Work From Home Essentials: The Tools, Habits and Systems That Make It Work
Working from home is back in the conversation.
As fuel costs rise and organisations continue to rethink flexible work, many teams are once again encouraging employees to work remotely where possible. The shift has reminded many businesses that working from home can be both productive and practical when the right systems are in place.
For us at Presentation Studio, it’s simply how we operate.
When the world shifted during COVID, our team moved to a fully remote model. That was six years ago. Since then, we’ve worked across cities, countries, and time zones, delivering presentations for global clients while collaborating daily as a distributed team.
Over time, we’ve learned that successful remote work isn’t about recreating the office at home.
It’s about building the right systems, from technology to habits to workspace setup.
The Microsoft ecosystem plays a big role in how we collaborate. But there are also a few other essentials that make working from home truly effective.
Here are some of the things we’ve found make the biggest difference.
Microsoft Teams: The Digital Office
In many ways, Microsoft Teams replaces the physical office environment.
It’s where conversations happen, quick questions are answered, files are shared, and meetings take place.
For remote teams, having a central communication hub makes a significant difference. Instead of long email chains or scattered messages across multiple platforms, Teams creates a shared space where projects and discussions live side by side.
Simple habits can make Teams even more effective:
Organising channels by project or client
Keeping conversations within threads
Recording meetings so teammates in different time zones can catch up
Sharing files directly within the conversation
When used well, Teams recreates much of the natural communication flow that normally happens in an office.
OneDrive and SharePoint: Creating One Source of Truth
One of the biggest challenges when working from home is document management.
If files are scattered across laptops, email attachments and multiple folders, collaboration quickly becomes complicated.
Cloud platforms like OneDrive and SharePoint solve this by creating a single source of truth.
Everyone works from the same file. Updates happen in real time. Version history is automatically tracked.
For teams producing collaborative work, such as presentations, proposals, or reports, this removes the constant question of “Which version is the latest?”
Instead, everyone is working from the same place, at the same time.
PowerPoint: Collaboration Built Into the Slide Deck
At Presentation Studio, PowerPoint naturally sits at the centre of what we do.
But PowerPoint has also become a strong collaboration tool for remote teams.
Teams can now:
Edit slides simultaneously
Leave comments for feedback and approvals
Track version history
Present remotely using PowerPoint Live
For teams preparing board presentations, investor pitches or conference talks, this allows multiple contributors to work together without endless versions being passed around.
The result is faster collaboration and clearer presentation structure.
OneNote: A Shared Brain for Ideas and Notes
Another Microsoft tool that becomes incredibly valuable when working remotely is OneNote.
Think of it as a shared digital notebook where ideas, meeting notes and project information can all live in one organised place.
Instead of scattered documents or personal notebooks, teams can create shared notebooks that everyone contributes to.
For remote teams, this is particularly helpful for:
Capturing meeting notes that the whole team can access
Storing research and references for projects
Creating structured sections for different clients or workstreams
Quickly capturing ideas without interrupting workflow
Over time, OneNote becomes a kind of shared memory for the team, helping important information stay visible and organised.
Planner and To Do: Making Work Visible
Visibility is critical when working from home.
In an office, it’s easy to ask someone how a project is progressing. When teams are remote, that visibility needs to be built into the workflow.
Tools like Microsoft Planner and Microsoft To Do help create a clear view of tasks and responsibilities.
Teams can quickly see:
What work is underway
Who owns each task
What deadlines are approaching
Where support may be needed
Even simple task boards can reduce friction and keep projects moving smoothly.
Your Workspace Still Matters When Working From Home
Technology alone isn’t enough. The physical workspace still plays a role in productivity.
Creating a dedicated workspace, even a small one, helps create a mental boundary between work and home life.
A few simple upgrades can make a big difference:
A comfortable ergonomic chair with good back support
A second monitor to improve productivity
A reliable internet connection
A good quality webcam and microphone for meetings
Small changes in workspace setup can significantly improve focus and energy throughout the day.
Structure Makes Remote Work Sustainable
Without a commute or traditional office schedule, the workday can easily lose structure.
Many remote workers find it helpful to create simple routines that signal the start and end of the day.
This might include:
Starting the day with a short planning session
Taking regular breaks away from the screen
Scheduling focused work blocks between meetings
Creating a clear end-of-day shutdown routine
These small habits help maintain productivity while preventing work from stretching endlessly into personal time.
Clear Communication Keeps Teams Aligned
When teams are working from home, communication becomes even more important.
Without hallway conversations or quick desk check-ins, teams need to be more intentional about sharing updates, asking questions and documenting decisions.
Some simple practices help:
Writing clear messages that include context
Summarising decisions after meetings
Keeping project updates visible to the wider team
Being proactive rather than waiting for someone to ask
Clarity keeps remote teams aligned and prevents misunderstandings.
Protecting Focus Time
One challenge many remote teams face is the number of meetings.
When everyone is available online, calendars can fill quickly.
Successful teams protect time for deep work by:
Blocking focus time in calendars
Keeping meetings shorter and more purposeful
Using asynchronous updates where possible
Leaving buffer time between calls
Protecting focus time ensures people can actually complete the work that meetings are meant to support.
Six Years In, We’re Still Learning
At Presentation Studio, we’ve now been working remotely for six years.
What began as a necessary shift has become a core part of how we operate — allowing us to collaborate across cities and time zones while supporting clients around the world.
Over time, we’ve learned that successful remote work isn’t defined by where people sit, but by how teams communicate, organise information and work together.
Technology certainly plays a role, but the real foundations of effective remote work are simple: clear systems, thoughtful tools and good habits.
When those things are in place, working from home isn’t just possible — it becomes a highly effective way for teams to collaborate, share ideas and deliver great work from anywhere.