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When starting your own home-based business, it is important to pay attention to your work space since this is where you will be spending much of your time. Factors to consider are selecting your office space, safety issues, office essentials, and health issues.
Your ideal home office should be large enough to accommodate your work area, equipment, and client meeting space, if necessary. You should have ample storage space for files and shelves for research materials. You also want plenty of lighting, both natural and artificial, as well as numerous electrical outlets. The temperature in your office should be easy to control with fans, heaters, doors, and windows. You might also like to have a separate entrance, especially if you have clients coming by often. A nearby bathroom is also nice. You should have your office nicely decorated and furnished since this is where you will be spending so much of your time. You might want to keep your office s isolated as possible if you work late at night to avoid disturbing other family members.
There are a few safety considerations to keep in mind when working from home, especially f you are a woman and frequently have clients who come to you home office. First, you should always trust your instincts if a caller makes you nervous. Consider working by appointment only so you ca control who come to your home and when. Some home business owners prefer to list a PO box rather than their home address when advertising. And never schedule a client meeting at your home with someone with whom you have not spoken enough to get a feel for them and are comfortable. Offer instead to meet at their office if they are in a place where other people are around. When working at home alone, consider playing a radio or television in another room to give the illusion of the presence of another person. You might want to work out with a neighbor a pre-arranged signal you can give if you find yourself in need of help. And if you ever feel uneasy with a client in your home, give them the impression that someone else will be coming in any minute. I hope you never have to use any of these tactics, but it is better to be aware of them just in case you do.
Your office arrangement is dependent on your specific needs and equipment. You should have available to you a main work space, such as a desk or table, that is as large as possible, a comfortable computer set-up, a nice client meeting area, if necessary, and plenty of storage space, such as file cabinets, shelves, boxes, baskets, letter trays, disk holders, and containers for office supplies. You should also have space for less frequently used equipment, such as a copier, scanner or fax, perhaps tucked away in a corner. And don’t forget ample lighting—you don’t want to end up with eyestrain. This is especially important if you use a computer monitor frequently. Give your office your own personal touch: keep family photos around, a few nice plants, and any kind of decorations that please you. You will be looking at your office a lot, so make it pleasing to your eye, as well as professional looking.
Repetitive stress injury and carpal tunnel syndrome are two types of injuries common for office workers. These are often attributed to heavy computer use, but there are steps you can take to minimize your chance of injury. Take frequent breaks to stretch your muscles, roll your shoulders, flex and open your hands, and stretch your arms. If you find your hands are cramped and sore after using a computer mouse, try a different type of mouse, perhaps a track ball or power mouse. You can also get wrist rests to encourage correct posture for your hands. And if you ever experience prolonged discomfort or a tingling or numbing sensation in your extremities, consult a doctor. You should also consider investing in a good office chair, one that offers support for your back and has the ability to change the height. Maintain good health and exercise often, even if it is only stre5tching and you will feel much better when working in you office.
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