How to Organize an Efficient Home Office
by Jean Hanson
Published on this site: November 2nd, 2005 - See
more articles from this month
I run my business out of my home office, as do my clients
and many of my Ezine readers. When I set up my first home
office I discovered that it's not as easy as plopping my computer
on a makeshift table and buying a few file cabinets. Setting
up a comfortable, functional home office is important to the
success of your business. Many of us spend more time in our
office than we do in other areas of our home (at least I do!),
and it can quickly become frustrating and uncomfortable without
the proper organization and ergonomic tools.
So what can you do to make your office more organized and
efficient?
- Invest in a comfortable, ergonomic chair. If you spend
all day in your office chair like I do, you've probably
already discovered that after just a couple short hours,
your back starts to ache if you don't have a great chair.
Go ahead, spend the money...your back will thank you!
- Make efficient use of the space you have. I don't have
a very big office it's a 9' x10' spare bedroom. But I've
learned to use all the space I have. The closet, which houses
all my office supplies, is filled with shelves from floor
to ceiling. I have an L-shaped workstation that fills up
most of the office, but everything I need is within close reach.
I have one large file cabinet plus two lateral files for
all my hanging files. Next to my work area on either side
are 6 drawers (3 on each side). These drawers hold everything
I need to have nearby - client files, stapler, pens, and
all the all the little stuff I like to hide in a drawer.
My immediate work area has just what I need to have within
easy reach - computer, printer, calculator, notepad, and
phone. I can reach up above my workspace to grab an envelope
or paper to fill the printer. Reference manuals and my client's
books are on the shelves just above my workspace. To the
left are shelves for 3- ring binders, which hold business
files and reports.
- Stop working in the dark! My office used to have a pathetic
little fixture with two 60 watt soft lights. I do have a
bright light over my computer screen and I even have a window
next to my desk, but it just wasn't enough. I wanted more
light! So I finally found some terrific lights at my local
hardware store that made a HUGE difference. Check out the new "Daylight"
energy saving bulbs. The Daylight bulbs actually simulate
natural light and are much brighter than the regular soft
light bulbs.
I also invested in a ceiling fan, which helps with air circulation
in my little office. Not to mention I can fit 4 of those
amazing new bulbs in the light fixture. I'm in bright light
heaven
- Organize your files. There are many ways to organize
your files, so you need to decide which method works best
for you. Most VA's I've talked to use a color-coded file
system, which is what I do. It's so much easier to find
things when they're color- coded, rather than having a sea
of plain green hanging files.
If you have piles of paper on your desk awaiting action,
or just waiting to be filed, then set aside one day (or half-day)
a week to focus on filing and organizing your office. As you
go through your piles, sort into three piles: Toss It - File
It - Do It. Guess what you do with the "Toss It" pile? If the
papers have been there long enough, chances are some of them
are no longer needed. Take the "File It" pile and
file the papers in the proper place. And finally, work your
way through the "Do It" pile by taking action on
those items.
Once you're all caught up, you either need to deal with the
paper immediately or continue to schedule time each week so
you can tackle the paper.
Setting up an efficient home office may seem daunting at
first, but you can take it just one step at a time. Before
you know it you'll be prepared for new opportunities that
come your way and ready to meet any challenges head on.
Jean Hanson is a virtual assistant and online business
manager for coaches, speakers, and authors. She is also the
author of the eBook, Virtualize Your Business: Secrets to
Simplifying, Automating, and Organizing Your Virtual Business.
For more tips on learning how to virtualize your business
and a Free Report, go to http://www.virtualizeyourbiz.com
. To learn more about virtual assistance, visit Jean at http://www.vaofficesolution.com
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