At Owl Labs, we eat our own dog food, but as we prefer to say it, drink our own champagne. We know companies that have distributed teams and allow for remote work are playing the long game and "get" where the future of work is headed. But at times like these, remote work shouldn't be a nice thing to do, it's the right thing to do.

We polled our own internal remote talent at Owl Labs, coined the OwlFlock, on their top tips and recommendations are when WFH or what we like to say WFA (Work From Anywhere).

Here are the Owl Labs team's favorite tips and tricks for staying focused and productive when working from home.

How to Stay Focused and Productive When You're Working from Home

1. I shut my office door (lucky to have I know), blast music on my headphones/wear them all day, and have an espresso machine within 20 feet of me at all times.

2. Counter intuitively, I stay productive by having very strict working hours and managing notifications aggressively. My phone goes do not disturb around 9:00 PM to 8:00 AM local time. I know I'll keep working until everything's done, and long term it's less than optimal.

3. I've also found that being in the right frame of mind is useful – it's why I wear button down shirts same as I did when I'd be in the office.

4. Putting on makeup makes me feel more human and like I'm ready to work.

5. Create set break times for lunch, taking the dog for a walk, where you can actually turn off for a moment and recharge

6. Flexible working hours are really important to me and help me perform best. My workday sometimes starts a bit later (11-2) and I quit later. I feel more productive in the afternoon.

7. I create a productive workspace I want to be in. Dual ultra-wide monitors to facilitate workflow.

8. Spotify and Americanos.

9. Turn off proactive notifications on Slack. I check messages frequently, but usually when I have breaks.

10. It'd be a lost opportunity to not recognize our own friendly Meeting Owl Pro! It makes meetings more productive, and we also get to offer our own feedback and ideas back into the product.

Looking for more? Learn everything you need to know about working from home and check out these tips for motivating yourself when working from home.