11 Daily Habits to Improve Life and Feel Better Working from Home

11 Daily Habits to Improve Life and Feel Better Working from Home

Working from home sounds like a dream until you realise how easily the day can run way from you.

It was one of those mornings where everything went wrong. I’d been awake since 7am and spent the first twenty minutes doom-scrolling on my phone. My head felt foggy and my eyes heavy before I’d even got out of bed. The kids were running late, we couldn’t find their shoes or ties and I’d eaten a blueberry muffin for breakfast washed down with a sugary cup of tea.

By the time I sat at my desk at 9am, I hadn’t planned a single thing. I opened my laptop and spent an hour trying to figure out what work needed doing. The carb-heavy breakfast caught up with me fast, I was starving again by 11am and grabbed an early lunch, another quick fix of a sandwich and crisps.

By 12:30pm, I could barely keep my eyes open. No fresh air, no breaks, just back-to-back screen time. A client call snapped me out of it, but as soon as it ended, I slipped into “busy work,” filing emails, tidying folders, doing anything that looked productive.

By 3pm, it was time for the school run. I’d been sitting at my desk for six hours but had only done about two hours of real client work. That day hit me hard. Working from home can make you feel incredibly busy while achieving very little.

That was the moment I knew something had to change. Working from home sounds like a dream, but without structure and a plan, it drains you fast. I needed better energy and more focus, so I started making small changes, eating protein for breakfast and lunch, planning my day the night before and getting outside for fresh air.

Over time, these small shifts became healthy work-from-home habits that completely changed how I felt and worked.

In this post, I’m sharing 11 daily habits to feel better while working from home, simple routines that keep me productive, calm and present for both my clients and my family.

If your work-from-home routine feels like a blur of distractions, these are the small but powerful habits that make all the difference.

1. Plan and Prepare the Night Before

A focused day starts with a clear plan. One of the best daily habits to improve life is to get organised before the day even begins. Every Thursday, I plan the following week. My Outlook diary is always up-to-date and I print a weekly sheet to check what’s coming up. On my sheet, I include everything, my children’s activities, pocket-money reminders, networking events, my children’s tutoring sessions and even notes like, “check tomorrow’s dinner” so I remember to take chicken out to defrost for the slow cooker. It’s my way of keeping family life and work in balance.

Each evening, I scan the list to see what’s left to do. It means I never forget client meetings, school events, or household tasks. My printed weekly sheet keeps all the moving parts of mum life and business life in one place, it’s my brain on paper.

There are so many things to remember as a mum and business owner. Between client work, family commitments and school activities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Having a set routine written down gives me mental space, reduces stress and supports daily habits to improve mental health. It’s a simple but powerful way to stay consistent on top of your work from home daily routine.

Building this habit has transformed how I manage my week. It’s one of those healthy habits for life that keeps me calm, focused and on top of everything.

2. Start Your Morning Without Screens (And Use an Alarm Clock)

One of the simplest daily habits to improve life is to stop reaching for your phone the second you wake up. I’ve learned the hard way that opening Instagram first thing gives my brain a hangover, the brightness and endless scroll leave me drained before the day even begins.

Instead, I use a proper alarm clock so I’m not tempted to look at my phone. It helps me wake up more calmly and start my work from home daily routine with a clear head.

The alarm clock I use (below) looks great and has a gentle light that brightens before the alarm goes off. It’s not perfect, the settings can be fiddly and it’s brighter than I’d like, but it does stop me doom-scrolling in the morning. For me, that trade-off is worth it.

Image description: My stylish digital alarm clock sits on my wooden bedside table and helps me build healthy work from home habits by stopping morning phone scrolling, a simple daily habit to improve life.

3. Start Your Day with Movement

One of my favourite daily habits to improve life is to move my body before the day gets busy. I get out of bed, stretch and work out in my pyjamas. It’s quick, peaceful and everyone else in the house is still asleep.

I used to have a gym membership, but it was so time-consuming. By the time I’d driven there, worked out, showered and got home, half the day had gone. Now, I exercise at home, it’s efficient, flexible and fits easily around family life.

