Earlier this month, Yahoo and Best Buy both announced the end of their work-from-home programs.  Both highly controversial decisions, which have been hotly debated in the news, have faced more criticism than praise.  Despite public outrage, the two giants are standing by their decision.  For example, Yahoo believes the ban is, “what is right for Yahoo! right now,” and is needed to fix a deteriorating work ethic amongst Yahoo employees, while Best Buy explains they need “all hands-on deck” to transform their struggling business into a healthy competitor of online stores such as Amazon.

Though Best Buy and Yahoo are two drastically different companies, the question of employee productivity seems to be at the forefront of their CEOs’ minds, and the leading factor in their coinciding decisions to revoke company work-from-home privileges.  Though their concerns are reasonably justified, many companies continue to have a flexible work-from-home policy in order to accommodate their employees’ needs and there are many employees that attribute their success and productivity to this flexibility.  If you ever find yourself working remotely from home, here are some steps you can take to ensure you are working effectively and efficiently:

• Set up an office: That’s right, an office; not a designated “desk” on your kitchen table or family room ottoman in front of the TV.  If you work from home, it’s important to separate your home and family life from your work responsibilities.  As a result, if you have a guest or extra room, or even a quiet alcove in your place of residence, furnish it with a desk, computer, printer, and other professional business materials.  If you have children or a roommate, you should tell them that when you’re working in your office, they should treat you just as if they would if you were working at your company’s office; with limited interruptions and for emergencies.
• Keep your home office clean: Messes can be distracting and having mountains of papers piling up on your desk can be overwhelming.  If you feel overwhelmed and distracted, the quality of your work may be compromised and you may find yourself becoming gradually less productive.  To keep yourself organized, use labeled folders, post its, desk organizers, and a waste bin to discard old documents and unneeded papers.
• Schedule your work hours: One perk of working from home is you have the ability to work outside of the standard 9-5 schedule.  If you feel you’re more focused in the morning, start working at 7, and end earlier in the evening/afternoon.   If you have small children, and need to take care of them while they’re home from school, work around the hours they’re out of the house, and at night, when they’re sleeping.   Regardless of what hours you choose, when picking your schedule, make sure that your productivity will be at your highest and your distractions will be kept at a minimum.  To develop and maintain your routine, make sure you keep your hours consistent.
• “Leave” work at the end of the day: Though we live in a world where smart phones and email make it difficult to completely “unplug” from work, it is still important to uphold a work/life balance.  Working from home, doesn’t mean you should be working from home 24/7.  You need time to relax, refresh, and spend time with family and friends.   Maintaining a balanced work/life schedule will help you feel more fulfilled, productive, and positive, rather than burnt out and unhappy.  After you get used to your work schedule, it will be important to leave the “office” at the end of the day and only respond to work-related emails that are considered urgent or high priority.
• Dress like you’re going into the office: When you’re on the clock, you should dress professionally.  You don’t have to wear a suit and you can dress comfortably and casually, but a professional and put-together outfit will make it much easier than your favorite pajamas or sweatpants for you to remain focused on your responsibilities.
• Make a ‘to do list’: On the days you work from home, a ‘to do list’ can keep you focused and on track.  Put your list of daily responsibilities in a place that is easy for you to see, such as a corkboard or white board above your computer.  The more visible your daily objectives are, the less likely you will be to procrastinate.
• Communicate with your office: To successfully work from home, it is imperative that you communicate clearly and regularly with your supervisor (if you have one), your co-workers, and clients (if you have them).  You need to have a complete understanding of your responsibilities, what your company and clients expect from you, and whether or not you’re delivering quality work.