subject: How to Set up a Home Office [print this page] How to Set up a Home Office How to Set up a Home Office
1. Find a spare room for your office if you can. Otherwise set up in a room you can shut the door on at the end of your work day and forget about work for a while
2. Failing that get a drop down desk that you can close up when not working
3. Never set your "office" up in the bedroom!
4. Get a small bookshelf and some folders for storing your accounts, advertising material, pamphlets and posters. A4 photocopy paper boxes are great for storing paperwork etc.
5. Put an "in" tray on your desk and chuck all your mail, bills and brochures into it and empty it once a week - it's far more efficient than answering mail and bills one at a time.
6. Chuck an egg timer somewhere handy and use it to set time limits on the tasks you easily get side tracked on like checking e-mails.
7. Invest in a printer. Look for one with individual cartridges and a huge paper tray for easy refills when printing in bulk. A wireless printer is such a good idea if you work on a laptop - same goes for wireless broadband.
8. Get a spike or a bulldog clip by the front door or where you keep your wallet and keys so you can offload your receipts after an errands mission.
9. Pick up a pile of deposit slips and/or bags from your bank so you can fill them when you get any cash and seal the bag - it will prevent your personal cash getting mixed up with "work" cash.
10. Get an answering machine service on your phone and turn the machine on while you're not at work - dinner with the family is way more important than answering the phone to someone who can wait until tomorrow.
11. Put your cell phone on mute and put it in a drawer. Its a huge distraction when you're meant to be working and if the call is urgent they'll ring your work line.
12. Check your tax with an accountant - you may be able to claim part of your rent, power and phone bill as a business expense because you're working from your house. Remember to keep all your household bills you make claims on too.
13. Let your kids know your "work time" and "off work time" and be consistent - it's much easier for them if they know you're "finishing work" in 2 hours and free to be badgered then.
14. Schedule an off day/s where you don't look at or think about anything to do with work. You probably wont manage to stop thinking about work but by taking a break from work you'll have fresh ideas and energy the next day when you go back.
15. When you buy your groceries pay for tea, coffee, milk and biscuits on a separate docket so you can claim them back as your "tea room" expenses. This also goes for some of your cleaning products and toilet paper - every bit helps!
16. Finally, my last piece of advice to anyone who's a grazer like me - leave the fridge empty!! I buy food for dinner after I've finished work for the day and try not to keep snacks in the house. It's too easy to get side tracked on your tea break into making a sandwich..and another...
