Because of our technology and mobile society, home offices are more of the norm than ever. That trend has accelerated with more contract, consulting, and part-time work available today. According to Global Workplace Analytics, more than 6 million people use a home office at least part of their work week; I include myself in that group. For certain hours, either early in the morning or when the kids are not home, my home office is the most productive place for me to write, plan business strategies, and use my creativity to problem-solve complex issues.
The home office can lend itself to high productivity, or it can become a wasteland of inefficiency. The difference lies in the environment, design, equipment, interaction strategy, and implementation.
When you know yourself, you can create a productive environment in which to work. What types of surroundings bring you joy and energy? What type of setting would entice you to spend time there? What do you need around you to help you stay focused?
Your environment influences your success. If you create a home office space in your dark, damp basement that has no windows and your office at work is light, bright, comfortable, with a view of the park from the window, your home office will be ineffective because your desire to work there will rarely be high. You will likely find other things to do around the house than go into the dungeon of your home office.
I have been fortunate a few times to design home offices before we built the house. My preference is a large space with amenities that create a rich environment — rich wood floor and high ceilings, book cases, and a fireplace for those cold early mornings create an environment I want to come to and be productive in. You might not ever build from the ground up or have a large budget for your home office, but there are easy ways to create the environment you want.
If you can't create a closed-off, separated area from the rest of the room, paint your office area or one wall a different color from the rest of the room. By doing this, you create at least a different visual. If you have the space to utilize a bedroom, select one that is out of the main traffic pattern in your home. Use color, textures, and pictures to create an inviting environment.
Always have a few mementoes or tchotchkes that help you when you are stuck. Think of the movie Jerry Maguire when Jerry had to have his baseball bat to think creatively. I have a hickory-shaft golf club that I grab and swing when I'm working out thoughts and problems. This is your environment, so design it for you. Go online to www.houzz.com and see pictures and images of what can be done with home office spaces. You might invest an hour or two with an interior designer to help you get it right. I spend at least 10 hours each week in my home office. Even if it's just a day or a week working in your home office, that is 20 percent of your work time.
Working from a home office has its advantages. On some days, I get to sleep a little later, have a leisurely morning, walk the dog, work a little, and then grab lunch. Most days, however, are not like this. A day like that every once in a blue moon won't kill productivity, but more than a couple of laid-back days a week will show up in a lack of earnings and advancement opportunities.
Working from home isn't for everyone. Some need the accountability of others to show up ready and on time at 8:00 a.m. In a home office setting, you need to be disciplined and accountable to yourself.
Let's take a little quiz to see if the home office is a good match for you.
If you answered “yes” to seven or more of these questions, then having a home office is a good option for you. If you answered “yes” to five to six, a home office could work out well for you; however, you have more work to do. If you answered “yes” to four or fewer questions, the risk of failure in a home office environment is very high.
There are pros and cons to any decision in life. Deciding if a home office is right for you could have a huge impact on your life and will affect your income, wealth, company advancement, family life, and peace of mind. There aren't many decisions this big in life. The problem is that most people don't realize the magnitude. Most people pine for the home office to increase flexibility, efficiency, and time savings to create a level of freedom for them. Some of the advantages include:
If you run a small business in today's technology world, your customer in most business niches would never know that your office is in your home. If you have a website, social media presence, customer and prospect email lists and a phone, you have a business in today's world. On the Internet, a small company can look like a large company that has been around for 100 years.
There are certainly positives to the home office environment, but there are also the negative traps that you need to watch out for as well. You may want to wear rose colored glasses when it comes to a home office, but there are drawbacks, such as:
There are other drawbacks from potential changes in child care and the resulting cost, privacy, being taken seriously as a professional, and even isolation, which I deal with in great depth later in the chapter.
How much and what type of space do you need? The square feet question is important, but generally the size of the office won't make you more or less productive. When choosing a location for your home office, you want a place that affects your productivity and ability to manage your time in a positive way. When the space is less than ideal, or when you struggle to focus on work even when you've got a great location, consider trying these tips to nurture your productivity:
Setting up your home office in Hub Central — the family center of your home — without physical boundaries is unwise. Today's typical den off the entry doesn't provide enough physical distance between you, your work, and your family. It's right in the middle of the home, so noise from both ends of the house reaches you clearly. Your family walks by numerous times, and in newer homes, the office doors are often glass, providing no visual barrier whatsoever.
I once had an office that was nearly ideal. It was above our detached garage, which created a short commute of 47 steps from our side door up the steps and into the office. Believe it or not, those scant 47 steps substantially decreased the number of interruptions.
My father always said, “You need the right tools for the job.” The right tools and equipment in the home office environment are paramount because you can't requisition more supplies from the supply room like you can at the office. Being well prepared and well stocked can save you a lot of wasted time.
If you're a lover of new gadgets it's really easy to justify buying them just because you have a home office. A regular trip to IKEA or Office Depot can turn into a constant spending spree because you can “write it off” as office equipment.
