Thanks to the growing trends of telecommuting and entrepreneurship, more people are working from home. This is especially true if you’re a writer or author. Whether your gig is part-time or full-time, you need a space to clear your head and have instant access to your tools, technology, and tomes supporting the transformation of inspiration into outcomes.

Though working from a home office is optimal for multi-tasking both business and family projects, if a writer is not careful, the lack of a dedicated or structured environment may be detrimental to getting work done. To help prevent the home office from turning into a den of futility, consider the following suggestions:

Get Organized: The laptop is booted, and a cup of coffee is at hand, but your necessary research is in disarray. Yikes! Planning and organizing for a day at the home office is the first step to productivity. If you travel back and forth between home, a friend’s house, the local coffee shop, or place of business, plan your work at the beginning of the week and consider keeping all of your needed paperwork in a briefcase or better yet, in an electronic file. If you do most of your writing from home, ensure the office is set up with the tools you’ll need to get the job done. These tools should be organized, each having a spot where you can find them instantly to not waste time digging in piles or turning your writing session into an “organizing home office day.” Invest in a few trays that allow you to temporarily postpone filing, so you don’t break your workflow, but be sure to organize your week to keep on top of this growing catchall. Additionally, keep a notepad handy to jot down tools you need to pick up on your next trip to the office supply store and items to act on when you’ve completed your work at hand.

Avoid Time Thieves: Dedicate this time to getting your work done. Zooming with friends and taking the kids to play at the park can be a tempting lure when you are working from home. Even paying bills or doing laundry seems suddenly desirous when the other option is generating reports. The justification is universal: “I’m getting things done, so technically I’m still working.” But this time away from what you are being paid to do—by either your publisher or yourself (writing your novel)—is a slippery slope.

Think Like a Boss: If you’re paying someone to work from home and have outlined the commitment that you expect, would you worry they may take advantage of your generosity? Would you feel this arrangement may be too risky or a waste of your resources? Would you consider paying them by the hour work is accomplished? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of the above, you might hire yourself. It’s time to think like a boss and hold yourself accountable. Total the hours that you need to accomplish your goals and tally up how much you need to put in each day. Then break those hours down in the day and interject time for all the other things you want to get done. For example, the two hours you spent at a play date can be made up when the kids are down for a nap. If you take a break to tend to a couple housekeeping items, then after dinner give back that extra hour.

Take Advantage of Technology: Stay on task by taking your phone and laptop with you when you run to the store, appointments, or to have the oil changed in your car. That way you can answer calls, manage emails, and keep at your fingertips the projects you’re working on while you wait. At home, turn on music that inspires or relaxes you and sets the perfect ambiance for productivity. Invest in a laptop that allows you to lounge in a coffee shop, or sit outside on a beautiful day or anywhere you might need a little visual inspiration. If you’ve committed to staying in your office but tend to get antsy when there are too many other things around to distract, employ a timer. This “old school” technology can help you stay seated for power intervals. Although technology is instrumental in making a home office work, there are those elements that can be hazardous with the two biggest ones being the television and refrigerator. Working at a library or hiding the remote are two strategies that keep these temptations at bay.