Setting up Your Office for Your Home Based Business Opportunity

A Home Business Article Contributed by Sharon Hill

How to Set up Your Home Based Business Opportunity Office

Creature comforts are important to creativity and work productivity in a home based and any other business opportunity. Think about some of the places you've worked. Now think of one of your favorite work environments. Wasn't it a comfortable, well lit, ergonomically-sound workplace? That's what you want for your home office as well. A home based business whose environment is uncomfortable, cramped and unsafe turns your firm from opportunity to drudgery.

The ideal home office is a separate room - one you never use for anything else but your work. There are four reasons for having your home based business opportunity growing in its own work-only room. First, you can shut the door and shut out the sounds of your teen's blasting rock music, your dog's barking, your spouse's television. Second, you can send the message to friends, family, and neighbors that you are in the office - you are at work, you are not to be disturbed.

Third, you can lock that door and secure your PC and other equipment as well as your work-related documents and other materials. Fourth, and sometimes most importantly, you can walk out that door, close it and put away your job for a much needed break - whether it be a quick walk at the park, a leisurely lunch, or your end-of-day recreation and home-related tasks. Burn-out can be a problem with a home based business opportunity.

The opposite can be true as well, of course - folks that spend the day procrastinating and accomplishing little more than weight gain and entertainment. But the latter is less often the case than the former. Being able to close the office door at night is a good way to give yourself a much needed time-out from work.

What Items Do You Need for Your Home Based Business Opportunity Office?

Before you go buying like crazy, pretend you're an architect and design your office space. It doesn't have to be gorgeous. Just get out paper, pencil and ruler. Decide where you want your desk, computer work station, phone, fax, and other work essentials. The ideal is a U or L shape.

If using a multiple tiered computer work station you will have plenty of space in front of you for the monitor and to its side for the tower, printer and other peripherals, but work stations are notorious for not allowing desk/writing space. That's where your L comes in. You'll want work and writing space to the side of you. Perhaps a desktop that allows for a file cabinet under one corner, or a bookshelf along the end would work well.

You'll need plenty of in and out baskets and trays, and perhaps a dry erase or cork board for your To-Do List.

The ideal is that you have one home phone line, one dedicated business line and one line dedicated to fax only. At first you can probably forego the fax-only line and purchase a fax machine that includes a cordless phone and recognizes when someone is trying to send a fax rather than make a call to you.

A headset is a must if you'll be spending a lot of time on the phone. Not only does it leave both hands free for writing, typing and so forth but it also helps to block out any noise around you. (Remember, just because you're home alone doesn't mean the noisy garbage truck won't come by your window, or the apartment complexes' maintenance crew won't mow the lawn as you get on an important call.)

While you can get some very reasonably priced computer work stations at places like Wal-Mart, Office Depot, or second hand furniture stores, it is not wise to skimp on your chair - especially if your home based business requires you spend a lot of time at the computer. You'll want a chair with an adjustable back and seat as well as arm rests whose height can be altered. Some folks, like myself, prefer having no chair arms at all.)

You may even consider an inexpensive wooden dining table as your workspace in lieu of a desk - and that can save you some money. Metal filing cabinets are quite inexpensive but make sure you get the ones with the metal holders for your file jackets - or you'll spend more money going out and locating those.

Don't Forget Ergonomics When Creating Your Home Based Business Opportunity Environment

Wrist rests for your keyboard, mouse pads with a wrist rest, adequate lighting and appropriate height for chair and workstation are all crucial to your keeping yourself healthy. You may even want to purchase wrist bands (see your local pharmacy) that force your hands and wrists to move safely as you type. Take plenty of breaks - give your body and your eyes a rest. You should never be sitting at a computer keyboard for more than three hours without a break.

Be kind to yourself and your business will likely be kind to you.