Everything You Need to Know to Master Working From Anywhere

“My rule of thumb is to create environments that support the body in five or six different positions,” says body-conscious design expert Galen Cranz, professor emerita at the University of California at Berkeley and principal at Cranz Consulting. Start with two body positions at each office (four total): At home you can’t go wrong with “perching,” which is seating your rear on the edge of a bar-height stool with your weight on your legs. If your in-office setup is a typical desk and chair, add a standing option.

Children, pets, phones, and neighbors all shift your focus away from work. “Invest in noise-canceling headphones—they allow you to work undistracted,” says Tal Shelef, co-founder of Canadian condominium and townhouse database CondoWizard.ca.