Working from home sounds like a dream to many workers: no commute, flexible hours, and the comfort of your own space. You may have been doing this for a few years now.
But for many full-time and hybrid remote employees like yourself, the reality can be more complex, particularly as extended periods of remote work accumulate or you find yourself in a rut.
Have you noticed you get distracted a little easier compared to two years ago at home? Or you have blurred boundaries between your work time and personal time? Do you feel like you are drifting from your colleagues as you don’t see them as often? If you’re nodding your head to any of these scenarios, you are not alone.
Luckily, experienced recruiter Serene Tan has been helping candidates in their roles for more than a decade. Over that time, she has seen employers require full-time office attendance, to full lockdown during the pandemic, to many employers keeping some sort of hybrid working arrangement for their staff.
She is no stranger to workplace change and started to notice something about working from home.
“Hybrid work is widely embraced in Singapore, but you need a routine to adopt it successfully. I often speak with candidates who, despite enjoying the flexibility, find themselves struggling with motivation or focus at home. Without a routine and clear workspace, it’s easy to blur the lines between work and downtime. I find that the most successful professionals treat their remote days with the same structure and discipline as a day at the office.”
If you’re a worker who wants to navigate the remote work landscape effectively, maintain productivity, and preserve your mental wellbeing, join us, and Serene, as we explore approaches designed to ensure your time spent at home is equally, if not more, efficient and fulfilling than traditional office work.
Understanding the working from home challenge in Singapore
Remote work is often praised for its flexibility, but with that freedom comes a unique set of challenges that can quietly erode productivity and wellbeing.
One of the most common struggles is the blurring of work-life boundaries. When your home becomes your office, it’s difficult to switch off. The line between on-the-clock and off-duty fades, leading some to overwork and others to struggle with motivation.
Isolation is another major hurdle. Without the casual chats, team lunches, or even the buzz of an office environment, remote employees can feel disconnected from their colleagues and the larger organisational culture. This lack of in-person interaction often contributes to feelings of loneliness and emotional fatigue.
Home distractions can also play a significant role. Whether it’s laundry calling your name, pets needing attention, or the ever-tempting scroll of social media, it’s easy to lose focus when you’re by yourself.
And without face-to-face communication, misunderstandings can crop up more easily. Emails get misread, tone is hard to interpret, and collaboration can suffer without the clarity that physical presence often brings.
Serene says, “Everyone’s remote work setup looks different, so it’s important to figure out what works best for you. I often tell professionals to start small: set work hours, make time to connect with your team, and protect a space where you can focus. It’s not about getting it perfect from day one, but about building habits that support both your performance and wellbeing.”
How to work from home productively
Working from home offers a unique blend of flexibility and comfort, a prospect we know workers like you love. Making it truly productive and sustainable requires more than just a laptop and a Wi-Fi connection. We will step you through practical strategies to thrive in your home office in Singapore, ensuring productivity and wellbeing remain at the forefront.
1. Establish a productive routine
One of the easiest ways to make remote work more productive is by creating a consistent daily routine. Without the natural structure of commuting and office hours, it’s easy to let work spill into personal time or vice versa.
Here are some easy ways to establish a routine:
Set clear work hours to help you form clear boundaries between work and personal time.
Start your day with morning rituals like making coffee, taking a short walk, or getting dressed for work (even if it’s just from the waist up!). This can help shift you to “work mode”.
Schedule breaks throughout the day. Stretch, step outside, or have a snack. This will sustain your mental energy.
Form an end-of-day routine to help you unwind and create a clean mental break between work and personal time. Log off your computer or even switch to different clothes to cue your mind that the workday is done.
“A good routine doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to work for you. I often tell people to start with simple habits and build from there. Once you create a rhythm that fits your day, it becomes much easier to stay focused and maintain balance when working from home,” says Serene.
Related: Tips to improve your time management when working from home
2. Design an effective workspace
A cluttered desk is a cluttered mind.
To work from home productively, your physical workspace plays a crucial role in shaping your focus, energy, and overall productivity. One of the most important things you can do is set up a dedicated work area. Even if space is limited, having a consistent spot reserved for work like in a spare room, a corner desk, or a section of your dining table helps create a mental boundary between your professional and personal life.
