Have a separate work space dedicated solely towards working. You don't play there, you don't eat there, you work there. It's important to have boundaries when working from home.
The benefit of this, in addition to the obvious (you don't have to put on pants to "go to work") is that any space in your home used solely for business purposes is tax deductible under the US tax scheme.
My company pays 100% of my personal apartment rent, and I receive an additional W2 for the percentage of non-office space as personally taxable income. This means that 100% of the money paid is a corporate tax deduction, and the parts paid for my office never hit my personal income.
I recently learned that because my flat is a 2 bathroom, one of those bathrooms can be included in the "office space" calculation as well, as offices require bathrooms.
Standard disclaimer: I am not an accountant or a lawyer, so this is layperson advice. Consult with a professional.
As mentioned above, make sure it has a door, and close it. Train your housemates/family/partner/SO/whatever to leave you alone while you're "at work".
Home office deductions are heavily scrutinized by the IRS, precisely because it's so tempting for people to fudge the lines. You need to have really good documentation. As of this tax year, there's now a "simplified option" that requires less calculation on your part. See http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employ....
The dedicated work-only office was my most important productivity enhancement. It helped me prevent burnout (where I'd just work every single hour), and it also helped my spouse understand when I was "at work" and should be treated thusly.
As an added bonus in the US, a dedicated work-only workspace can be eligible for a Home Office tax deduction.
In the UK, you can offset the costs of the office space against tax - proportioned heating and lighting etc. But if/when you sell the property you need to be aware of possible Capital Gains Tax liability on the office space.
My company pays 100% of my personal apartment rent, and I receive an additional W2 for the percentage of non-office space as personally taxable income. This means that 100% of the money paid is a corporate tax deduction, and the parts paid for my office never hit my personal income.
I recently learned that because my flat is a 2 bathroom, one of those bathrooms can be included in the "office space" calculation as well, as offices require bathrooms.
Standard disclaimer: I am not an accountant or a lawyer, so this is layperson advice. Consult with a professional.
As mentioned above, make sure it has a door, and close it. Train your housemates/family/partner/SO/whatever to leave you alone while you're "at work".