Home Office Setup Tips

The entrepreneurs and owners of many starups often operate exclusively from home. This may be ring especially true within the early, formative stages of a small business during which costs must often be kept to a minimum, and revenues might well be sparse and unpredictable.

Working from home can offer several benefits – aside from obvious cost savings, it can offer convenience and comfort to the entrepreneur. However, there are many important inclusions that every good home office should feature.

Setting Up A Productive Home Office – Tips

A Quiet & Exclusive Office Space – This will apply doubly so for entrepreneurs who live with other people. Your office space need not be presidential or plush, but it should be exclusively yours. This is the place where you’ll be doing your thinking, making business calls and experiencing a range of contrasting emotions. The last thing you’ll want is to share it with your teenage sons Playstation, or have the cat come in to visit the litter tray while you’re in with a client trying to secure that crucial new contract! A spare room can be ideal, even if it is a small one. You’ll need to parlay some thought about what items your office will need to house. Most home offices will require sufficient space for a desk and a filing cabinet at the very least.

A Good Custom Built Chair –  Most entrepreneurs do far more than a nine to five shift. When you spend long chunks of time squatted on a chair, it can play havoc on your posture and your back. Today, there are many chairs and office workstations created especially for the workplace to maximize comfort and minimize potential stresses on the back and joints. An investment well worth the while.

Client Space – If you will need to bring clients into your home office, some consideration will need to be given to space. You’ll need an extra chair or two, and preferably ones that match the existing decor. Don’t expect much business if you sit there on your expensive back-posture supporting chair, while your clients are ridiculously hunched on a make shift garden chair that you got from the B&Q sale.

Conducive Lighting – Proper lighting can actually make a workspace more inviting and conducive to productive thought. Ideally, you should be able to change the lighting level according to your mood and requirement. Dimmer switches and additional desk top lights can help create the perfect work ambiance.

Decor – The colour and general decor of your home office can directly impact your mood. Your office space might well be small, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be inviting. Adorn your walls and desk space with personal touches such as paintings and photos that can help orchestrate good feelings and inspire you to do your best work. From time to time, shake things up too – change your paintings and posters, and perhaps tinker with the layout to keep your office feeling fresh and new.

Neat & Tidy – I know I’m not your mum but try and avoid cluttering your home office. Maintaining a minimal-touch, Feng Shui Office feel can help to create a more serene and work conducive environment. You can do this by introducing small plants, rocks and crystals in a small corner of your office. A window with a view can also be a nice home office feature, and one that just makes your workplace a nicer one to spend time in.

A nice home office can be simple and cheap to set up – but with a bit of thought and imagination, it’s possible to make it a warm and productive workplace…and all within walking distance of the fridge too!