Vishal P. Rao
Administrator
Joined: 23 Jun 2005
Posts: 491
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# Posted: 22 Nov 2005 01:16
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It is essential that you keep your work separate from your personal home life. That being said, your home office space should be private and separate from your bedroom and any of the other shared rooms in your home. The main reason why you should have a separate area for your working space is so that you don�t feel overwhelmed or pressured into working all the time.
The other problem that arises when you set up a home office in a well-used area of your home - for instance your dining room, living room, bedroom, etc. - is the materials you use and need for your job will accumulate and most likely begin to take over the whole area. This often leads to the room looking disorganized, messy and uninviting to your other family members.
Where is the best area for a home office?
The best place for you to set up your home office is in a den, extra bedroom or the basement. These rooms usually provide you with an ideal amount of space, as well as the privacy you need to work comfortably and effectively without bothering others, or them disturbing you.
What if I don't have an extra room for a home office?
If your home doesn't provide you with the luxury of an extra room, you can set up a small space of your own by sectioning off a part of your living room, family room or basement. A creative way in which you can divide off part of a room as your personal working space is to use bookshelves. Bookshelves make great walls, and what�s more is you can use them for your own organizing and storage purposes in your office. If you find bookshelves aren't the answer, you may also find that a privacy screen will do the trick.
Another way that some individuals who work at home have created office space is by using their linen closet. Sure a closet sounds small, but if you can make it work for you until you find something better � why not.
How big should my home office space be?
The answer to this question depends on the following two factors:
1. The type of job you have � if your job requires you to own specific equipment or accessories that take up space, a larger area would be more sufficient so you don�t feel cramped.
2. The number of hours you spend working at one time � if you work full time, and/or more than 3 hours at one time, you may find a small office area to be suffocating.
Of course, if you naturally have a big home with lots of room, there is no reason why you shouldn�t be able to create a nice sized office space to call your own. Just remember that regardless of the size of your office, or where it is in your home, you should try to keep your working space out of your bedroom, and make it as comfortable, private and free of distraction as possible.
Clair of Freelance Pro has compiled some good links on setting up a home office.
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