There are countless work-from-home set-ups that can sabotage our productivity and success, and professionals making the switch should be aware of these. This way, they’re easier to avoid. With many of us having to make a fairly unexpected transition, it makes it even more likely for us to fall into these mistakes. Whether your office is a separate room or a section of the dining room table, this environment plays a role in your success. Let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes professionals should avoid when making the switch:

No Planning

This is an understandable error, especially now. Many of us weren’t expecting to transition to working from home, and there are countless other factors and concerns we’re needing to navigate on top of that. When you get time to take a breather though, planning for your work-from-home set-up is important. Will your spouse also be working from home? Do you have children at home? A roommate? What do you use most in your office workspace? Coming up with a plan to address these and other important questions is key. If you live with your partner, planning together can ensure you’re both on the same page and able to support each other. Everything from where you set up, the hours you plan to use the space, your storage system, and how you decorate can help define a successful work-from-home space.

No Separation

For some, this is an easy mistake to avoid. If you have a separate office or room in your home, creating some physical separation between your work and personal life is a bit more natural. When we don’t have the space for a completely separate work room, we need to be creative with our set-up. This separation is important for our own work-from-home mindset, and it also helps our family members to support our needs. Adding a rug under a desk in the living room, for example, can help mark it off as its own space. Wherever you set up, strive to make some distinction from that area and your personal life and use it every day for your work.

Too Comfortable

Anyone who’s worked from home has probably faced the temptation of working a few hours from their bed or the couch. Though it can feel like an advantage of working from home, getting too comfortable can make it challenging to stay in work mode. When our work set-up is too comfortable, we often have lower energy levels and productivity. It also blurs the line between workspace and personal space which can make it difficult to fully disconnect from work. Save the extra comfortable spots for your personal time. Design your at-home office space to feel similar to your in-office one, and enjoy the comforts of being at home during your breaks and off time.

Distractions

When setting up your at-home office space, you want to do a thorough scan for distractions. The better we can anticipate these, the better we can avoid them. When it comes to tech distractions, we might face many of the same ones we do in the office. Taking the same measures to avoid these at home is key. We also want to look at where our personal life may creep into our work life and cause distraction. Sometimes, we won’t be able to prevent this. But taking steps like removing clutter and talking with your family about your work plans can help you minimize them.

Have you run into any mistakes when setting up your office space at home? How have you navigated them? Do you have any other tips or errors to avoid? Please share your thoughts with us!