Setting up an effective home office
Setting up an effective home office
Think about what are your needs at work. Many people underestimate the need for being around others and it’s not until they are sitting at home on their own day after day that they realise it. Are you the type of person that is a social animal, and enjoys being with people at work and having a social life around your friends at work? If so, then think carefully before setting up an office on your own, because without that human contact you could be very unproductive.
Set rules for you and your family. Even though you are working from home, its useful to set some rules for you and your family to live by. Set yourself some office hours and stick to them. It doesn’t have to be nine till five, but whatever you decide, make sure any other family members know too. That way they shouldn’t come to disturb you or seek your attention during that time. Sometimes easier said than done with children – so invest in a childminder or nursery for a few hours each week, so that you can really get stuck into your work.
Invest in a separate telephone line for business so that you (and your children) know not to answer it inappropriately. It means you can display a professional image for your business and you might even decide on using a telephone answering service to divert your calls to when you are not around. It gives callers the impression that you are a larger business and most people don’t like to leave messages on answer phones.
Think about an appropriate meeting area If you are meeting customers or suppliers at home, then create a meeting area appropriate to your needs. Remember to be wary of callers coming to your home if you are there alone, so it’s a good idea to meet in a mutually convenient location. Suss out the local coffee shops, hotel lobbies and meeting rooms available for rent that might give a better impression for your business.
Build your own office. If you want to create an office space well away from your home and you have a large garden, you might even consider buying a self build home office. They are available to buy for less than £5000 and will give you a completely separate space. Don’t forget about electrics though, as you will need to have access to lighting, phone and computer!
Virtual assistant If you need some additional admin support then think about using a virtual assistant to help you. They can do most things from typing reports to preparing powrepoint presentations and everything in between. It means you don’t have to find extra office space and they work remotely from you but are part of your team.
Think about your environment – Consider the set up of your office in terms of where you will locate your computer, printer, storage, desk etc. Most people don’t use vertical height effectively and if you plan it carefully you might be surprised just how organised you can be. You can even use Feng Shui principles to add to your thinking about use of colour, plants, images etc. It’s amazing how often people just “make do” and yet they are spending most of their day in their working environment, so take time to plan it carefully. If you plan out where fixtures are going to go in your work environment, remember to consider things like lighting, electric power, sockets, ventilation etc.
How you dress The clothes you wear in your home office will impact on how you feel. Whilst its nice to slob around in your dressing gown for most of the day because you are not meeting anyone, does it help you get into the mindset for work? Dress to impress yourself!
Stationery orders Whilst you may not have a large stationery cupboard in your home, it can make good financial sense to order quantities in bulk as you will usually save money. There are companies like Euroffice or Viking Direct that provide next day delivery, so if you are limited on space, team up with another home based person to buy stationery and you can both save money.
Used office furniture If you are watching the pennies in the early stages of start-up, think about getting used office furniture for your home office. Look on ebay or speak to your local business contacts to find out if any companies are selling their furniture due to an office move. However, NEVER scrimp on a comfortable chair. It is the one thing that you should invest in as you will notice the difference immediately.
Get some exercise. It can be easy to spend all day in your home working and never go out and its not good for your motivation. Take a brisk walk sometime during the day (maybe to the post box) or go to the gym before you start work so that you have managed to get some exercise and fresh air. It can make all the difference and revitalise your thinking.
Invest in technology Your computer is likely to be one of the most important tools of your business and working from home you don’t have that technical support on hand that you may have in a large office. So think about how you will back up your files so that you are not left high and dry when the hard disk crashes. Also invest in a large monitor as it will make all the difference if you are likely to be staring at your screen all day.
Ergomonics is a big word for thinking about comfort at your work space. Are you constantly turning your head to look at your computer screen, or straining your arm using your mouse? If you are not comfortable where you work, then take action to make it better for you. If you have a chronic back problem, then think about getting a standing desk.
Noises and distractions Whilst your street may be quiet in the evenings, whats it like during the day? Maybe there are kids playing in the school playground round the corner that you never knew about when you worked in an office, or maybe its your neighbours loud TV that is distracting. Think about what might get annoying after a while if you are based from home.
Filing and minimising chaos people can spend lots of time searching for documents when they are not organised and misfile things or don’t label files. If you have minimum space available for storage at home, then think carefully about what you will keep and where it will be kept. Remember if you are a limited company or VAT registered you need to keep your files for 7 years legally.
Setting up an effective home office - To learn more about this author, visit Sue Stockdale's Website.
