| As corporate retrenchment continues rapidly | | | | creative talents. |
| and the Internet makes telecommuting ever | | | | |
| more productive and more entrepreneurs are | | | | Basics for planning a home office: |
| discovering the benefits of running | | | | |
| businesses out of their homes. If someone is | | | | Setting up a small home office is not just a |
| looking to get out of the rat race and spend | | | | matter of lugging office equipment into a |
| more time with family and friends and live a | | | | room and plugging it in. Home office space is |
| more balanced life then a home-based business | | | | first and foremost a working space. The most |
| may be just right choice. | | | | important element of home office design is |
| | | | the infrastructure. |
| Personal freedom: | | | | |
| | | | Commercial office facilities were originally |
| If someone does not want to stay much hours | | | | designed to be office spaces. They have |
| traffic to and from work every day, the most | | | | sufficient power, lighting and ventilation |
| exciting part of starting a home-based | | | | for office workspaces built into their |
| business. Suddenly, one has extra hours in | | | | design. This will maybe not be the case with |
| the day to regain control of the personal | | | | house to use as a home office. It is advice |
| life. | | | | able to locate home office in the site that |
| | | | has the best power, lighting and ventilation |
| There are no bosses, no dress code, no set | | | | for office use. |
| work schedule and no office politics to | | | | |
| trick. All one need is personal drive, | | | | Basic things for office: |
| discipline and time-management skills. It is | | | | |
| a simple principle like the harder one works, | | | | Setting up a home office means that increase |
| the more money one can make. The earning | | | | in power use that location. Even a small |
| potential is directly proportional to the | | | | laser printer will consume 300 to 400 watts |
| performance, so just work harder and produce | | | | of electricity. Now think of the other office |
| more. | | | | equipment to install in home office. |
| | | | |
| One can also save money by not commuting and | | | | Get at first a PC, a monitor, a laser |
| preparing lunch at home. With so many | | | | printer, a fax machine, a scanner and a |
| corporations and industries in a slump, | | | | phone. Step one of home office design is |
| starting own home-based enterprise means one | | | | assessing power needs. Add up the wattage of |
| can create own income-producing | | | | office equipment. One must cut down on power |
| opportunities. Good job prospects are scarce | | | | needs by combining some of the office |
| and promotional opportunities within major | | | | equipment needs. |
| companies are also decreasing. | | | | |
| | | | Instead of having a separate printer, fax, |
| Less risk: | | | | copier and scanner, one multifunction machine |
| | | | that performed all these functions is better. |
| Running a business from home takes less | | | | Before even passing thought to the aesthetics |
| startup cash than a freestanding business, or | | | | of home office design, plug in all equipment |
| even a franchise location. Once the business | | | | and try to use it, as a normal working day. |
| is up and running, it is cheaper and easier | | | | |
| to maintain than a separate business | | | | If one experiences electrical danger signs, |
| location. | | | | such as breakers popping or lights dimming |
| | | | when various pieces of equipment are |
| There are a number of tax advantages to | | | | operating, have an electrician check |
| having home and office under one roof. One | | | | circuitry and see if any simple rewiring can |
| can deduct a part of home's operating and | | | | be completed. |
| depreciation expenses on the insurance, | | | | |
| utilities and expenses for household | | | | Better lighting for home office: |
| maintenance. This is especially important for | | | | |
| parents of school-age kids. One can see the | | | | When choosing the lighting for home office, |
| kids off to school and on most days be home | | | | assess the needs first by sitting in proposed |
| when they arrive later in the day. | | | | workspace and determining how much lighting |
| | | | one need to work efficiently and where the |
| It is a little less stressful to juggle the | | | | light should be placed. |
| demands of work and family when one can stay | | | | |
| home to care for a sick child and generally | | | | An office with insufficient lighting is not |
| set own schedule. Being own boss gives the | | | | only useless but can lead to all kinds of |
| chance to wear a lot of hats like sales | | | | health problems from headaches through neck |
| director, marketing professional, strategist, | | | | and shoulder pain. Many people overlook the |
| business development manager and many more. | | | | importance of ventilation in office design, |
| | | | but equipment needs it. The more office |
| Launching home-based can be an opportunity to | | | | equipment operating, the more heat will be |
| give birth to passions and hobbies and create | | | | generated and excessive heat can damage |
| a money-generating outlet for the unique and | | | | office equipment such as PCs. |