If you’re going to work at home, rather than just be at home, you need to create an environment that will allow you to operate in a business-like manner.
There is plenty of advice available from people who tried all different kinds of work-from-home arrangements. Here’s some of what they have to say.
Select the Right Location
A home-based business usually starts small, so the space allotted to it is often an afterthought. But when your business starts to grow it becomes inconvenient to go to the other side of the room every time you need to file something. Before you know it you have stacks of clutter on the floor waiting to be filed the next time you get up from your desk. Next, you decide that going to the closet each time you need something is a waste of time, so supplies end up all over your desk on a permanent basis.
When these things happen, you need to reconsider your office arrangement. Just like a child who has outgrown his clothes, your business may have outgrown its initial location. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Don’t get caught in traffic
It’s usually a good idea to locate your office away from major traffic patterns in your home. Constant noise and household activity will not only distract you, but also will sound unprofessional over the telephone. An ideal location would be an unused room that’s not on the main floor. That could be a spare bedroom, an alcove off a hallway, or even a basement. In fact, a finished basement could be an ideal solution if it has good lighting and comfortable working conditions.
Some work-from-home parents like to have the office located where they can easily keep an eye on their children, even including a television so that on days the children are home from school they can join them in the office.
The main thing is to choose a place you will want to be. I’ve seen beautifully furnished offices going unused because they were too isolated, cold, or inconvenient, and the business owner ending up working somewhere else entirely.
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