Once you have a designated area, make sure it is ergonomic. Investing in a supportive chair and an adjustable desk, or even just elevating your laptop to eye level, can go a long way in preventing physical strain.
Serene says it is also important to minimise distractions.
“A lot of people underestimate how much their environment affects their mindset. If you can create a space that feels separate from the rest of your home, it becomes easier to switch into work mode and stay focused. It’s not always about having the perfect setup, just find a quiet space and turn your phone off”.
Don’t underestimate the power of good lighting to work from home productively. Natural light is ideal, but if that’s not an option, a good desk lamp can reduce eye strain and help maintain alertness.
Designing an effective workspace means supporting your physical comfort and mental clarity to set yourself up for greater focus and consistent productivity.
Related: Tips for staying productive whilst working from home
3. Setting boundaries and managing expectations
Sometimes, you might need to say no.
Setting clear boundaries is essential to preventing burnout when working from home. One of the first steps is to communicate your availability. Let your colleagues know your working hours and preferred methods of contact so they understand when and how to reach you.
“Remote work gives you flexibility, but that doesn’t mean you have to be available all the time. Being clear about when you’re working and how you prefer to communicate helps others respect your time and allows you to protect your energy,” says Serene.
It’s also important to limit after-hours work by resisting the urge to check emails or complete tasks once your day is officially over. Also make sure there is a clear understanding between your colleagues and manager about after-hours expectations.
Finally, make smart use of technology. Set your status on communication platforms to signal when you’re available or offline.
These boundaries might seem small but consistently maintaining them lays the foundation for working from home productively.
4. Enhance communication and collaboration
In a remote work environment, where casual hallway conversations and impromptu check-ins aren’t possible, effective communication becomes even more critical. Without it, misunderstandings can easily arise, collaboration can stall, and team cohesion may start to erode. To work from home productively and bridge the physical distance, it’s important to be intentional about how and when you connect with colleagues.
Here are some suggestions:
Start by scheduling regular check-ins with your team. This helps everyone stay aligned on goals, address roadblocks early, and maintain a sense of progress and accountability.
When it comes to digital communication, clarity is key. Remote teams rely heavily on written communication which means your words need to be precise.
Active participation in virtual meetings also makes a big difference. Contributing to discussions, asking thoughtful questions, and showing you’re engaged helps build connection and reinforces your presence, especially if you're not physically visible day to day.
Don’t underestimate the power of constructive feedback. Encourage open feedback loops across all levels of the team. Giving and receiving feedback in a thoughtful, timely manner keeps everyone aligned and promotes continuous growth.
5. Prioritise mental health and wellbeing
Working from home can bring emotional challenges that can easily go unnoticed. Without the external structure and social interaction of a traditional workplace, it's easy to drift into cycles of overwork, isolation, or low motivation. That’s why taking care of your mental health is a professional necessity.
Incorporating mindfulness practices into your daily routine can make a significant difference.
“It’s easy to let self-care slide when you’re working from home, especially when the lines between work and personal time blur. I remind my team that protecting your mental health is part of doing your job well. You can’t perform at your best if you’re constantly running on empty!"
Physical activity is another powerful tool for mental well-being.
You could:
Do a full work out before or after work
Go for a lunchtime walk
Stretch at your desk
Walk up and down the stairs a few times
Go outside and walk to get lunch or a coffee
Movement releases endorphins and helps combat the mental fog that can come from long hours in front of a screen. It also breaks up sedentary routines that are common in remote work, improving both your physical and emotional energy.
Don’t underestimate the importance of social interaction, either. Remote work can be isolating, so make an effort to stay connected with others. You could jump on a quick video coffee chat with a colleague, a virtual game night with friends, or just a phone call to catch up. These moments of connection can lift your mood and remind you that you’re not alone in your remote work journey.
At the end of the day, mental well-being is the foundation of sustainable productivity and job satisfaction. You can’t show up as your best self for your team or your work if your mental health is consistently overlooked. Taking care of your mind is just as important as meeting any deadline!
6. Leverage technology for efficiency
Arguably the most important aspect of working from home effectively is leveraging technology.