I do 20-minute workouts, 3-4 times a week, before I even sit at my desk. The book Atomic Habits by James Clear taught me to leave my trainers where I can see them. That tiny visual cue has helped me stay consistent. I can highly recommend reading Atomic Habits by James Clear if you want to form new habits. I formed a new habit of daily movement from what I learnt in this book.  

I find free workouts on YouTube and alternate between lifting weights and walking on my home walking pad and I skip exercise on weekends, because cleaning the house definitely counts as cardio.

4. Get The School Stuff Ready the Night Before

Uniforms, bags and lunch plans might seem like small things, but they make a huge difference to how calm your morning feels. I can’t stand starting the day in a rush.

When my kids were little, mornings were intense, everything had to be ready the night before so all I needed to do was get them up, dressed and fed. Now they’re older, they mostly manage themselves, but I still check that ties, shoes and school bags are in the right places. It saves those last-minute panics before the school run.

No one wants to start their day shouting at the kids. A little preparation the night before is one of those daily habits to improve life that keeps mornings calmer, reduces stress and sets you up for a more relaxed, productive workday.

5. Eat Protein at Breakfast (It Really Will Stop You Snacking)

Your food choices can make or break your focus.

I’m usually up by 6:30am and after a workout and shower, I’m at my desk for 8:30am. I have coffee first, then breakfast around 9:30am. That gap between waking and eating isn’t extreme fasting, it’s simply giving my body time to wake up properly and finish digesting. It makes a big difference to my energy and focus.

My breakfast is simple, a vanilla protein shake with soya milk and 5g of creatine, plus one slice of toast with butter and jam (because life needs joy). I have a sweet tooth and wish I could eat eggs for breakfast, but I can’t, so this is my workaround.

The protein shake keeps me full and stops the mid-morning snacking. The creatine supports muscle strength and may also boost mood and cognitive function (verywellhealth.com). The soya milk provides plant-based protein and nutrients that support joint and bone health (healthline.com) and the carbs, they just keep me happy.

If I start the day with a sugar-rich, carb-heavy breakfast (hello blueberry muffins, oats or sweet smoothies), I can barely keep my eyes open. I feel sluggish, lose focus and end up reaching for snacks well before lunch.

This breakfast routine keeps my energy steady and focus sharp, perfect for the morning when I get my hardest work done.

Image description: I start my morning with a protein shake made using Amfit whey protein and Nutrition Geeks creatine. This is one of my healthy work from home habits that helps improve my focus in the morning.

Disclaimer: This is simply what’s worked for me. I’m not a nutritionist or medical professional, just someone continually testing and tweaking routines to stay well while sitting at my desk while working from home. Everyone’s body is different, so please speak with your doctor or a qualified health professional before making changes to your diet or supplement routine.

6. Work With Your Natural Energy Levels

We all have times of day when our brain works best, knowing yours is key to better work from home productivity.

For me, it’s mid-morning. That’s when I do my hardest work. My focus window is between 8:30am and 12:30pm, when I get into a flow and make real progress.

I also get another burst of energy in the evening, around 7pm to 9pm. I don’t usually work then, but if my client workload is heavy, I’ll use that time to catch up. It’s not ideal, but when you can’t control how much work comes in, good energy management helps you stay balanced without burning out.

When I hit a slump during the day, or just need a mental reset, I’ll step away from my desk, clean the kitchen, hang up washing, or go for a short walk. That’s the benefit of a flexible work from home routine, you can recharge, move your body and still get things done around the house.

If you’re more productive in the afternoon or evening, plan your toughest tasks then and be realistic, if you’ve got young kids or do the school run twice a day, working eight hours of paid client work five days a week just isn’t sustainable. You’ll also need time for your own business admin and marketing.

7. Have A Protein-Rich Lunch (And Move Afterwards)

If I don’t eat protein at lunch, I crash hard in the afternoon. There are no doughnuts or slabs of cake for me if I am sitting at my desk. My go-to lunch is 2 eggs, a slice of bread, fruit and Greek yoghurt with honey. Simple but filling.

After lunch, I go for a 20 to 30-minute walk, it stops the slump, clears my head and helps me get daylight during darker months.

There’s huge research behind walking after meals and how it reduces insulin spikes and supports digestion. “Emerging research shows that the simple act of walking after meals may dramatically improve metabolic health” (News Medical).

