With the business landscape shifting from the traditional office to virtual, comes a whole new set of issues to deal with. Because a virtual office has “everything but the office,” workers for businesses utilizing the virtual office method get to work from their own home office. Here are some tips to keep that office running smoothly!

Stay Organized – the one advantage of a traditional office is having someone to always get on your case when a project’s deadline is right around the corner. Without a boss in the same building, you could potentially lose track of your week’s goals – this is where your will power and organizational magic comes in handy. Make yourself a to-do list – and then make yourself pay attention to it. You’ll be happy that you did when you aren’t overwhelmed at the end of the day.

Stay Comfortable – an advantage of a home office in this new work landscape is comfort. You’re at home! You can be in your jammies, you can drink your favorite coffee, you can listen to your favorite “work steady” playlist. After you get your day’s work organized with your handy to-do list, let yourself have some comfort – turn up your playlist, get an extra soft pillow for support, drink your super delicious hazelnut coffee. As long as you don’t get distracted, this benefit of working outside the traditional office is a boon to productivity.

Have Snacks Available – whether you’re in a traditional or virtual office setting, this is a good recommendation. You can’t go wrong with a healthy snack to curb your hunger before lunch or the end of the day. You’ll be able to work better if you aren’t constantly thinking about food!

Take Time To Walk Around – another tip that works for both types of offices: give yourself some time to move, especially between long stretches of sedentary sitting. Sitting sessions can have an adverse effect on your health, so breaking up those long periods at your desk can really help. Have a five minute walk around the room, or if you’re at home go step into the sunlight in your front yard. You’ll feel better and thus work better!

Have Good Lighting – never underestimate the value of light. If you can move your desk near a window to get some natural light, do it! And if you’re working late (one of the benefits of not being in a traditional office is you can work whenever inspiration hits you) make sure you have a good desk lamp. A little illumination can go a long way.