When your only way of communicating with your team is through technology, the right tools can reduce friction, keep teams aligned, and make daily workflows smoother and more efficient. Integrating the right technology into your daily workflow can ease mental strain, boost communication, and help you reclaim valuable time by minimising task overload.
Tips for leveraging technology for efficiency:
Use project management tools to help you organise tasks, assign responsibilities, and track progress in real time.
Use communications tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom to stay connected, especially if it is for casual questions that don’t need to be put in an email.
If you are struggling to stay focused, try time tracking tools such as Toggl or Clockify to maintain balanced workloads or measure how your time is spent.
Serene says, “Technology should support the way you work, not complicate it. I always tell people to choose tools that genuinely help them stay on track and reduce noise. When used wisely, technology can bring structure to your day and free up time for more meaningful work.”
When you use technology with intention, it can make remote work feel a lot less chaotic and a lot more manageable. Working from home productively is about choosing the apps/platforms that actually help you stay focused, organised, and in control of your day.
Working from home productively just got easier
Discover more insights
As a professional who's been navigating the remote work landscape for a while, it's clear this setup demands ongoing effort and adaptability. To truly excel, focus on a few key areas: establish clear routines that mimic your office structure, create a dedicated workspace to signal focus, and set firm boundaries between work and personal life to prevent burnout.
Serene: “Remote work isn't going anywhere. It is becoming part of how we work in the long run. Taking time to build good habits now will make it easier to stay productive, connected, and in control of your career, no matter where you are working from.”
Related: 15 ways to work from home more efficiently
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I stay productive when working from home in Singapore?
Our suggestion is that you:
Stick to a consistent routine
Ensure your workspace is distraction free, ergonomic and conducive to little distractions
Set boundaries for yourself and colleagues as to when and where you will be working from
Take opportunities for collaboration and communication
Prioritise your wellbeing
Use technology to boost your productivity
What is a good working from home routine?
The best routine will be different for everybody, but here are some easy ways to get started and find out what works best for you:
Set clear work hours to help you form clear boundaries between work and personal time.
Start your day with morning rituals like making coffee, taking a short walk, or getting dressed for work (even if it’s just from the waist up!). This can help shift you to “work mode”.
Schedule breaks throughout the day. Stretch, step outside, or have a snack. This will sustain your mental energy.
Form an end-of-day routine to help you unwind and create a clean mental break between work and personal time. Log off your computer or even switch to different clothes to cue your mind that the workday is done.
What is the best setup for working from home in an apartment in Singapore?
Start by picking a consistent spot to work from. It could be a corner of your bedroom, part of the dining table, or even a fold-out desk. Having a regular area helps you mentally separate work from the rest of your home life.
Think vertical when it comes to storage. Wall-mounted shelves or pegboards are great for keeping your essentials organised without taking up precious floor space. Multi-functional furniture is also a smart move. Foldable desks, under-desk drawers, or chairs with hidden storage can help you make the most of a small area.
Comfort matters too. You don’t need a full office setup, but small tweaks like a laptop stand, external keyboard, or a supportive chair (even with just a back cushion) can improve posture and reduce strain. If you’re sharing space with family or housemates, noise-cancelling headphones or white noise apps can help you stay focused.
Good lighting makes a big difference. Natural light is ideal, so setting up near a window is best, but a compact desk lamp can also help reduce eye strain and keep you alert. And finally, try to keep your workspace clutter-free. In a small space, a messy desk can feel overwhelming. A quick tidy-up at the end of each day can help keep things calm and productive.
How do I maintain a work-life balance while working remotely in Singapore?
Maintaining work-life balance while working remotely in Singapore means setting clear boundaries and looking after your well-being. Start by letting your team know your working hours and how you prefer to be contacted. This helps manage expectations and prevents unnecessary interruptions. Resist the urge to check emails or messages after hours, and use your online status to signal when you’re off the clock.
It is equally important to care for your mental health. Remote work can feel isolating, so schedule time for movement, like a short walk or quick stretches, and include simple mindfulness practices to stay grounded. Staying socially connected, even with a casual video call or chat with a colleague, can make a big difference. These small habits go a long way in creating a healthier, more sustainable remote work routine.