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Tips for setting up your home office
Think about what are your needs at work. Many people underestimate the need for being around others and it’s not until they are sitting at home on their own day after day that they realise it. Are you the type of person that is a social animal, and enjoys being with people at work and having a social life around your friends at work? If so, then think carefully before setting up an office on your own, because without that human contact you could be very unproductive.
Set rules for you and your family. Even though you are working from home, its useful to set some rules for you and your family to live by. Set yourself some office hours and stick to them. It doesn’t have to be nine till five, but whatever you decide, make sure any other family members know too. That way they shouldn’t come to disturb you or seek your attention during that time. Sometimes easier said than done with children – so invest in a childminder or nursery for a few hours each week, so that you can really get stuck into your work.
Invest in a separate telephone line for business so that you (and your children) know not to answer it inappropriately. It means you can display a professional image for your business and you might even decide on using a telephone answering service to divert your calls to when you are not around. It gives callers the impression that you are a larger business and most people don’t like to leave messages on answer phones.
Think about an appropriate meeting area If you are meeting customers or suppliers at home, then create a meeting area appropriate to your needs. Remember to be wary of callers coming to your home if you are there alone, so it’s a good idea to meet in a mutually convenient location. Suss out the local coffee shops, hotel lobbies and meeting rooms available for rent that might give a better impression for your business.
Build your own office. If you want to create an office space well away from your home and you have a large garden, you might even consider buying a self build home office. They are available to buy for less than £5000 and will give you a completely separate space. Don’t forget about electrics though, as you will need to have access to lighting, phone and computer!
Virtual assistant If you need some additional admin support then think about using a virtual assistant to help you. They can do most things from typing reports to preparing powrepoint presentations and everything in between. It means you don’t have to find extra office space and they work remotely from you but are part of your team.
Think about your environment – Consider the set up of your office in terms of where you will locate your computer, printer, storage, desk etc. Most people don’t use vertical height effectively and if you plan it carefully you might be surprised just how organised you can be. You can even use Feng Shui principles to add to your thinking about use of colour, plants, images etc. It’s amazing how often people just “make do” and yet they are spending most of their day in their working environment, so take time to plan it carefully. If you plan out where fixtures are going to go in your work environment, remember to consider things like lighting, electric power, sockets, ventilation etc.
How you dress The clothes you wear in your home office will impact on how you feel. Whilst its nice to slob around in your dressing gown for most of the day because you are not meeting anyone, does it help you get into the mindset for work? Dress to impress yourself!
Stationery orders Whilst you may not have a large stationery cupboard in your home, it can make good financial sense to order quantities in bulk as you will usually save money. There are companies like Euroffice or Viking Direct that provide next day delivery, so if you are limited on space, team up with another home based person to buy stationery and you can both save money.
Used office furniture If you are watching the pennies in the early stages of start-up, think about getting used office furniture for your home office. Look on ebay or speak to your local business contacts to find out if any companies are selling their furniture due to an office move. However, NEVER scrimp on a comfortable chair. It is the one thing that you should invest in as you will notice the difference immediately.
Get some exercise. It can be easy to spend all day in your home working and never go out and its not good for your motivation. Take a brisk walk sometime during the day (maybe to the post box) or go to the gym before you start work so that you have managed to get some exercise and fresh air. It can make all the difference and revitalise your thinking.
Invest in technology Your computer is likely to be one of the most important tools of your business and working from home you don’t have that technical support on hand that you may have in a large office. So think about how you will back up your files so that you are not left high and dry when the hard disk crashes. Also invest in a large monitor as it will make all the difference if you are likely to be staring at your screen all day.
Ergomonics is a big word for thinking about comfort at your work space. Are you constantly turning your head to look at your computer screen, or straining your arm using your mouse? If you are not comfortable where you work, then take action to make it better for you. If you have a chronic back problem, then think about getting a standing desk.
Noises and distractions Whilst your street may be quiet in the evenings, whats it like during the day? Maybe there are kids playing in the school playground round the corner that you never knew about when you worked in an office, or maybe its your neighbours loud TV that is distracting. Think about what might get annoying after a while if you are based from home.
Filing and minimising chaos people can spend lots of time searching for documents when they are not organised and misfile things or don’t label files. If you have minimum space available for storage at home, then think carefully about what you will keep and where it will be kept. Remember if you are a limited company or VAT registered you need to keep your files for 7 years legally.
Setting up an effective home office - To learn more about this author, visit Sue Stockdale's Website.
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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