A work from home routine with a start and an end.

Working from home, there is no commute to start the day and no door to close at the end, so work spills into everything. A routine puts those edges back. These eight steps fit around your workday and take about two hours of it, a long focus block included.

8 steps, about 2 hours

A walk before work
Weekdays Morning

10 min Walk around the block before you sit down, rain or shine. It starts the day the way a commute would, without the crowded train.
Get dressed for work
Weekdays Morning

5 min Not a suit, just not pyjamas. Changing in the morning, and back again in the evening, marks when work starts and stops.
Plan the day's top 3
Weekdays Morning

5 min Before email, write the three things that would make today a good day at work.
Hardest task first
Weekdays Morning

60 min One task, notifications off, chat closed for an hour. Email can wait until this is done.
Stand up and stretch
3 times a day Anytime

2 min Every hour or two, stand up, roll your shoulders and look out of a window. Two minutes, then back to it.
Lunch away from the desk
Weekdays Midday

30 min Eat somewhere that is not your desk, without your laptop. The afternoon will still be there in half an hour.
Say hi to someone
Weekdays Midday

5 min Working alone gets quiet. Call a friend, chat with a coworker, wave at a neighbour.
Shut down the workday
Weekdays Evening

10 min Write tomorrow's first task, close every tab, and put the laptop out of sight. Then you are off.

The routine at a glance.

Step	Time	Why
1 A walk before work	10 min	A start to the workday
2 Get dressed for work	5 min	Work clothes, work mode
3 Plan the day's top 3	5 min	The day has a shape
4 Hardest task first	60 min	Big work before small work
5 Stand up and stretch	2 min	A short break from the screen
6 Lunch away from the desk	30 min	A real break in the middle
7 Say hi to someone	5 min	A bit of company
8 Shut down the workday	10 min	A clear end to work
In all	about 2 hours

The 10-minute version.

Meetings from start to finish? Keep the edges of the day, even when the middle is full.

A 5-minute walk 5 min
Plan the day's top 3 2 min
Shut down the workday 3 min

10 minutes in all

Make this routine in Cozy.

Each step becomes a habit card that fills with color as you tick it off, in the order you do them, with a streak that forgives a hard day.

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

Make it stick.

Keep work in one spot

Even a corner of the kitchen table can be the office. When work stays there, the rest of your home stays home.
Count your breaks

In Cozy, a habit can count more than once a day. Set Stand up and stretch to three times, and each tap fills the card a little more.
Plan the edges, not every hour

A clear start and end matter more than a perfect schedule. For the hours in between, try a few focus habits or energy habits.

Questions people ask.

How do I make a work from home routine?

Give the day a clear start and end: a short walk or a change of clothes before work, and a shutdown step after. In between, plan three tasks, do the hardest first and take real breaks.

How do I stay focused working from home?

Do your hardest task first, with notifications off, in one spot you only use for work. Short breaks every hour or two can make the next stretch easier.

How do I stop working late at home?

Pick an end time and give it a step of its own: write tomorrow's first task, close the laptop and put it away. A reminder at that time makes it easier to keep.

Should I get dressed when working from home?

You do not have to, but many people find that changing clothes helps them switch into work and back out of it.