There's no doubt--work and employment is changing all over the world. Thanks to the internet, more people have been able to start telecommuting, open up home businesses they have always wanted, and be more available for their families. They want more flexibility in their work hours and habits, and many feel they can be more productive at home. Some companies agree and allow workers to telecommute or offer a hybrid work environment of part time office and part time home working.



However, one of the biggest obstacles to telecommuting and home-based business is setting up the work space. Three key ingredients to setting up a home office are seclusion, square footage, and an efficient layout. Although some would add proximity to the refrigerator, others disagree with that requirement.

Seclusion and a quiet environment are top on the list for a reason. If you are constantly interrupted by kids, dogs, a partner coming home, etc., you will not fare well. Although you may have decided on the home office to be with your family more, they need to understand that it doesn't mean you will be available all the time. Your ten-year-old may have to put a bandaid on your youngest child's skinned knee. Your partner may have to do the dishes after lunch. If they balk, ask them what they would do if you were at work in a remote location--chances are, it would be to apply the bandaid and to do the dishes. Delegating to your family is also part of setting up a home office.

Square footage of your office is crucial. Because you will likely be using a computer, make sure your desk has enough drawers and space on top. You will need enough space to place it without crowding--feeling cramped does nothing for your productivity. You will also need enough room to have a comfortable chair. One of the three key ingredients to setting up a home office is making sure your time there is pleasant, otherwise your productivity will go down.

One of the biggest obstacles to square footage is clutter. You don't want to have to crawl over your desk to get behind it and out of it, so keep the space open and free of debris. If you are challenged in this way, your kids might be a great source of help--give them their first job in your home based company as "office organizers." Involving them will help them feel better about not bothering you during working hours.

An efficient layout is also crucial to setting up a home office. If you carry products you don't want them to be all over your desk, but you also don't want your paperwork to have to reside across the room if you need it at the computer. The layout of your computer files is also important. You don't want to have to dig through layers of folders just to find one file. This problem is as much a matter of over-organization as it is from a lack of systemization.