Create a space that says, “This is where I work.” It can be:
- A desk
- A corner of the kitchen table
- That one chair you never use
Bonus: your brain will start associating that spot with focus instead of snacks and doomscrolling.
🧩 3. Structure Your Day Like a Normal Human
WFH can easily turn into “I’ll just work… forever?” if you’re not careful. Suddenly it’s 9 p.m. and you’re still answering emails in your pajamas.
Try this:
- Set actual work hours
- Block off time for deep work vs. meetings
- Take a real lunch break (not just inhaling food between Slack pings)
You’re allowed to clock out. You’re not a robot.
🔕 4. Use “Fake Commutes” to Separate Work & Life
One underrated trick? Pretend you still have a commute.
Take a walk in the morning. Go outside after work. Drive around the block if you have to. Anything that draws a line between working you and chill you.
WFH can blur the lines—fake commutes un-blur them.
📵 5. Limit Distractions (But Be Realistic)
Yes, ideally you’d work in total silence with zero distractions. But you live in the real world. Where dishes exist. And roommates. And that weird urge to reorganize your closet during a Zoom call.
Here’s what helps:
- Use “Do Not Disturb” mode
- Mute notifications when you need to focus
- Give yourself permission to check social media—just not every five minutes
The goal isn’t perfection. Just less chaos.
🧠 6. Take Breaks Like It’s Your Job (Because It Kind of Is)
You are not a machine. You are a human being. Staring at a screen for 6 hours straight doesn’t mean you’re productive—it means you’re slowly melting.
Set a timer. Get up every hour. Walk, stretch, blink, breathe. Touch grass, if needed.
You’ll actually work better when you stop trying to work non-stop.
🧍 7. Talk to People. Like, Actual People.
WFH can get weirdly lonely. Even if you love solitude, you still need some human interaction to avoid turning into a hermit.
- Hop on a quick video call instead of sending a 5-paragraph email
- Schedule a virtual lunch or coffee chat
- Text a friend just to say hi (not everything has to be “productive”)
Mental health matters more than your to-do list.
🧾 8. Have an “End of Day” Ritual
Shutting your laptop isn’t enough. Your brain needs a signal that the workday is done.
- Close all tabs
- Make a to-do list for tomorrow
- Log off, shut it down, walk away
Even just changing clothes or lighting a candle can help you shift into off-duty mode.
💬 Final Thoughts: WFH Should Work For You, Not Drain You
Working from home is awesome—if you set it up right. That doesn’t mean turning your living room into a productivity temple. It just means finding small habits that help you feel human, focused, and not like you’re living inside your inbox.
Create structure. Take breaks. Talk to people. And remember you’re not failing if it doesn’t feel perfect.
You’re just figuring it out, like the rest of us.
