SolveYourProblem
Article Series:
Start
A Home Business
How
to Create a Functional Work at Home Office
So you’ve decided to work from home, or start
your own small business from home and you’ve got everything
you need, well, that is except for the actual home office.
Don’t panic, creating a functional home office, even on a shoestring
budget, is totally possible.
Start
by assessing what tools (i.e. computer, printer, fax
machine etc.) you will need for your specific home office and
how much you are willing to spend. For those whose home office
also doubles as a kitchen or dining room, select tools that
are easier to move around, like laptop computers and printers
that are more lightweight. For those whose budget is more limited
than their space, look into second hand equipment. Keep an
eye out for sales and definitely make the most of the money
you do have to spend.
Once you know what you will need, the next step is choosing
the right spot for your home office. Whether it is a corner
of your dining room or a guest bedroom, you do not have to
spend a lot on office furniture and being realistic about what
you will need and what will actually fit will help tremendously.
Look for office furniture, like desks, chairs and file cabinets,
at second hand shops, garage sales and auctions. Check out
the classified section of your local newspaper for deals on
furniture.
Be
creative. If your office is drab and boring try painting
it a more inspiring color. Or if having no walls at all is
your problem, try using simple room dividers like bookshelves,
a screen of a curtain for privacy. No natural sunlight, try
moving lamps from other rooms into you home office. Hang up
pictures, posters or any other kind of artwork that inspires
you to work towards you business goals.
Stay
organized. Creating your home office on a limited budget
often means that you also just can’t afford to let things get
too sloppy. Even if you don’t have a lot of money or space
for your office, keeping things organized and neat will help
you stay focused when you are working and it will make your
job easier knowing where things are when you need them. Don’t
let papers pile up. Since you are your own boss, you are also
your own secretary. Sometimes it is helpful to designate one
day of the week to reorganizing your home office.
Limit
distractions. When you work at home, you should try
to cut down on the distractions of the home. This is even more
difficult if your home office is also in your living room or
kitchen. You can help yourself maintain a functional office
and avoid distractions if you set up some simple rules. Limit
or eliminate entirely your personal phone calls, by screening
calls or having a separate line just for work related calls.
Do not have the T.V. on and if others are watching the T.V.
make sure your home office space is not near them. Allow yourself
breaks, but stick to a schedule so that you are not tempted
to just get up and wander off and search the fridge whenever
you feel like it. Designate clear work time and home time and
try not to mix the two up.
Make sure that other people in the house respect your home
office space. If you are sharing your house with roommates,
children or other family members it is important to make it
clear that your office space should be respected. Sometimes
it helps to keep this space off limits to children when possible.
Your home office is often the most valuable tool in your business
and you need to protect it.
By putting just a little bit of work into it your home office
can work for you.
# # # # # SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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