Working from home has many pros and cons. You get to respond to emails in your pajamas, but you have to tame the children before taking that Skype-conference call. So now that so many of us are being encouraged to WFH in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, here’s a list of tips from MoneyCrashers.com that might help you actually be productive at home!

1. Create a Dedicated Office Space

In a busy household, it can be all too easy to let kids pile their homework on your desk or play around on your computer, but it hardly creates a professional atmosphere. If your home is big enough to accommodate an entire room dedicated solely to work, you’re one of the lucky ones. If not, simply establish an area where you can use your computer, talk on the phone, and keep important documents stored.

But even if you’re home alone, having a dedicated home office space makes sense – not just to help you stay focused but to save you money on taxes. To claim the home office tax deduction, measure your dedicated office space and calculate the percentage of your home it represents – for example, a 200 square-foot office in a 2,000 square-foot home would be 10%. You can then deduct that percentage of the costs associated with your home, such as utilities and home improvements.

To qualify for the home office deduction, however, you must use your office exclusively and regularly for business. If you only use it casually or you share it with your entire family, it no longer qualifies. If you have further questions, consult a tax professional who specializes in small-business taxes.

2. Invest in Your Office

It’s important that your home workspace has all the accouterments you’d expect in a professional office. Of course, what each person deems necessary varies by taste and profession. Some items you might consider include:

Fiddling with an outdated computer or running to the print store can cost you time and productivity. And if you’re self-employed, you can deduct any items you purchase for your home office on that year’s taxes. Just be sure to keep your receipts.

3. Create a Daily To-Do List

Setting priorities is important at the office and infinitely more so when working from home. Without a boss peering over your shoulder or colleagues to bounce ideas off of, it’s up to you to put your to-do list in order. It can help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Quickly jot down what needs to be done during a particular workday, then number each item in order of priority. When the day is done, immediately transfer anything you didn’t accomplish to the next day’s list to ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.

You can also use apps and tools to keep yourself on track. I like TeuxDeux for creating and prioritizing lists, as well as taking notes online. If you’d rather manage your to-do list with your smartphone, try Remember the Milk, which also works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri to allow you to create lists via voice instead of typing them. Or try Do it Tomorrow, available for iOS and Android. It helps schedule your to-do list a day in advance so nothing goes undone – even if you can’t get to it today.

4. Get Your Family Involved

If you work at home with kids, you need everyone’s cooperation. Call a family meeting and explain to your children that you need to focus during work hours. Then ask your spouse for a hand in keeping the kids entertained and occupied. Working from home becomes a team effort when you’re asking everyone to do their part to help you stay productive.

One family I know uses the “stoplight system.” The work-at-home parent puts a red, yellow, or green circle on the office door based on what’s happening that day. Green means to come right in, yellow means to ask first, and red means do not disturb. It makes productivity a kind of game for the kids in a very visual and easy-to-understand way.

Even if you don’t have kids, you may have to communicate your need for a quiet working environment to your significant other. If your spouse or partner works in a more traditional setting, the idea of a home office may seem casual to them, resulting in noise and disruptions when you’re trying to concentrate. Set ground rules for your workspace, such as knocking before coming into your office or respecting quiet time between certain hours.

5. Stay on Task

Checking your email is a necessity when you’re telecommuting, especially if it’s your colleagues’ favorite method of communication. However, constantly clicking on that email tab can impede your own projects and disrupt workflow.

Instead, close your email, turn off all phone notifications, and check your messages and social networks only at designated times throughout the day. Even if you check every 30 minutes, you’ll still score some solid, uninterrupted work time.

Another option to keep a clean inbox and stop getting sidetracked by personal messages is to establish a separate email address for work and make an effort to read, sort, and respond to correspondence accordingly.

If you’re prone to checking your favorite websites when you should be working, try using LeechBlock, an extension that allows you to “ban” time-sucker sites between certain hours. You can even set “allowed” check-in times, such as five minutes of Facebook after 45 minutes of work.

6. Use a Dedicated Browser

I have two different browsers on my computer: one for work and one for casual surfing. The casual surfing browser is packed with distractions, from open tabs to bookmarks, email notifications, and messaging. When I have free time, I use my surfing browser so I can quickly check my favorite sites and connect with others.

By contrast, my work browser is almost completely bare. I only keep job-related bookmarks and outfit it with apps and extensions that help me stay productive. The result is the ability to access the Internet without being distracted by funny videos or social networking feeds.

7. Get Organized

When you’re working from home, your job can actually become more stressful. Suddenly, you’re battling between home and work life, and a cramped schedule can disrupt your workflow. That means you have to do everything you can to optimize and organize your home office.

