Guide to Creating a Home Office with Minimum Distractions

How to work at home and still get the job done

A home office that is well-planned and fully functional is critical to the increasing number of people who work out of their homes either full- or part-time. Know your personality, your work habits and the patterns of activity in your household, then design your space accordingly. The most important elements for setting up a successful home office are:

1. Boundaries between your home and work life
2. Office space that meets your needs for privacy and noise level
3. An office organizational plan that includes effective equipment and ergonomic furnishings

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select your space and set it up efficiently

If you require silence to concentrate or to take important phone calls, you will want a room with a closed door in a secluded part of the house away from capering children and barking dogs. If you crave activity, if a room in the back of the house makes you feel claustrophobic or if you live alone, you may be happier setting up a more centrally-located workspace, such as a corner of a large kitchen.

I recommend: Better Homes & Gardens gives advice on how to select your space, design it and set it up.

Select space-saving equipment

Consider buying multi-functional equipment that saves space, such as combination printer/fax/copier/scanner units. A separate business phone line with voice mail will enable you to keep your private and business life separate and project a professional image, so you may want a cordless phone with two lines.

I recommend: Read reviews for computers, printers and other equipment at CNET.com.  Compare pricing at Shopper.com, BizRate.com, PriceGrabber.com or NexTag.com.

Select ergonomic furnishings

There is a temptation when initially setting up a home office to scrimp on furnishings. Don't do it. Buy an adjustable, ergonomically correct chair that gives good support. To prevent repetitive strain injury, you may need two tables, one the correct height for typing and the other the correct height for writing.

I recommend: The U.S. Deptartment of Labor provides guidelines for setting up an ergonomic computer workstation. The Typing Injury FAQ has articles about repetitive strain injury as well as lists of sources for ergonomically correct products. Ergonomic Resources is one of many online sources for ergonomic products.

Set up boundaries

Set up rules about when you are to be left alone to work and strictly enforce them. Be specific that you are not to be interrupted while in your office except for hurricane alerts, other acts of God, lunch or whatever else is important to you. Be firm. On the other hand, when you are outside your office, resume your personal life. It is easy when working at home to fall into the trap of working almost 24/7.

I recommend: A "Do Not Disturb" sign can help remind your family that you are working. Create your own at BuildASign.com or buy an elegant version at BayVillageStore.com.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Study the ebb and flow of activity in your household. A home office in a den next to the children's playroom may be destined for failure.
• For those with limited space who do not have a noisy family or roommates, a decorative screen can effectively separate your work life from your home life.
• If your chosen office space is not soundproof enough for business calls, consider a phone in a more secluded area such as the basement.

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