I’ve found walking after eating, especially after my lunch helps me stay focused in the afternoon so I can successfully sit at my desk.

8. Position Your Desk Near Natural Light

I used to face a wall and it completely drained my energy. Now, my desk faces a big window and it’s a game changer. The natural light instantly lifts my mood, helps me focus and makes my workspace feel alive.

There are real benefits to sitting near a window when you work from home. Natural light improves mood, energy, alertness and productivity (Harvard Health) and studies show that people working in naturally lit environments experience higher focus and performance (Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine).

If you’re not sitting near a window, try moving your desk, it’s one of the quickest ways to feel instantly better. It certainly worked for me. I often see geese flying past, red kites gliding on the wind and even a heron perched on my neighbour’s roof. Little moments like that make working from home feel peaceful.

Image description: I took this photo from my home office window on a sunny day in early November. The clear blue sky and view over the rooftops always lifts my mood and makes working from home better.

9. Tidy Your Desk at The End of The Day

Once you’ve done your hours, take two minutes to tidy your desk. It doesn’t take long, but it signals that the workday is over. I do this every day, put my papers away, throw out any notes I don’t need, pop my pens back in their holder and take my cups and insulated water bottle downstairs to the kitchen.

Because I work from home, I don’t have a commute to mark the end of the day, so this small routine helps me switch off. It tells my brain, you’re done. I love coming back the next morning to a clean, clear desk where I can get straight to work.

A tidy desk also helps reduce visual clutter and overwhelm. When things get busy or chaotic, this is one of the simplest ways to feel calmer and more in control. Give your desk a good clean and make it a space you actually enjoy being in, after all, you’ll be here often. 

10. Have An Evening Routine

Evenings are about resetting the home for tomorrow:

• Make sure uniforms and ties are ready (again!)

• Tidy the kitchen and load the dish washer

• Check homework and lunches

• Put shoes and bags by the door

• Check my diary so I know what’s happening tomorrow

• Shower, relax and unwind

• It’s simple but keeps mornings calm.

11. End Your Day with Your Sleep Routine

This is my time. Everyone else is sorted and now I can focus on myself. Here’s what I do before bed:

• Stretch for 5 minutes to ease aches and help me sleep

• Check Pinterest for 10 minutes

• Check Slack messages from my networking group — community matters

• Write a quick note in my journaling app about my day (5 minutes)

• Watch part of a movie

• Read for 20 minutes

• Sleep for 8 hours (on a good night!)

Sleep is non-negotiable for me now. When your kids are small, this isn’t always possible, but when they’re teenagers, this becomes the reality, just in case you’re wondering.

Conclusion

These are all the things I do to feel well while working from home. I used to work long hours without moving, but as I get older, I’ve realised how important it is to look after myself.

I make time to strength train, stretch, watch my sugar intake (I’ve got a serious sweet tooth), limit my screen time, endless Instagram scrolling hurts my eyes and stay connected both online and offline. I don’t get it right all the time, but even doing some of these things helps. There’s always tomorrow to try again. 

Working from home gives you freedom, but you have to take care of yourself. These small habits make a big difference to how you show up for your clients and your family.

FAQs

Q1. How can I stay motivated when working from home?

Create a clear plan the night before and start each day with intention. Having a morning routine, like movement, breakfast and a written task list sets the tone and keeps your energy focused.

Q2. What are the best daily habits to feel better while working from home?

Small consistent actions make the biggest difference, eat protein at breakfast and lunch, move daily, get daylight, tidy your workspace and plan ahead. These simple habits boost energy, focus and overall wellbeing.

Q3. How do I avoid feeling tired or unproductive during the day?

Match your work to your natural energy levels. Tackle demanding tasks during your most focused hours, take short breaks and step outside for fresh air to reset your mind.

Q4. What should I eat to stay focused when working from home?

Protein-rich meals help maintain steady energy. Try a protein shake or eggs for breakfast and balanced lunches with lean protein, healthy fats and fibre to prevent the afternoon slump.

Q5. How do I separate work and home life when they happen in the same space?

Create physical and mental boundaries. A tidy desk at the end of the day, an evening reset routine and a regular bedtime signal to your brain that work is done.

Now Read: Pros and Cons of Being a Virtual Assistant

And read: Can You Work From Home With Kids?