Getting organized before you ever sit down at your desk can make you less stressed and more productive all day long. One of my favorite apps for staying organized is Evernote. It allows you to keep ideas, notes, pictures, and reminders all in one place, which makes it perfect for that “eureka” moment when you’re away from your desk.

Keeping a clean office also helps you stay on top of things. By organizing and filing loose papers, you’ll spend less time searching for them when you need them. A filing cabinet costs around $50, and it more than pays you back in saved time and increased productivity. It also makes your work environment much more pleasant.

8. Set Office Hours

It’s not always easy to clearly demarcate your home life from your work life when your computer is just a few feet away. The best way to foster work-life balance is to create a work schedule. While it may be impossible to completely ignore your job after hours – especially if you work as a freelancer and have strict deadlines – you can always prioritize. Set a rule that your work hours are 9am to 5pm, for example, and you reply only to urgent emails after that.

If your job requires you to track your hours, an app such as Toggl can be a great help. It notes the time you worked and allows you to send updates and timesheets to your supervisors. And even if you don’t need to hand in your hours, it can increase your productivity by letting you know how long you spent on a project and how much time you spent surfing the Web.

Just remember that when you’re planning your work schedule, you should also plan for breaks and meals. They’re an integral part of preserving your sanity. A morning break, midday meal, and afternoon break – even if it’s just to kick back and visit your favorite websites – can help you stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked when you should be working.

9. Eat in the Kitchen

Eating at your desk may seem like a no-brainer when you work at home, but I find that if I keep a snack at my computer, I’m soon distracted by the act of eating. Since it’s almost impossible for me to work while one hand is conveying food to my mouth, I usually end up using it as an excuse to stop working and surf the Web instead.

Your best bet is to make your home office a no-food zone. Keep a water bottle or cup of coffee handy for quick sips, but leave the major eating for the kitchen or dining room. That way, you get a well-deserved break, but when you’re back at your desk, you’re ready to get to work.

10. Invest in Headphones

A couple of years ago, my husband got me a pair of noise-canceling headphones for Christmas. I didn’t realize until I started wearing them for work what a thoughtful and invaluable gift they were.

Think of all the at-home noises that can disrupt your concentration. A ringing phone, a loud TV, kids playing, the doorbell, and even regular conversations can cause you to lose your train of thought or become frustrated. And, since it’s not feasible (or fair) to expect all noise to simply stop when you’re working, noise-canceling headphones are the next best thing.

Noise-canceling headphones emit a frequency that helps muffle regular household noises, and they’re especially effective when paired with music. Similarly, the White Noise Lite app (for iOS or Android) can also be a lifesaver. Just crank up ocean sounds to better focus on work when you’re in the zone.

Headphones also work as a great indicator for your family – if they’re on, it means you’re working and shouldn’t be bothered.

11. Use Cloud-Based File Sharing

Telecommuting can mean constantly sharing files between your home and your company’s (or clients’) offices. While it’s possible to email back and forth, attachments can get lost in the shuffle, especially if you’re regularly updating copies.

An excellent solution is a cloud-based file-sharing service, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or Trello. With the ability to update in real-time, file sharing almost completely eliminates the problem of working with outdated documents. You can even override past files to reduce confusion, allowing your colleagues, boss, or clients access. It also keeps your inbox free of huge files that take up significant space.

12. Keep an Impeccable Calendar

Being at home all day can mean tons of multitasking, such as driving kids to appointments or spending your lunch hour on the phone. A solid calendar helps you avoid overscheduling and double-booking. Use Microsoft Outlook, WorkTime for iOS, or My Work Schedule for Android – or simply use the calendar on your smartphone.

Additionally, trying to sync up with colleagues and clients can be a pain when you’re not working together in a physical office. Set up meetings with a shared Google calendar, and you can check in and choose a time slot that works for everyone. You can also send invitations and confirmations.

13. Ask for Help

You don’t have to do it all alone. Hire a babysitter for your kids or consider hiring an assistant or housekeeper to help reduce the scope of your responsibilities and allow you to focus. I always hire a mother’s helper for a few hours each day in the summer when my kids are on school break. I get some uninterrupted work time, and my children get the extra attention they need.

Whether you have kids or you’re flying solo, working from home means you’re constantly reminded of all the chores you need to do, adding a layer of stress to traditional office work. If you feel like you’re falling behind, ask your partner to pitch in and take over the responsibilities that distract you most. You can be more productive if you focus 100% on work, rather than on the dirty dishes in the sink or the errands you need to run.