So you’ve decided to go to work for yourself, or to telecommute and work from home. Working from home can have many perks (and a few challenges), but one of our favorites is being able to set up your home office to work best for you.
Priority one? Have a separate and dedicated space for your office. With a door. That can close. And lock you in or out depending on the day.
Seriously, having a dedicated space that is for work and work alone is vital to having a successful work-from-home environment. When you let other stuff leak in, it makes it very difficult to transition from work to home, from mom or dad to entrepreneur, from your at-work-you to your rest-of-your-life-you.
Next, it’s important to set up your office to work for you. Have a dedicated workspace – set it up the way you want to – not the way the old guy in facilities management makes you. Think about how you work best and buy the essentials that will make life easier. I’ve been saying for years that I need a new scanner. I have a multi-function machine that scans single sheets on the platen, but I scan a lot. I recently bit the bullet and bought the right scanner and it made my life so much easier. It’s a small thing, but it made a big difference.
Of course, decorate your office to match your personality. You don’t have to have tan walls anymore (unless you absolutely love tan). You can choose something different – even something different than the rest of your house, because there’s a door. That locks.
If you like to move furniture around and change things up from time to time, buy mobile furniture and choose pieces that can work in different layouts within your space.
Add music, or incorporate Feng Shui -- whatever makes you feel good about your space. And, be sure to add some treats for your best furry friend.
Whatever you do, make it your own space. And make it work for you so you can better tackle those minor challenges that will come from working from home.
What are some of the ways you’ve made your work-from-home space work for you?
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Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff.
Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff.
