Once you've settled into the idea of running a
business from home
you need to make a choice. What type of office setup do you need? It's
beyond the scope of this article to detail each and every item required
for the perfect home office. Instead we will focus on hints and tips for
creating a more ideal home working environment.
Desk
Those newspaper ads always prompted you to start a business from your
kitchen table. While this works well in newspaper adverts it's not
nearly as practical in real life. A good home office desk is a basic
requirement and should be quite basic. Avoid desks with keyboard trays
and nooks and crannies spread all over it - this just gives you more
places to lose things. The ideal home office desk will have a large,
flat working area, at least one deep drawer for files and preferrably be
L-shaped to allow for a more ergonomic home working environment.
Chair
Anybody running an online or other business from home is going to spend
a considerable amount of time sitting down. It's absolutely critical
that you have a good office chair. Many people make the mistake of using
a kitchen or spare household chair as the chair for their home office.
This is a bad idea because using an insufficient chair can and will lead
to lower back and shoulder pain and also looks unprofessional. The ideal
home office chair has the following features:
* Adjustable backrest
* Swivel base
* Adjustable armrest
* Deep cushioned seat
A great home office chair can be purchased for as little as $60 brand
new. The moral of the story is - don't skimp on your home office
chair.
Environment
There are 3 key factors to having a suitable home working environment.
Noise, Light and Heat.
Noise - excessive noise (above say 45 decibels or a
really loud office fan) is counter productive to your work. You'll
have trouble focusing on anything or thinking clearly for more than a
few minutes. Your home office space needs to be as quiet as you need it
to be. So avoid using laundry rooms or other areas with excessively
noisy equipment.
Light - the light in your home office needs to be
controlled. Too bright and it will produce glare on computer screens and
documents. Too dim and it will cause eyestrain. Natural light is ideal
because it gives diffuse (soft) light. To achieve diffuse lighting at
nighttime set up your desk lamp off to one side of your desk. Adjust it
until you have enough light to read comfortably.
Heat - this is simple. Your work space should be
neither too hot nor too cold. Any extremes of temperature in your home
office will lead to decreased work performance. Room temperature is 37
degrees Celsius so aim for something in that region.
Decoration
There's no need for your home office to be sterile and boring. Plants
are one healthy addition. The color green has a positive affect on our
way of thinking and the fact that plants will filter out the toxins in
the air around you is another plus.
Also consider using some motivational posters in your home office.
This might seem a bit cheesy but if you choose a message that inspires
you personally it can be very effective.
Last but not least consider having your mission statement printed
out, framed and on your desk in front of you. Your mission statement is
the reason you started your home business - make sure you are reminded
of this every single day.
Computer equipment
This is where you need to be very honest with yourself because of the
potential expense involved. A home office does not need an all singing
all dancing computer and printer. You need functionality and not tons of
features.
Buy what you need for your business. Do not buy what you want for
yourself.
When buying your home office computer take these tips into
consideration:
- Mid-range processor power.
- 512MB of RAM.
- 20GB+ hard disk.
- Advanced 3D graphical capabilities are not essential.
- CDR or DVDR backup (must have).
- Avoid extended warranties - sales people make large commissions
from offering these.
- Generic brands use the same components as and are therefore
equally as reliable as the big name brands.
- Consider buying a refurbished system if you're on a tight
budget.
- Check with friends who have purchased computers recently. What
problems did they encounter when buying their PC? Who did they buy
from? What was the after sales service like?
Printer - you dont need a top of the range color laser jet printer
for your home office do you? I didn't think so.
Questions you should ask yourself when buying a printer:
- Do you need color printing capabilities?
- How many pages per minute do you actually need to print?
- What is the cost per page for color and black printing?
- How much does replacement ink cost?
- How many pages of black text can you get from each cartridge?
- How much desktop space will the printer require?
- Are updated drivers for this model readily available?
These are just some basic hints and tips. If you want more
comprehensive information on setting up your home office drop by
Affiliate-Advocate.com and check out our guide to home offices.
by Niall Roche