Do you work from home? Would you like to know how to set up your office so that it functions better for you? Did you know that there are now more home-based businesses than there are "store front" small businesses? Keep reading for some resources and tips on setting up your office.
2 Great Blogs on the Topic
Jeff Zbar shares ideas for those that work out of their home part-time or as a natural part of how they do business. Check out this posting from chiefhomeofficer.com where he talks about and offers some great resources for setting up a successful home-office.
You can also check out productivity501.com by Mark Shead. He did a great survey asking people what things they needed to stay productive in the home office.
Let me know what you thought! What things have you done in your home office that have helped you to be more productive? Please let me know!
My 2 Cents
Many of my clients struggle with organizing their offices (home or otherwise) because they try to fit a "square peg into a round hole." Meaning, they try to use systems and setup that works for others, but does not match the way that they think and function.
Recognize are you an "innie" or an "outtie"?
Innies are people that function better (are more creative, get more done, etc.) when their space is clear. They can frequently get distracted to other tasks if there are piles laying around. Tools good for innies are systems with drawers and cabinet doors. Only the project currently worked on is out.
Outties are people that would hold the thought "out of site is out of mind." Frequently outties have sticky notes all over the place to help them remember tasks. Things behind closed doors and drawers would be detrimental for this type of thinker. A better furniture choice would be open shelving and open file cabinets (the wire kind on casters.)
Once you determine the right types of systems/furniture for the way you work, make sure to use your real estate appropriately. The more steps it takes to do something, the less likely you are to do it. That being said, make sure that you place your more frequent activities closer to you and less frequent (e.g. historical reference material) farther out of reach.
What are your favorite tips for the home office? What can you not do without? Let me know by commenting below.
To your success!
