Maybe you're at home to raise your kids. Or you've just found a great home with a spacious office for your small business. Whether you are working from home as a part of your home-based business or as an employee of a company, one of the most critical elements to your success will be the definition of your work space. Most of us think that working from home is going to be no problem at all; that we will, in fact, probably benefit from the fact that there are no co-workers around to talk to and no morning or evening commute to worry about. In addition, you get to work at your own pace and your own hours. No more nine to five; you can complete your tasks as fast as you can and in the time frame you define. Just as long as you finish everything properly!
Finishing all of your tasks properly is exactly the issue when it comes to working from home. Whether you think so at the outset or not, working from home can be less productive than the office if you do not approach it with the correct mindset. A part of that mindset is setting up a home office that minimizes distractions and maximizes your chances of getting all your work done. Whether it's a home or condo there are many factors that don't come into play in a controlled office.
This section is all about creating the right home office environment for yourself. You will find that when appointed properly, your home office is probably a lot more comfortable and conducive to a good work ethic than a cubicle or even a nice office in the company building. Here are some of the areas that we will go over.
Location: Some places in your house will work for your home office location while others will almost for sure prove disastrous. You need to know which areas will lead to less productivity! For instance, it's tough to have a career in your living room with your spouse and kids distracting you.
Furnishings: Selecting the right equipment for your home office will mean that you spend a lot less time making up for problems that you missed. Even the way that you place the furniture within your home office can have an impact on your productivity levels.
Personal touches. Remember that although you have left the office behind, you don't want to necessarily feel as though you are in your own home. We will discuss why in our articles and ways to fool your brain into thinking you are actually at the office. But with this comes balance. Most people do have personal items at the office. So, you might want to have a few pictures but leave the scented candles to another room, for instance. While a vibrant color and jazzy wallpaper might be great for the den, you might opt for more subtle walls in the home office.
Supplies: A lot of people tend to forget that working at home means that you have to go out and buy your own supplies. All of a sudden there is no one to run to when you are out and re-suppling can really kill your work buzz. We will provide some tips for efficient supply shopping, such as online at places such as Staples.
There are other areas we will address in this section, but those are the main concerns when it comes to a home office and you.
Remember, working from home does not mean that you are on free time. You have to do your best to emulate a working environment, and your home office is critical to the process. Neglect to appoint your office properly and you may end up paying a price in productivity and maybe even returning to that cubicle! There are many things that can help though. Sometimes it's as simple as linking yourself to the office to keep you focused and in the loop.
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