Whether you are a full-time freelancer or the occasional telecommuter, working outside an office can be a challenge. What are the best ways to set yourself up for success? Here are five suggestions:

1 Maintain a regular schedule Start the day as you would if you worked in an office. Get up early, get dressed, and try to avoid online distractions once you sit down to work. Whether you just started working at home or you've been doing it for months or years, take a few weeks to determine the best rhythm for your day. Then set realistic expectations for what you can accomplish on a daily basis.

2 Set clear boundaries When you work at home, it’s easy to let your work life blur into your home life. It’s important to keep the two distinct. One way to do that is to set aside a separate space in your home for work. You also want to make sure your friends and loved ones understand that even though you are at home, you are off limits during your scheduled work hours.

3 Take regular breaks It may be tempting to work straight through, especially if you’re trying to prove that you’re productive at home. But it’s vital to take “brain breaks” – anything to give your brain an opportunity to briefly recuperate.

4 Stay connected Prolonged isolation can lead to weakened productivity and motivation. So if you don’t have a job that requires face-time with others on a daily basis, you need to put in the extra effort to stay connected. Make a point of scheduling regular coffees and meetings with colleagues, clients and work peers. Get involved with professional organisations. And since visibility can be an important factor in who gets promoted (or scapegoated) back at the office, check in as often as you can with colleagues and superiors.

5 Celebrate your wins When you're working on your own at home, staying motivated can be difficult, especially when distractions abound – Facebook, that pile of laundry, the closet that needs organising. One smart way to maintain momentum is to spend a moment or two acknowledging what you have been able to accomplish that day, rather than fixating on what you still need to do. – Harvard Business Review 2014