Tips for Setting Up Your Home Office

Community Manager — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:58:00 GMT

The Home Office Conference Call

How do you set your boundaries?

I previously posted about the rise of a home office workforce that favors an easy (or, really, non-existent) commute, more flexible hours and a casual dress code. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, almost 52% of all small businesses are home-based. If you are thinking of working from home, here are some ideas for setting up your office space.

The first step is to choose the right area of your home. This post from iVillage poses some key questions to consider, including:

How much time will you spend in the office?
What type of work are you doing?
How much privacy do you need?
Is a computer the office's focal point?
Will customers or vendors visit you?

As this USA Today article and a post from workshifting.com set out, once you choose the physical space for your office, you need to consider what you need in it, such as:

Electricity
Internet, phone and fax connections
An ergonomic desk and chair
Good lighting
Heaters or air conditioner
Storage

If being green is a priority, check out the tips in this post on How to Set up a Green Office for $1000 or Less . Planet Green also offers this Comprehensive Guide.

One of the great benefits of a home office is proximity to your family. But, if you have kids, you will probably want to set some boundaries (physical and otherwise) around your workspace. This Fast Company article on The Home Office, Kids Edition provides some good insights.

Have you set up a home office? If so, please let us know how you did it. Photos welcome!

by Carly Fadako

Beyond Folders : workplace organization, setting limits

Tips for Setting Up Your Home Office