Designing Your Home Office Space

Today’s home-based businesses represent 52 percent of all small firms and provide 10 percent of the total receipts of the economy. Most entrepreneurs set out to start a business from home and end up staying there. To make the best out of your home-office space, the room or area has to be efficient as well as appealing. Many of us have electronic devices scattered about with power cords running across the room like snakes and stacks of papers in every space that is available.

Depending on the size of the area, you may need to make the best of what you have. First and foremost, you need to have furniture that flows with your workspace. Make sure that everything that is used on a regular basis is easily accessible. Being that I depend on my creative juices flowing continuously, the last thing that I need is a distraction throwing me off or me having to search for one of my writing tools. I like for everything that I need to be in arms reach. Instead of fax machines and copiers, I use word processors and search tools, and all are available in the Quick Launch menu located in the start bar of my computer. Just a click away. It would not be good to have to scroll through the start menu to locate a program that I need to complete my writing.

The look of your home office can affect your productivity also. You have to be comfortable in your environment in order to be as productive as possible. Chances are, you will be spending a lot of time in your home office, make sure that it is comforting to your eyes as well as your work habits. Only you know what makes you feel comfortable. You may need a vibrating back massager to feel comfortable enough to be productive, while others may need a CD player. Whatever it is, add it to your workspace. Just make sure that it’s not a distraction. This is one of the advantages of having a home office. You can do whatever it is that you need to do to feel at ease, even if that means working in your underwear.

July 3rd, 2007