The 5 habits ruining your efficiency and productivity while working from home

You may think you've nailed your set-up and that the rules to productive remote work are obvious, but you may not be as effective as you think.

• More and more companies are working towards remote and hybrid work models.
• While working from home has its perks, bad habits can take a toll on your concentration.
• Creating schedules and a quiet workspace are just two ways to ensure you work efficiently.
• See more stories on Insider's business page.

Working from home can take a lot of discipline - from the bed and the TV to just taking a quick break to go to the gym or take a shower, it can feel like there are endless distractions.

You'd think little breaks might help you reboot but they could have an impact on your performance if done to excess.

When you throw into the mix the fact that you have to work from home with kids, a partner, or flatmates, you may find yourself being interrupted even more, which obviously hinders productivity.

To be able to work from home effectively, you need to be able to concentrate and have your work hours and spare time organized in advance, particularly if you're sharing space.

Here are five habits to avoid to ensure you can work from home more efficiently.

1. Different 'work hours' for the whole household

One of the biggest challenges when working from home is staying focused in the face of the myriad of distractions around you.

Many of them come from other household members.

To avoid this, all the members of your household should agree on work schedules and a common break time for everyone.

If everyone is working at the same time - including schoolwork if children are involved - it's more likely that occasional interruptions can be avoided.

2. Choosing the wrong work space

A key part of being able to work from home effectively is making sure you choose the most appropriate place for your office.

Look for a space in the house that's more private, especially if you have to make a lot of calls or do video conferences.

Having a door is ideal as, by keeping it closed, you're indicating to others that you don't want to be interrupted, making it more likely that you can go on about your day as you would in your office.

3. Not planning your day out properly

Planning your day in advance is a basic tool for increasing productivity.

"Planning your day before it starts each morning doesn't mean there won't be any unforeseen events, but it will help you stay focused on your goals and give you a good chance of achieving them," neurosurgeon Mark McLaughlin told Insider.

You can make use of digital apps, but don't dismiss using a traditional paper planner, some research suggests that writing by hand helps you retain information better.

4. Not prioritizing and saying 'no'

To be more productive, you need to know how to correctly define what you're going to spend your time on.

In other words, you need to know how to prioritize tasks so you can manage your day properly.

When organizing your tasks in order of priority, start with the most complex ones and leave the simplest for later.

The obvious reason for this is that you can put in the time on the more complex tasks when you have the most energy; when you're tired, you'll have the simpler tasks left.

Improving your work performance entails accurately defining your priorities and rejecting anything that won't help you get them done, according to Google productivity expert Laura Mae Martin. That means you need to know how to knock back other tasks or unforeseen events that may divert your attention away from your main goals.

5. Not taking breaks

Exhaustion is productivity's worst enemy.

Unfortunately, no one is immune to needing rest.

If you don't take the time you need to disconnect and recharge, you'll get tired and it will have a direct impact on your performance.

To avoid this, schedule breaks so you don't forget to take them.

Taking breaks will allow you to switch off for a bit and return to the tasks feeling more refreshed, so don't use them to answer emails or anything else work-related. It's best to use these breaks to interact with others in your house or to go out to the balcony to get some sun or fresh air.

It's best to organize your day so that you dedicate short periods of time of around an hour to fully focusing on what you're doing and alternating these with breaks of about 15 to 30 minutes.