Recently, I read an article about a woman who doesn’t have a dedicated office space, yet works from her home. She claims that her old computer is all she needs for work. She claims that she plans to set up an office, but hasn’t gotten around to it. She claims that cost is an issue. So, her dining room table is covered with paper and supplies and over stuffed boxes of file folders. She has a family and the family can’t eat at the table. Yes, her home is small, but honestly, she can’t afford NOT to set up a home office. Why? Because no matter how small your space or how limited your time, you need to invest in setting up a space and systems that will help organize your space, saving you time, money, and stress in the long run. You will have a place for the things you regularly need and use, increasing your productivity. And, in this woman’s case, she can reclaim her dining room table for what it is meant for – a place for sharing meals and conversation with her family – what could be more worthwhile?
Here are some things to consider when setting up your home office space:
1. Walk Through Your Home with a Fresh Set of Eyes – is there a space you can work in that you have overlooked?
2. Visualize your space – think about how you really want your space to look and function.
3. Define your space. Once you have chosen the space you want to work in, define it as ‘my home office,’ so everyone in your home treats it that way, including you.
4. Create zones. Break the space down into zones, for example, a work zone, a supply zone and a reference zone. Place the items that belong in each area in the appropriate zone.