Going Virtual

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Home Sweet Home...Office
by Judy Wolf

This is the third of a multi-part series on Going Virtual. If you've ever thought about joining the thousands of people who've made working from home part of their daily lives, these articles will guide you through some of the technology, paradigm shifts, and practical considerations that can make it possible in your own life.

So you’ve decided to work from home? Congratulations! You’ve got a fun and creative challenge ahead of you: designing your perfect home office. This article will take you through key elements from room choice to equipment and furniture, outlining important considerations to help you make the transition as smooth and painless as possible.

Choosing Your Space

Whether you’re starting a home-based business, going freelance, or are a potential teleworker who’s been following the Going Virtual series from the beginning (see “Is Telework for You?” and “Convincing Your Boss”), you’ve probably already got an idea of where you’ll be setting up your office. Let’s run through a few key attributes to look for in the space where you’ll be spending most of your time:

• Is there adequate ventilation? How will the room be affected by the seasons (can you efficiently heat it in winter and cool it in summer)?

• Is there good lighting? Natural light is fantastic (as long as it doesn’t create screen glare), but the next best thing is track lighting, or a mix of overhead, desk, and reading lights such that each of your work activities is properly lit.

• Is there a door you can close? Most people find it useful to have a separate work area that won’t get overrun with the random piles of daily life. Even if you live alone, it’s often nice to have a sense of separation so you can “leave work” when you’re ready (plus, for tax purposes, you can’t write off the room you use as a home office unless it’s used exclusively for business).

• Is there storage space? Depending on the work you do, at the least you’ll probably need room for a filing cabinet and book shelf, plus a closet (or corner) for office supplies and old files.

Getting Wired

Before you start choosing office equipment, let’s talk briefly about electrical wiring. Most computer equipment (in the U.S., anyway) requires a three-prong grounded outlet. This can sometimes be an issue in older apartments and houses.

Depending on your wiring and how much electronic equipment you plan to use, you may also want to check with an electrician to determine whether it’s a good idea to install a dedicated circuit. (In our current apartment, I spent six months knowing I had to back up my work if someone wanted to use the toaster, just in case the refrigerator turned on and blew the circuit.)

Staying Connected -- Phone Lines and Internet

One of the main reasons telework is such a feasible option for so many people is the rapid growth of the Internet and related technologies. Today, your home office choices will revolve around your budget and telecommunication needs, for instance:

• Do you want to install a dedicated office line, or do you plan to use your home phone number for business? (With this second option, you might want to consider DSL, since it will allow you to access the Internet and use your existing phone line at the same time…but beware the dangers of answering your home phone unprofessionally -- or having your kids answer it -- and discovering it’s an important business call! Find out if your phone company offers distinctive ringing to help solve this issue.)

• Will you need a fax line? How much traffic will you get on it? Does it need to be a dedicated line, or will a phone/fax system on a single line work for you?

• What kind of Internet access do you want? Will you use your regular home line for dial-up (thereby keeping your separate office line free for calls), or install a high-speed cable or DSL connection?

• Do you want to set up a hardwired connection to your computer, or do you prefer the freedom of wireless? (See the Apple Airport for a good description of this technology.)

As you can see, once you add in features like distinctive ringing (having two or three numbers ring to the same phone line), voice mail (a nice professional addition, even if you have an answering machine, so clients can leave a message while you’re on the phone), and call forwarding (so you can forward calls to your cell phone or have an alert sent to your pager when you receive a message), you’ve got a lot of options for effective -- and mobile -- communication.

Internet Service Providers

Once you’ve installed the sort of connection you want, you’ll need to pay an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for access. Your local phone or cable company will certainly provide Internet access along with your connection for a monthly fee. In addition to this, when you choose a phone-based connection, there will most likely be multiple ISPs with offerings in your area.

Plans should include not only multiple e-mail addresses (if you’re working for an employer, coordinate with your IT department to set up remote e-mail access), but also space for web hosting and 24/7 technical support. Plans vary, so if you live in a small town or need Internet access while traveling, be sure to check whether there’s a local access number in the town(s) where you work so you don’t incur long distance charges for Internet access.

Equipping Your High-tech Office

While many articles on setting up your home office start with the “basics,” such as desk, chair, and filing cabinet, there’s a reason I’m working in reverse. What I’ve found through experience is that the equipment I’m using and how I expect to access it determines which furniture (and arrangement) works best: Is the computer my main tool? Do I need the fax near me, or is it okay across the room? Will I want to dive into that file drawer often, or just once a month? Will I need room to lay out projects?

A few of the typical home office equipment considerations are outlined below:

• Computer -- your best option will depend on your needs. Doing a lot of travel? A laptop might serve you better than a desktop system. Need more power for less money? Since you’re not paying for the portability, a desktop’s the better deal.

• Phone system – unless you need a multi-line phone or special conferencing abilities that make a special phone purchase worth the investment, you’ll probably be happy with a regular phone or a phone/fax machine (see below).

