Setting Up A Home Office...

Tips For Setting Up A Home Office
Written by: Jeff Schuman

Setting up a home office is one of the most important tasks you
will face when you make the decision to work from your own home. 
Your home office can be a corner of your kitchen or living room
or, if space permits, a former spare bedroom. 

Size is less important that functionality. When deciding on
where to set up the nerve center of your business, there are some
factors you need to consider. 

Is the area well lit? 

Proper lighting is extremely important. Spending hours at a time
in a dimly lit work space can create eyestrain which, after long
periods of time, could lead to more serious problems with your
vision. 

Are there plenty of electrical outlets? 

Take into consideration what appliances you will have in your
work space. Your computer system will require an outlet for your
cpu, monitor, scanner, printer, speakers (sometimes) and other
ancillary equipment you may have. 

Is the area well ventilated and dust free? 

All of that computer equipment needs to “breath” to remain cool
and functioning properly. If you have ever “fried” a computer
you know how important it is to keep the fan clean and dust
free. 

Do you have telephone access? 

In addition to having a telephone handy for business purposes,
you will also require telephone access for your modem. You may
also consider a separate telephone line for your business. It is
much easier to track telephone business expenses for tax purposes
if you have a separate phone line. It’s also important that your
clients can reach you. If your clients have to compete with your
teenagers telephone habits, chances are they will call someone
else. Make certain that this separate line is set up to receive
phone calls while you are online. Most major telephone companies
now offer that service. You may pay a few extra dollars a month
for it, but it will pay for itself over the long haul. 

How much ‘foot traffic” is there liable to be? 

Set up your office to be as isolated as possible. Can you
imagine trying to speak with a client or figure out html code
with kids screaming in the background? Not a very professional
picture. If you have no choice but to have your office in a high
traffic area, adjust your work schedule to coincide with family
activities. Sit your family down and explain the importance of
your work and why you need their cooperation. It won’t always
work out that way but at least it’s a step in the right
direction. 

It goes without saying that you need to have normal office
supplies. Even if your work is online you still need the pens,
pencils, note pads and so on. 

One of the stickiest challenges you may encounter comes from your
friends. People who do not work from home seem to think that if
you do, you have all the time in the world to visit. This can
become a major problem if you do not set the parameters. 
Setting out the ground rules is important to the overall health
and well being of your business. Let your friends and extended
family know your business hours and explain to them that you are
not available during those periods of time. The sooner you do
this the better. 

Conduct your business in a professional manner. Just because you
work at home does not mean that you should throw out the rule
book. Maybe you have read the humorous comment about “working
in your pajamas. It sounds good in sales messages, but the truth
is you are much better off if you awaken in the morning and
prepare yourself for your work day as if you were still trekking
off to the office, because you are. 

You will be much better prepared to focus and get down to
business if you dress the part. That doesn’t mean that you need
to squeeze into the normal “office” attire. It does mean that
you set the standards for your business and much of that has to
do with “mindset” and self-image. Dressing comfortably is a one
of the serendipities of working at home, but you will be much
better prepared for business if you dress the part. 

I have one final word of advice for the new work at home
entrepreneur. Having your office right down the hall can be a
blessing, but it can also be a curse. Remember to take time out
for yourself. Most people believe that working at home comes
with certain privileges, and it does. However, it can also
become all-consuming and take total control of your life. 

Don’t allow that to happen. Create your schedule and live by it.
Make sure you turn off the lights, shut down the computer and
“go home” at the end of your work day.