Setting Up a Working Home Office
I've been working from home for almost six years now, and for the most part, I've enjoyed it. I find I can be just as productive at home as I ever was in an office. While I certainly miss the camaraderie, I don't miss the mindless meetings or sitting in traffic knowing I was going to be late to pick up the kids. Again.
Working from home has its many benefits—convenience, zero commute time and easy access to the kitchen among them—but it's not something that's done easily from a laptop on the sofa. To work well from home regularly, day after day, you will need a good set up. Before we moved, I worked out of a spare bedroom on the second floor of our house. This was ideal. Now that my husband and I both work from home, I've been banished to the so-called "formal living room" which does not have a door I can close or very good light in the late afternoon.
This is about to change.
At the minimum, a working home office should have:
A spacious desk, complete with drawer storage and task lighting
A full-sized computer monitor (or two depending on the type of work you do)
Ergonomically correct keyboard
A quality office chair--expect that the prettiest ones are never the most comfortable
Separate business phone line with headset
All-in-one printer/fax/copier--wireless is best if you have others in the house who might need access during the workday
Filing cabinet or file boxes
Your biggest expense in outfitting a home office is most likely going to be the computer monitor and the chair. When shopping, consider devices that multi-task: the computer monitor that can also be a TV, the printer that sends and receives faxes, a storage ottoman that doubles as a filing cabinet.
If you don't have the luxury of a spare bedroom in your home, try to partition off the work space with a folding screen or a pair of long curtain panels. Even a large potted plant will do the trick. You'll find that leaving the office takes on a whole new meaning when you're trying to relax in the same space an hour later. One trick is to leave your home at the end of the work day—even if it's just for a quick walk around the block—to send your mind and body a message that the office is now closed.
photo: Knoll MultiGeneration Hybrid Chair
