How to set up a work from home office
by Fred Roed on 10/07/09 at 3:56 pm
7 comments
We’ve had a lot of response from last week’s article on working from home, where we listed the top 10 home-based jobs. This week, we answer a big question: how does one set up the ideal work-from-home office? The three main protagonists at Ideate have some experience with this since we’ve all worked from home at some point, and furthermore, my wife currently works part-time from home. We’ve drawn up some tips for your benefit:
Tip number 1: Separate your work space from your living space
Top of the list because it’s the most important. There are many perks to working from home, but the downside is that it can quickly consume you. If your work stuff is strewn all over the kitchen, work can quickly become a grudge item in your family. Even if you’re on your own, you need your ‘life space’ otherwise work will consume you, and you’ll go nuts, which is not a good thing. You’ll be more effective if you can take a break from staring at the world domination organograms you’ve scribbled all over the show. Trust us on that one.
Tip number 2: Don’t bring work into your bedroom
The laptop should never enter the marital bed. ’nuff said.
Tip number 3: Get wireless
Laptop + wireless + work from home. This is a great equation. There’s nothing more satisfying than taking the opportunity on a sunny day to sit outside and get comfortable. Wireless also means you can sneak off to the bathroom if the kids are making a noise while you’re trying to finish off a killer email to that important client.
Tip number 4: Make it professional
Just because you’re living the wireless dream, doesn’t mean you can’t keep a tight ship. Take your work space, whether it’s the garage in the back, the spare room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, or the corner of the hallway with a tiny desk… try keep the space as organised as possible.
Tip number 5: Get out!
My wife often phones me from home and she’ll scream “I’m going crazy here!” Working from home is great, but if you’re on your own, it can also give you cabin fever. Two words: coffee shop.
Tip number 6: Don’t work in your furry slippers
This is open for debate. You may say “but that’s the bonus about working from home!” Sure, but in my experience, if you dress up, you send a message to yourself that you’re taking yourself seriously.
That’s all I got for now – if you’re working from home, and you’ve got some “work from home tips” share them with us in the comments below. Also, send us pictures of your “work from home” space – we’ll post them up and give your business a mention.
[Photo]
Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. Fred is the CEO of web marketing company World Wide Creative and the co-founder of online learning portal Heavy Chef. Fred loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. Follow Fred on Twitter here. View more articles by Fred Roed.
Tags: home office, work from home
How to set up a work from home office — Ideate – Small Business in … | My Dollar Street
Jul 11th, 2009
[...] we answer a big question: how does one set up the ideal work from home office. Original post: How to set up a work from home office — Ideate – Small Business in … Tags: Work From Home You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both [...]
Michelle
Jul 28th, 2009
These are all very good tips. I work from home as a large portion of my work is done in other peoples homes, shops or offices.
Perhaps another tip would be: Try to have a space that you can close off at the end of the work day. Be it a desk top recessed behind a cupboard door or a room that has a door not an archway.
And: get to work on time. Don’t abuse the benefits of working from home and get to work at erratic hours. Use the flexibility but otherwise stick to working hours relevant to your industry.
Lastly: your home always has to be ready to receive a supplier or peers. No visible washing, last nights empty wine bottle etc unless you have communicated set no-entry days. Think about this when choosing your designated spot. Consider a doorway directly into your space so that the home doesn’t have to be traversed.
Hope this helps.
Work At Home Agent: Making Your Own Home Office
Aug 7th, 2009
[...] the eruption of the work at home craze, many people have eschewed the life that in-house offices offer. They want flexibility and [...]
Work From Home: Create The Virtual Office | Ideate
Sep 30th, 2009
[...] about creating a work space at home. We have 3 kids, so these things tend to take a little time. Setting up a home office is not as easy as you may imagine. A critical element, as we’ve found out along the way, is [...]
Reasons to work at home #1 | Ideate
Sep 30th, 2009
[...] world-beating, Cherryflava-chasing business blog that is Ideate) are both fans of the idea of the ‘Home-Office’. My company, World Wide Creative, has now moved into really cool new studio, complete with swimming [...]
Aaron
Feb 17th, 2010
How do you overcome the stigma of a home office or home based business with prospective clients?
I have a very nice separate office and studio area and it’s very professional and clean. However it’s stil “IN MY HOME.”
Maybe I’m the only one worried about it, but I tend to have issues with confidence when selling because my business is at home.
Any tips for that? Any word on how the outside business world sees businesses with home offices?
NicP
Nov 1st, 2011
Valid points that can be used as a checklist. I also liked the contributions in the comments.
I found that meeting people in coffee houses or if you really, really, really need a board room, one loaned or rented from your lawyer, bookkeeper or a friendly business, is quite acceptable to clients. Especially if you explain that, as a small business, working from home allows you to save thousands in rent.
Also: meeting clients at their businesses affords you the opportunity to get to know them and their preferences much quicker.
Your posts are always welcome in my reader!