# 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.

## The steps

1. **A walk before work** (10 min; Weekdays, Morning). Walk around the block before you sit down, rain or shine. It starts the day the way a commute would, without the crowded train.
2. **Get dressed for work** (5 min; Weekdays, Morning). Not a suit, just not pyjamas. Changing in the morning, and back again in the evening, marks when work starts and stops.
3. **Plan the day's top 3** (5 min; Weekdays, Morning). Before email, write the three things that would make today a good day at work.
4. **Hardest task first** (60 min; Weekdays, Morning). One task, notifications off, chat closed for an hour. Email can wait until this is done.
5. **Stand up and stretch** (2 min; 3 times a day, Anytime). Every hour or two, stand up, roll your shoulders and look out of a window. Two minutes, then back to it.
6. **Lunch away from the desk** (30 min; Weekdays, Midday). Eat somewhere that is not your desk, without your laptop. The afternoon will still be there in half an hour.
7. **Say hi to someone** (5 min; Weekdays, Midday). Working alone gets quiet. Call a friend, chat with a coworker, wave at a neighbour.
8. **Shut down the workday** (10 min; Weekdays, Evening). 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

## 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. [Cozy](https://www.cozyhabittracker.com/) is a cute habit tracker for iPhone and Android.

## 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](https://www.cozyhabittracker.com/habit-ideas/focus) or [energy habits](https://www.cozyhabittracker.com/habit-ideas/energy).

## 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.

---

This page on the web: https://www.cozyhabittracker.com/routines/work-from-home-routine