How to Create a Productive Home Office

So you work from home but you’re not feeling like you are as productive as you could be? Use the following tips to create a productive home office.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Find the peace and quiet area. You need to be able to work without distractions and interruptions. Chances are that when you are working, your family is unaware that you are actually completing business and they often ask questions or interrupt your business flow. By finding an area that is peaceful and quiet, you can set up a home office.

2. Set up a home office. This office doesn’t need to take up a whole room; although if you have it available more power to you. My home office is in a corner of my living room and when I am at my desk, my family knows I am working and they ask permission to interrupt me. Other people I know have converted closets, garages, etc.

3. Ensure your home office has everything you need in it that you need to work with. Most common necessities are a desk, chair, computer, printer, scanner, fax machine, telephone, pens, paper, file folders, and my favorite sticky notes. You will know your business best, so make sure you have what you need in your space. I am one that likes to file so my desk has a built in file cabinet and I am always stocked with file folders.

4. Home offices will need a computer as well as previously listed printer, scanner, and fax machine. You can increase your productivity by having a laptop that can travel with you when you need it to. Additionally, purchasing an all in one printer/scanner/fax machine will save you space. This is especially good if you don’t have much space in your home office.

5. Once your office set-up is complete, use it. Your family will get used to knowing when you are working by seeing you in your office. Additionally, to be really productive, have a schedule and stick to it. Working at home can provide all sorts of fun distractions; however, you will need to be disciplined to work your schedule and get your projects completed.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are not good at organizing an office yourself, hire a professional organizer. It will be well worth the money.
• Distractions are the biggest problem when working at home. Make sure you don’t set up your office in a way that creates more distractions instead of eliminating them.

[mrsmac]

on 11/14/2009 Good advice sometimes I even turn off the phone

[Upon-Request]

on 6/10/2009 Good tips. Distractions are definitely a big problem working from home!

[Gardengates]

on 5/30/2009 Good tips on setting up a productive home office. I need to keep the cats off the computer keyboard and maybe mine will get more productive!