Every entrepreneur who works from home knows how important it is to treat your home office like a real office. This includes wearing the proper clothing, lighting the room nicely, setting up your desk the right way, and more. If you are not as productive as you may have hoped when you first started working from home, or if you are looking to create a home office, consider the following necessities for working from home.
1. Computer and Internet Connection
In today’s world, a computer is almost always necessary for entrepreneurs who work from home. Unless you never need to communicate with others, look something up, or type out a document, then you will need a good computer with a fast internet connection.
2. Quiet Location
When you work from home, there are many unexpected, small things that can become big distractions. To prevent a decrease in productivity, find a quiet location in your home to work or set aside a space specifically designed to be your home office.
3. Office Equipment
Once you find that special space, you will need to get some office equipment. Whether you find an old desk that has been in storage for a while or you go out and buy a brand new desk, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you have the equipment necessary to fill your home office.
4. A Work Schedule
Now that you have the perfect location, a computer and an internet connection, you can set your schedule. At the end of each day, create your schedule for tomorrow. This is the best way to do it, since you won’t have to waste any time the next morning trying to decide what to start on first. This method can also be used at the end of each week, as you plan for the week ahead.
5. Typical Office Supplies
Throughout your first few days of working from home, or even over the course of the next few months, you may notice that you are missing certain supplies that would greatly help you with the little tasks. Getting office supplies will help solve this problem. Consider supplies such as pens, notepads, printer paper, staplers, and so on. Walk yourself through a typical day in your home office to visualize what supplies you will need, and go from there.
6. Proper Lighting
Even if you have brand new equipment and the perfect location, it will all mean nothing if it is poorly lit. You want to make sure your home office is properly lit, with as much natural lighting as possible. This will help keep you focused as you will not have to strain your eyes, and it will create a good atmosphere in which you can work.
7. Professional Clothing
Finally, every day before you even step foot into your home office, you should get dressed as if you were going to a physical office location away from home. This means you should be wearing the proper dress clothes, such as a dress shirt and dress pants. Sweats and an old t-shirt, and especially pajamas, will not fill you with confidence and your work will suffer.
If you have a home office that you’re happy with, and even if you never have any productivity issues, it’s still important for you to get out every so often. It’s not good to stay trapped in your home office day after day, so whenever possible, try to get out into the real world. This may mean having face-to-face meetings with friends in your industry or clients, brainstorming ideas for your next book while people-watching at the mall, or clearing your head with a peaceful walk through the forest.
By Samantha Haupt
