Flexible employment arrangements like hybrid models and fully remote work are becoming the norm for many industries. Love it or hate it, the future of working may not take place in an office.

Remote work expands the talent pool employers can pull from while providing the flexibility modern workers expect. For employees, some perks of working from home include:

• Taking time back from commuting
• Owning their schedule
• The ability to take care of personal responsibilities throughout the day

If you’re working remotely full-time or a few days out of the week, or you’re scouring job boards like ZipRecruiter looking for remote work, these tips can help you succeed and stay productive.

Establish a routine.

Poor work-life balance can negatively impact your happiness. Establishing a routine that works for you with defined working hours can help you distinguish between the two.

Set a schedule and try to stick with it. Creating a to-do list can give you a set of goals to accomplish in your day and keeps a structure you can follow. Aside from your work tasks, include times when you’re exercising, eating lunch and recharging.

Choose a dedicated workspace.

While remote work provides flexibility, getting into a routine can be challenging when you don’t have a dedicated regular workspace. Ideally, your workstation will have a door so you can join meetings uninterrupted without worrying about people walking in and out. You’ll also want to work somewhere with limited distractions so you can be the most productive.

Set it up with all the supplies you need ahead of time so you can get in the zone: paper, pens, cell phone charger, headphones, comfortable chair, extra monitor, reliable Wi-Fi, etc.

Try prepping meals ahead of time.

Cooking a nice breakfast or lunch daily can be tempting, but it can cut into valuable work time. Prepping your meals Sunday or the night before can ensure you still get a delicious, nutritious meal throughout the week. It can also save you money in the long run by helping you resist the urge to order out.

Use a VPN.

Security is essential to working remotely, and many businesses require a secure network outside the office. A VPN can keep your network safe while you’re on public Wi-Fi. You may want one anytime you’re working off-site in a coffee shop, co-working space, airport, etc.

If you’re frequently working outside the office, consider asking your company to provide access to a VPN to keep sensitive information safe.

Stay social.

Working from an office generally presents more social opportunities than working from home. It can be tempting to stay online longer when you feel you don’t get as much face time with your team, but you need to stick with regular working hours to keep your sanity.

To stay social while working remote, schedule virtual happy hours, attend trainings your company holds, or pop into a coffee shop or chat up the delivery courier if you need real social interaction.

If you’re exploring hybrid or remote working roles, look for your next career move at ZipRecruiter. It’s the #1 rated job site in the U.S.¹, and it’s free to sign up. You can filter open roles by in-person, hybrid or fully remote.

ZipRecruiter leverages powerful matching technology to get your resume in front of top companies, improving the likelihood of finding the right fit. It also offers a convenient mobile app, and one-tap apply, so you can confidently apply to jobs wherever you are. Perhaps best of all, with ZipRecruiter, job seekers can create job alerts, save jobs, apply, and post your resume all for free.

¹ Based on G2 satisfaction ratings as of January 1, 2022