Your most-used tools are your desk and chair. Do you need a desk, or would more of a work table be more suited to your tasks? If you need a work area larger than a desk will accommodate, a work table might prove to be a better bet. Will your desk have your computer on it, or will there be a separate computer area? Do you use a single monitor, or are dual or more monitors required? Do you need a keyboard shelf that slides out of the way?
The aesthetics of an antique desk or a designer desk are wonderful for a home office. Most people find that they fall far short in functionality and practicality. These types of desk were not designed with today's technology in mind. Don't make the mistake of choosing form over function.
The office chair is a heavily used piece of furniture. You likely spend hours a day in it. Most chair manufacturers focus on the ergonomics for comfort and productivity. Select a chair that has good back support and enables you to adjust the height. If you can find a chair you like that tilts and has arm rest adjustments, it can reduce back strain and carpal tunnel syndrome as well. Select a chair that has a covering or that has breathable fabric or leather that will transfer heat away from your body.
I recently purchased a Varidesk. This system sits right on top of a portion of my desk. It allows me to work in a standing position while at my desk for a part of the day. This gives me a variety and helps with being seated for too much of the day. Check it out at www.varidesk.com.
The computer is most home-office users’ primary tool. Whether you need a desktop or laptop depends on your movement beyond your home office. Don't go budget on a computer. You want a recent model with the highest speed, and most room for storage and memory. Most laptops and desktops come with webcams, and they do vary in quality. Because you are remote from your office you might use Skype, GoToMeeting, WebEx, or JoinMe to engage visually with your work team or sales prospects.
When in doubt between a laptop and desktop, select a laptop. You can always buy a docking station, multiple monitors, and use a standard size wireless keyboard and mouse. There are tools you can buy to make the laptop feel and function like a desktop, but not the other way around.
Check on your Internet connection speed. The typical base plan of Internet speed through your cable or DSL provider may not be fast enough. Certainly a high-quality wireless router is a must to create profitability in having a working lunch in your kitchen or outside on that beautiful summer day.
I have found more fluctuations in speed in DSL services than high-speed cable services. If you use a web conferencing service, conduct or attend web-based meetings or webinars, or make web-based presentations, these small fluctuations in DSL can cause havoc for you and others.
Most people run their home office with inadequate telephone equipment. You need a high-quality phone that is connected to a headset. Your productivity and ease of use is stunted by using your home line for business, your cell phone, or a handheld phone. A high-quality headset that is wireless allow you to move about your house while still in communication. With hands-free you can take notes, do tasks, and move while talking. You can also check on dinner progress without interrupting the conversation with your boss.
Selecting the right printer, scanner, and copier creates more efficient work flow. If you buy an all-in-one unit (that is, printer/scanner/copier/fax), be sure the quality and reliability of each part is top quality. Check the initial cost of the machine, the number of copies it produces in what length of time (nothing more frustrating than standing around, waiting for your printer to spit out a dozen or more copies), and the ease of finding and cost of replacing ink cartridges. There are vast differences in prices for makes and models. Many manufacturers sell a cheaper all-in-one knowing they will make up the cash on the cartridges you buy from them.
The lighting for your office can add warmth, comfort, and creativity to your office. The windows in your office need to balance the natural light and sunlight for your office. They can also bring in glare, so be sure to have adjustable shades that enable you to regulate the natural light throughout the day.
The best home office environments have natural light, ambient light, and specific task lighting. The ambient light fills the whole room with consistent, balanced lighting. The task lighting illuminates the area or project you are specially working on now.
Noise can be a problem in a home office. Generally speaking, most homes aren't built to be soundproof. From the garbage disposal in the kitchen to the neighbor kids playing basketball in the driveway next door, noise can be a great distraction. But you have noise-cancelling options.
I can't emphasize enough how crafting and adhering to a set of rules for you as well as your entire family and friends increases your chance of success when you're working at home. By drawing lines between your work time and your personal time, you allow yourself to be fully present with each — and presence is a key component of productivity. To establish a solid set of boundaries for yourself, follow these suggestions:
You work from home, so undoubtedly you can take time for family whenever you want. Right? Well, not so much. Working from a home office doesn't include answering questions about the lawn, deciding what you want for dinner, and watching cartoons when the kids get home from school.
Trying to accomplish work tasks and projects in a home office setting can be more than difficult when the kids are around. If you're home, many children feel like your time is theirs. They aren't used to being told “no” from mom or dad, but they now need to understand that the office area is off limits.
If you work regularly from your home office, the biggest adjustment is the personal contact and interaction that is no longer there. The regular banter, coffee talk, and social outlet is reduced dramatically. For social people this change can be a tough adjustment. The feelings of being alone can overtake you.
Some people thrive in the more solitary environment. I find that I can work more single-mindedly on tasks from my home office.