| If you are considering a home office, you may | | | | drawers to business only. The co-mingling of |
| feel a little overwhelmed at the logistics of getting | | | | personal and business files only leads to confusion |
| started. After all, there are a lot of things that | | | | and you will be able to find things much more |
| need to be considered. Setting up your home | | | | quickly if they are separate. |
| office should be an exciting time, not a stressful | | | | Another organizational tool that you may consider |
| one. Taking it one thing at a time will make it | | | | is a contact manager. Only you will know if this |
| easier and a lot more fun. Most of the things that | | | | tool is something that you can use, but if you deal |
| you will need fall into 3 categories: work station, | | | | with a lot of different clients or if you need to |
| organization, and communication. Here are a few | | | | keep a list of potential clients and business |
| ideas to get you started. | | | | contacts, a contact manager is going to help you |
| Work Station | | | | tremendously. It will allow you keep a list of all of |
| Your work station will most likely involve the | | | | your contacts and their essential details such as |
| most planning and expense. This is going to include | | | | where you met, personal details about them, and |
| your desk, chair, and computer among other | | | | what services they may be interested in. It will |
| things. You can go simple or extravagant. If you | | | | also keep track of your appointments and to do |
| are just starting out and don't have a big budget, | | | | list to keep you organized and on task. |
| keep it simple and put your money into the things | | | | Communication |
| that will help you work more comfortably and | | | | Your communications are going to be vital to your |
| efficiently first. | | | | new home office. This is another place where you |
| Keep your desk functional and space appropriate | | | | want to make sure that you don't skimp. Make |
| without being flimsy. There will be plenty of time | | | | sure that your entire communication system, |
| to upgrade to that cherry desk with the marble | | | | from Internet access to fax is efficient and |
| table top later. One with a file drawer and CPU | | | | projects an image of professionalism. |
| cubby built in will help you maximize the use of | | | | First of all, dial up just won't do. It may have been |
| your space. An "L" or "U" shaped desk has the | | | | fine for your occasional surfing or for the kids to |
| advantage of giving you a workspace for your | | | | do their homework. But dial up does not move at |
| computer and keyboard while also allowing for | | | | the speed of business. You will be wasting |
| space to spread out documents that you are | | | | enormous amounts of time waiting for your |
| working on and/or a writing space. Many people | | | | downloads whether it is web pages or email. It will |
| find that a desk that has a keyboard tray allows | | | | be worth it to upgrade to DSL or cable. |
| them to sit more ergonomically correct while | | | | For your phone and fax communications there |
| others prefer to use the keyboard on the | | | | are a number of options. When establishing your |
| desktop. The other ergonomically important | | | | home office communications important things to |
| aspect of your office will be your chair. | | | | consider are image, flexibility, and space. Instead |
| Your chair should be something that you splurge | | | | of the expense and hassle of installing a second |
| on. You will want a chair that has adjustments for | | | | phone line, consider a virtual phone system that |
| height and back support. You should be able to sit | | | | will forward your calls to your already existing |
| at the back of the chair, with your feet flat on | | | | phone line. There are a number of advantages of |
| the floor and have about 2 inches between the | | | | setting up your communications this way. |
| seat of the chair and the back of your knees. For | | | | Your image is going to be very important as you |
| those people with shorter legs that are not able | | | | establish your home office. One of the first |
| to set the height of their chair to comfortably | | | | impressions people will get of you and your |
| reach their desk, and still have their feet flat on | | | | business is when they call you. First and foremost, |
| the ground, a foot stool is recommended. A | | | | it is important to keep your personal calls |
| cushioned chair with fabric is also usually | | | | separate from your business calls. Nothing |
| preferable to leather or a hard surface. The | | | | screams unprofessional louder than your child |
| cushioning will pad your backside while the fabric | | | | answering a client's call. A virtual phone system will |
| allows it breathe during extended sitting. You may | | | | assist in the professional image department in a |
| be spending a lot of time in this chair talking on | | | | number of ways. |
| the phone or staring at a computer screen and | | | | One, it will allow you to have the call announced |
| you want to make sure it is comfortable. | | | | to you so that you, and your child, know that it is |
| Next you will need to consider your computer and | | | | a business call coming in and can handle it |
| monitor. If you already have a computer, | | | | appropriately. Two, most virtual phone systems |
| evaluate its efficiency and ability to handle the | | | | have an automated attendant, just like the |
| increased demands that will be put on it while | | | | Fortune 500 companies have, that will allow you |
| going from recreational use to full time business | | | | to greet your callers with a professional recording |
| use. Do you have enough memory and processing | | | | such as, "Thank you for calling ABC Consulting. |
| speed to handle the additional files and workload? | | | | For sales press 1, for billing press 2". Third, it will |
| You may be able to either simply upgrade your | | | | have voicemail that you can access online, |
| current computer to handle the extra load, or it | | | | through email or over the phone. That way, if |
| may be necessary to buy a new computer. The | | | | you do miss a call, and regardless of where you |
| major computer makers (Dell, Gateway, Mac, | | | | are, you can get your messages quickly, easily |
| IBM) can usually help you with what you will need | | | | and get back to your clients in a timely matter. |
| in terms of memory, processor speed and hard | | | | For flexibility a virtual phone system can't be beat. |
| drive space for what you plan on using the | | | | It will allow you to transfer your business calls to |
| computer for. Check out the websites or go to | | | | anywhere you are. So when you are in your |
| your local electronics store and talk to the sales | | | | home office your calls will forward to you there |
| people. They are generally very knowledgeable | | | | and when you need to leave, your business calls |
| and willing to help. | | | | can follow you on your cell phone. After all, one |
| Your monitor is going to be a work station tool | | | | of the advantages of working from home is the |
| that you don't want to skimp on. A flat screen is | | | | freedom to step out when you need, or want to. |
| best. They take up less space, they are better on | | | | For saving space in your new home office, |
| your eyes, and also use 50% less energy. Shoot | | | | combine your fax communications with your new |
| for 19 inches if you can get one within your | | | | virtual phone system. Fax machines take up a lot |
| budget. If you do a lot of detailed graphics work, | | | | of space, not to mention ink, paper and |
| 21 inches will be preferable. Just like your chair, | | | | maintenance. Most virtual phone systems will have |
| the return on your investment with your monitor | | | | fax features as well that will allow you to send |
| is going to be less stress and strain on your body | | | | and receive your faxes right from your computer. |
| and allow you to work more comfortably for | | | | With electronic, or virtual, fax you can scrap the |
| longer periods of time. | | | | fax machine completely. |
| Organization | | | | Establishing a home office is an exciting time. Don't |
| As I stated before a desk that has a file drawer | | | | let the logistics of it overwhelm you. Breaking |
| built in will save you the most space, but the | | | | things down into categories helps you to focus on |
| most important thing is that you do have one | | | | one thing at a time. You need a work station, |
| whether it is attached or not. Some people may | | | | organization and communications. Taking each one |
| also be tempted to combine their personal and | | | | separately and determining what you will need for |
| business file cabinets. I wouldn't recommend this | | | | each will make things easier on you. You'll have |
| unless you can devote a complete drawer or | | | | your home office set up in no time. |