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Transitioning from working in a conventional office setting to working from home can be both exciting and daunting.

On the one hand, you’re suddenly the master of your own domain to a much greater degree than you were before, and no one can stop you from going to work in your underwear if you want.

On the other hand, things become a lot less certain and clear-cut. It’s now up to you to make things happen, via your own strategic planning, hard work, and creative insight.

Often, people who make the transition to working from home find that they experience pretty high-stress levels right off the bat. Here are a few tips for avoiding this situation, and keeping your stress levels low when working from home.

First things first, if you’re going to work from home you need a home office – whether that is, in fact, an entire room in your house dedicated to your work, or whether it’s just a desk in an alcove somewhere.

One way or the other, you should not expect to fare very well if you’re planning to get your work done while sitting in bed with a laptop, or lounging around on the sofa. Among other things, these locations will inevitably act as psychological triggers that it’s now “relaxation time,” and that, in turn, will stress you out and confuse you on a subconscious level.

Look into getting items of furniture such as an Eames work desks that you will dedicate entirely, and exclusively, to your work. Create a professional space for yourself in the home, and use it only for your professional activities, to the best of your ability.

If you’re going to try and maintain peak productivity while also keeping your stress levels relatively low, and your mood relatively high, there’s no way of getting around the fact that you need to eat plenty of nutritious food throughout the day.

When we are in a fasted state, or haven’t been eating many carbohydrates, our stress hormone levels skyrocket. This is a mechanism our body users in order to release fuel trapped in fat tissue, muscle tissue, and organs, in the case of an emergency.

Even if going without food may help you to slim your waistline, however, it will also mean you are much more on-edge as a rule, and much more prone to crack under stressful conditions.

Keep plenty of nutritious food within easy reach, and actually feed yourself. For bonus points, take breaks to get out of the house and eat with other people as and when you get the chance. It’s important not to become a social hermit during this time.

If you’re trying to multitask when working from home, you will naturally be far more stressed out, and far less productive, than you would otherwise be.

The key here is to keep distractions to a minimum, and to focus on doing only one thing at a time. This naturally contributes to a greater sense of calm and attention.

At the same time, be careful not to overdo it on the caffeine. Caffeine and other stimulants, such as nicotine, spike stress hormone levels, and contribute directly to feelings of anxiety.