Avoid These Common Home Office Mistakes!

The number of people working out of their home is increasing every day. Some people have a remote office in their home, while others conduct their business only from a home office. Creating a home office can be tricky. Avoiding common mistakes will allow you to make the most of the time you spend there.

Your Home Office is Too Casual

You want your office to be comfortable, but if it’s too casual, it will be difficult to get anything done. Indications that you’re on the wrong track include:

• Your office has no physical boundaries. Clients won’t be forgiving of kids or dogs making a racket while you’re on the telephone. Locate your office in a place that lets you shut out the activity in the rest of the house.
• Your furnishings are too cozy. If you can’t remove it, stack some pillows in that comfy chair that calls to you to take a break. And, put the flat screen TV in a different room.
• You don’t have enough storage. Make a list of all the things you need to store and make sure you have room. You may think everything you do is on the computer, but you probably have paper documents you need to store. Don’t forget to plan a space for storing office supplies.

You Have the Wrong Technology

You can have too much technology or too little. You don’t need to go overboard and purchase a high-volume laser printer. But you do need a printer that produces professional-looking documents. Here are other things to consider:

• Telephone usage. If you make business-related calls every day, invest in a quality telephone headset. With quality equipment, you won’t need to worry about sound quality, and you’ll have both hands free.
• Computer power. Purchase a computer you can grow into. Find the most powerful computer you can afford that has the latest technology. The longer you use a computer, the more features you’ll find you can’t live without. You’ll raise efficiency and save yourself time and frustration of changing computers more often than is necessary.
• Go wireless. Use as many wireless computer components as possible to avoid a jungle of cords under your desk. Use cord keepers for the cords you do have.

Your Furnishings are Inadequate

Your furnishings are just as important as your computer. For example:

• Your chair. Don’t underestimate the importance of a quality ergonomic desk chair. If your cheap chair makes your back hurt, you won’t be working at peak efficiency. And, if it makes sense for you, consider a standing desk.
• Your desk. You may think you can get away with working at a computer table, but if that’s your only desk space, you will regret it. Purchase a desk that is large enough to hold your work materials comfortably. In addition, buy a footrest if you adjust the height of your chair to the right height for the desk and your feet don’t reach the floor comfortably.
• Your lighting. Your home office needs to provide you with enough light to be productive. Can lights in the ceiling won’t provide enough illumination. You’ll need task lighting. If your desk is free-standing, make sure you locate a lamp carefully. Avoid creating glare on your monitor or putting the lamp where something (including you) blocks the light from reaching your work surface.

Create an office that reflects your personality and that you enjoy spending time in. Make sure that the office supports your productivity; you’ll improve the work you do there and reduce stress.