Want to work from home successfully? My number one tip would be to have a separate work space that you love.

Why? Because if you don’t like using the space, or it doesn’t work for you, then:

• You won’t want to go there and will use every excuse and distraction under the sun to avoid doing so.

• You’ll be less productive once you are there.

• You might make yourself ill or injure yourself.

• You'll be financially worst off - the government give tax breaks to home businesses with dedicated home office space. 

• There will be no home business if you don't want to go to work!

What's the Solution?
Plan your workspace with the same dedication that you plan your business plan, and do apply the same financial caution ie DON’T spend excessive amounts of money. instead consider cheap and cheerful solutions, such as IKEA, or become a recycling disciple and visit office clearances and outlets. Why? Because most young businesses find cashflow a real problem that often leads to an otherwise healthy business failing, so don't spend your resources unnecessarily.

Before you start, wise up on Health and Safety considerations. These vary from country to country and from industry to industry and it is your responsibility to make sure your business complies – a mobile catering company is going to have different health and safety considerations than a childcare business, for example, or an IT consulatncy. Government websites provide clear cut information, check the Web for further information if you aren't in the UK.

Light
The area in which you are working need to be adequately lit for the job you are doing. Computer work can be particularly visually demanding, and can lead to dry and itchy eyes and eyestrain. Make sure that the room is adequately ventilated as eye problems can be made worse by dry air.

Think in ‘layers’ of light, so an ambient light source, such as from a window or central ceiling light, is a good start, just make sure it doesn’t flicker or set up glare on your computer screen. You should also have a main source light directed over your keyboard or main work area, whether that is a stove or work bench, and other ones where you go to do other tasks, such as read, lay out spreads, mock up leaflets, lay out t-shirt designs, chop the meat, etc. If you can’t see what you are doing, injuries and mistakes can occur.

Desk
Whether it is a fixed desk in a dedicated office, a work surface in your kitchen, or just your lap, your desk should be the right height for you to work at without giving yourself shoulder and backache. If you can’t adjust the height of the desk, consider getting a footstool, or installing a tray for your keyboard underneath. Yu will also need acess around your desk and to the back of it so you can get to your computer’s leads (see below). Please don’t use the floor as your work surface, or sit on a sofa and use your laptop, it’ll do horrible things to your posture and back.

Chair
An adjustable chair is the best office purchase you can make, and you should be able to position it so that your feet are flat on the floor while your arms are comfortably placed on the desk, and that it can come right under the desk and in front of the monitor. More in-depth information can be found here.

Space
You will need access to extra space when you doing ‘spread out’ tasks, such as the tax return or the invoicing, so make sure you have an adequate amount of it available, and ideally you should be able to’ spread out’ for a few hours, even days, at a time without having to keep tidying it up again. In addition, having space in your work space feels luxurious, so if you can, do, because feeling good in your office will help put you in a positive mind and emotional state, which will help you work more happily and profitably.

 

Storage
Setting up a good filing system is one of the best investments in efficiency and time saving you’ll ever do. It doesn’t matter whether you file all your clients by the colour of their hair or alphabetically, by their address or their niche market, the point is that you have to be able to put your hand on that piece of paper you need from that file within seconds of needing it. Can you do that? No? Then your filing needs reorganizing! Other things that you’ll need storage for:

• Product storage – if these are bulky or you doing ecommerce you will need somewhere to store them safely where they won’t get damaged - this may require separate premises, especially if you move a lot, have children or pets, or you don’t have much space.

• Long-term storage – necessary for files that are more than three years old but you don’t want, or can’t throw away.

• IT parts and cables - make sure they are to hand and easy to differentiate.

• Back ups – preferably keep one set of back ups on separate premises, so that in the event of a fire or flood you won’t lose the lot. Have the best back up storage you can afford, do it regularly, and do it twice, not just once.

• Books/music – shelving is essential if you do a lot of research and have your own library, ditto music cabinets if you are a DJ, etc.

Noise
Some people like the background hum of a radio or the television, especially if they are working alone in a home office, others find it distracting when they are trying to think. No one likes the noise of raised voices or screaming children, especially when they are trying to talk to clients (even those that have children think it is unprofessional), so ideally make sure that the office and the family can be shut off from one another if they overlap.

Computer
A sick computer is no fun, so keep yours defragged, and minimise what you have stored on it and the size of the applications. Other things to consider:

• If you need to have equipment situated away from sockets, don’t have leads trailing across the floor, it’s a health and safety issue, and also makes the leads degenerate if you keep stepping on them. Just have another socket installed.

• Increase your computer’s memory if you need to, before it starts to slow down and crash on you.

• Get good viral protection, and if it starts doing bizarre things, get it checked out – you may have a Trojan or a virus, they are on the rise.

Monitor
if you do a lot of computer work, such as design or writing, get the best monitor you can afford – it’ll help your eyes. Get two linked to the same computer if you have a lot of cross checking to do. Make sure the monitor is positioned so you are looking straight at it and the top is level with your eyes – put it on a phone directory or similar if it is too low.

Telephones
If you work from home either have a separate line for the office, preferably with a phone that shows the incoming number and a professional answerphone message for when you aren’t available to take the call, or have your office phone routed from a Virtual Receptionist, who will be able to take messages if you aren’t available. This gives a professional air to your company, which is reassuring to clients, and also cuts out the danger of one of the children unwittingly picking up the telephone to your new client...!

Visitors
If you frequently have visitors to your office, try and have a professional area where you can meet with them without it being next to the sink full of washing-up-in-waiting or where little Ryan is watching SpongeBob.

Inspiration
If you have a view, position your desk so you can see it; if you don’t, add a picture that you love and that inspires you, and position it so you can look at it easily. Fresh flowers in a gorgeous vase always add a feel-good factor, and will help make you feel cheerful and inspired. And because we equate them with treat and pleasure, they also say 'wealth' and 'wellbeing' to our subconscious, which has got to be a good thing.

 

© Claire Burdett. No content to be reproduced without written approval of the author.

Claire Burdett is the Founder and Director of Funky Angel. She is a Writer, Journalist, and Editor, Integrated Marketing Expert, and Home Business Mentor.

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