77% of remote employees say they’re more productive when they work from home. However, those who are doing so with the company of their dog may not feel the same way. From barking to begging for attention, there are a number of ways that your dog can hinder your productivity while you’re trying to get some work done. Whether you’ve got an older dog or a puppy, here are just a few ways that you can get to work while ensuring that you and your pup adapt to the work-from-home lifestyle in an effective way.

 

The importance of a schedule

Creating a schedule while you’re working from home will help immensely in ensuring that you can focus on work when you need to, and will help your dog adjust to your routine in a structured way as well. Having a solid schedule will let your dog know what time of the day is work time, and can also help them get used to the idea that you may not be as available to them. Creating the ideal work from home schedule can be achieved by treating the day as you would in the office: start work at a specific time, finish up at a certain time, and structure your meal times appropriately. However, it’s important that you include your dog in your schedule as well, such as by feeding him while you make your morning coffee before work. One thing that may help to make the transition less difficult is taking scheduled breaks throughout the day to spend a bit of time with your dog — whether it be a five minute play session or a short walk. In fact, 70% of owners say they exercise more simply through walking and playing with their pets, which will be a great help to those working from home and trying to stay active.

 

 

Time management is a necessity

In addition to simply creating a work from home schedule, ensuring that you stay on time with breaks in between can be a major challenge, especially if you’re prone to losing track of time or getting lost in your work. Ultimately, this can make being productive quite difficult, and it may throw your dog off as well if you’re taking him out for a walk or playing with him sporadically each day. With that in mind, managing your time properly is a necessity, and it can be done in a variety of ways. For example, in addition to setting alarms for breaks during the day, keeping your dog’s necessities (like treats and a leash) in your desk drawer will make for easy grab-and-go access when you need them.

 

 

Providing entertainment

Providing your dog with their own space to retreat to while you work is a given, but it’s also imperative to ensure they’re entertained on their own. This can be in the form of a treat, a chew toy, or other toys that don’t make sound, which will help bring you some peace and quiet while you work (as opposed to noisy squeaker toys), thus allowing you to focus. In addition to the traditional puzzle treat toys, one great idea to keep your pup busy until your next scheduled break from work is to freeze broth in an ice cube tray. By freezing cubes with treats in the middle, you can ensure that your dog will stay busy for a while as you work.

With more and more people working from home, those who have dogs may find it difficult to get as much work done as they would in the office. However, by implementing a schedule, managing your time efficiently, and providing them with some entertainment, you can easily keep your four legged friend busy while you’re working.

Guest article by Karoline Gore