More and more people are choosing to work from home and this comes with advantages and disadvantages. I for one love working partly at home, but it can be difficult with kids running around and distractions that pop up on a daily basis.

It is important to create an environment that works while setting boundaries with yourself and your family. It takes a lot of will power and self-motivation to work from home, but it is possible to find ways to make it work.

And whether or not you work full-time from home, there are always ways to be more productive and efficient while working from a home office. I have many clients who work full time out of the home but then come home and do some personal work from an office work station. They still want to get things done with little distractions so they can enjoy family life. Here are some tips to help you work from home with ease and structure:

Schedule your day

This is a very important tip for those working at home! It is easy to get distracted and unfocused while at home. Make sure you schedule your day and stick to this schedule. Create “work” hours and pencil in times for breaks. It is very easy to get off course when you have little structure.

Minimize time zappers

People working alone in offices spend a lot of wasted time on the phone and internet. Monitor how much time every day you are actually working and how much time you are doing other things (such as checking Facebook or browsing the internet.) Try not to check personal emails during the day and shut down your computer for a set amount of time everyday so you can focus on the tasks at hand.

Don’t isolate yourself

I know it can feel isolating sometimes when you are by yourself working at home. I do believe interactions are helpful and stimulating. Everyday try to connect with at least one person, whether in person or on the phone. This is a great opportunity to brainstorm ideas, network or simply vent. It will also give you a boost of energy to keep working.