• Videoconferencing system -- with a desktop camera that sits on top of your monitor and a conferencing software program, you can turn your computer into a high-tech communications center. If you’ve got a high-speed connection and your clients or colleagues use this technology, it can add a face-to-face dimension to your meetings. Just make sure you think about where you set up your computer -- the background gets transmitted along with your face!

• Headsets -- giving you hands-free convenience, these come in a variety of styles (over the head/ behind the head/ear bud, single/double earpiece, wired/wireless). The main thing to consider is sound quality, both for yourself and your listeners.

• Fax or phone/fax machines -- there are lots of multifunction machines out there that combine fax, phone, and answering machine functions (nice if you want to leave the fax on all the time -- although I recommend voice mail as a backup for the times the line is actually engaged).

• All-in-One Machines -- should you get a separate printer, scanner, and copier, or would a multifunction machine serve you better? Designed for the home office user, these machines combine all three (plus fax, in many cases) for an affordable price. Keep in mind that you’ll get higher quality within each function by buying separate units, so again, your decision is based on what you’ll be using them for and what level of quality your work demands.

• Mobile communications -- mobile phones, pagers, electronic calendars, and handhelds have made a portable lifestyle not only possible, but easy. You can keep your contacts, e-mail, calendar, and notes on a variety of computer software programs, then sync to your handheld (wirelessly, if you choose) in time to dash out the door for a meeting, where your voice mail can page you with a waiting message by sending you an automatic alert.

Now for Your Furniture

Once you know what equipment you’ll need, take a moment to think about how you’ll be using it. Will you spend most of your time on the phone with clients? Will you want to sit down or walk around freely? Do you spend most of your time at your computer? Do you need a work table where you can spread out? Which files or books need to be close at hand?

As much as possible, select your furniture and set up your room to support efficient usage. A few basic considerations are listed below:

• Your chair -- while you can spend hundreds on an ergonomic wonder like a Herman Miller Aeron, you can also aim for functional comfort. Since it’s likely you’ll be spending most of your time in it, finding a chair that’s fully adjustable is essential. This includes back support tilt and height, seat height and tilt, and adjustable arm height.

• The (almighty) desk -- look for one designed to fit a home office, and you’ll find they come in a wide variety of shapes and styles. While a “traditional” desk may fit your needs, corner and U-shaped desks often serve better in a home environment. If you’re using a computer with it, make sure the computer monitor will sit so the top is centered and 2” above your eyes and the keyboard tray is adjustable. In testing desks, I’ve found that many keyboard trays are too low, forcing my wrists into an unnatural position while typing (and creating a situation where I bang it with my knees all the time!). In other words, shop around for functionality, not just looks.

• Filing cabinet -- choose from wheeled or stationary vertical and horizontal cabinets with two or four drawers, depending on the layout of your room. While you can certainly get by with the cheapest filing cabinet available, this is an item where you’ll be happier with a sturdier professional model. You don’t have to get fancy by any means, just spend the extra $20 to save yourself the hassle of warped, ill-fitting file drawers.

• Bookshelves -- whether they’re freestanding or on your walls, don’t forget to outfit your home office with handy spaces to store reference books, magazines, and oft-used items.

• Worktable -- will you be meeting with clients in your home? A corner table with chairs provides a nice work space. Or, if your work requires more spread-out space than a desk can provide, go for something larger. Just make sure it’s the right height: if you’ll be working standing up, it should be high enough so you don’t have to bend over constantly. This is no time to forget ergonomics!

Finishing Touches & Pause for Thought

One of the joys of working at home is that you can make your home office truly your own. Don’t forget to make space for pictures, plants, and art work that remind you of who you are and what makes you happy. Go ahead and add those extra comforts. If you do a lot of reading, make room for a cozy chair by the window. After all, who wants to sit at a desk all day?

That said, be aware that while the myth of home office workers is one where we stumble into the office at 10 a.m. wearing pj’s and bunny slippers before an afternoon watching soap operas, the truth is that many teleworkers have trouble limiting their work hours. It’s easy to get caught up in a project and never “leave,” since you’re already home.

Make time to get outside for a stroll. Meet friends for lunch. Decide on a schedule and end work when you say you will. Or, if you can’t do it on your own, do what I did and get a dog (that way you have to stop working occasionally to walk it!).

Next month, I’ll share tips from successful teleworkers that provide real-life examples to help give you a head start in making the most of your newfound work arrangement.

For recommended web sites and links that accompany this article, please visit the resource section of my web site.

Copyright (c) 2002 Judy Wolf

About the Author:
Judy Wolf (www.judywolf.com) is a world traveler, freelance writer, speaker, and whitewater kayak instructor. She's taken numerous, extended solo journeys around the world, traveling by foot, bus, jeep, camel, truck, boat, train, plane, elephant, and bicycle to over 30 countries on five continents. She currently lives in upstate New York with her husband and border collie, where she's working on a book-length travel narrative about her most recent adventures…that is, when she's not plunging off waterfalls or entertaining the dog.

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