If you’re part of the work-from-home posse, or you know someone who is, I have productivity tips to pass on! They come from psychologist Dr. Tim Pychyl from Carleton University in Ottawa.

First, work when you’re at your best! And for a lot of people that’s within an hour of waking up! Dr. Pychyl calls it the “golden hour,” when our alertness peaks because our body is naturally pumping out stress hormones. He recommends waking up, sitting at your desk, and knocking out your hardest action item. Then, go for a walk, take a shower, make your coffee. He says, by starting before the rest of the working world gets going, you’ll feel productive from the get go – and that’ll motivate your whole day.

Then, if you have the ability to work outside, or near a window, do it. According to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, people exposed to natural light move more and are more efficient!

One more work-from-home tip: Take mini-breaks between tasks, like playing fetch with your dog. The journal Cognition reports that short breaks – that do NOT involve a screen – help you focus better… and that’s especially true if your mini-break involves movement!