Before the days of COVID-19, some entrepreneurs may have worked from home and some may have been working from home full-time. But now for most, working from home has become the norm.

Beyond the obvious necessities like a reliable computer, stable internet connection, and access to IT support using app discovery for technical hiccups, mastering the art of working from home demands a deeper understanding of productivity, mental well-being, and work-life balance.

How we can navigate this new way of working? Here are a handful of tips from some of today’s most successful entrepreneurs who have mastered it.

“A routine you can stick to is absolutely vital in the remote workspace. However, having a routine doesn’t mean you have to be chained to your desk—or that you have to stick to the same nine to five schedule you may have followed in an office. Celebrate the freedom that comes from working from home. Schedule breaks to work on a hobby, or go for a run in the middle of the day. You might not have chosen to work from home, but the transition (even if it’s temporary) will be easier if you can see the benefits that come from a home office and not just the challenges.”

Teresa Douglas, co-author of "Working Remotely: Secrets to Success for Employees on Distributed Teams"

“My best work from home tip is to leave your phone out of your space. I used to keep my phone right next to me in my home office and it didn't seem like it was affecting me. However, one day I counted how many times I looked at the phone and it was about 75 times. I was blown away to think that the phone was affecting my day soo much. Now, I leave my phone in the front room, and while I feel cut off from the
world, the truth is that I have become about 50% more productive and can get things done much faster.”

 Sa El, Co-Founder of Simply Insurance 

“Keep an eye on the culture—by understanding that culture is not tied to a place but, instead, to your people, you can focus your efforts to ensuring that whatever defined your company before this crisis will continue to carry you through it. For us at Epperly Travel, even though we were already a virtual company, we have used this time to turn back toward our mission statement and lean into the values we embody even more, which gives us purpose and fulfillment to work toward even when our products and services are temporarily on hold.”

Lindsey Epperly Sulek, Founder + CEO, http://www.entretravel.com

“Have a definite start and stop time. This is really important so you don't end up working from the minute you wake up until the minute you go to bed. This was really hard for me to implement at first (as I'm very much a workaholic), but setting these boundaries where I no longer to any work after a certain time has really helped.”

AmyFoley, Co-founder, Inbound Back Office, inboundbackoffice.com

“A simple, and important practice when working from home is to get up and stretch on a regular basis. We are all practicing social distancing and safety/shelter in place at our homes, but we need to be able to get up and move in order to get our blood flowing and boost endorphins. Go for a short walk around the neighborhood, sprint up and down the stairs in your home, stretch to a yoga video on YouTube, and throw on some fun songs on Spotify for a dance party. Move to alter your mood and get in a quick workout!”

Deborah Sweeney, CEO, mycorporation.com

“Be clear about your availability with your managers. If you have a small child at home and your shift is 10am—6pm, then let your boss in on it. If you are caring for a sick parent and your availability is 5am—2pm, share that with your manager. We are all juggling multiple responsibilities now more than ever.”

Marika Andersson, Operations Manager, Ax3 Studios, http://www.Ax3Studios.com

“Make sure your chair and desk height are congruent. If you sit in an uncomfortable position for too long, you will end up with back and neck problems that will only get worse over time. This is especially a problem when working at a kitchen counter or somewhere not designed for desk work.”

Nika Lawrie, Health + Wellness Advocate, Coach, Business Strategist, and Founder + CEO, Insurgo Creative, LLC, nikalawrie.com