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Organize Your Space 
Home Office: Heaven or Hell? by Barb Friedman Isn’t having a home office terrific? Don’t all your friends tell you how lucky you are to be able to work out of your home? Set your own schedule? Or how having all your personal files at your fingertips and in order simplifies your life? Riiiight....but we know better, don’t we? A home office can be a wonderful opportunity to work at your own pace and develop your own business.The problem is that we don’t usually pay attention to setting up our systems to function for us. Instead, we feel that because it is a ‘home’ office for either business or personal, we don’t have to follow the same rules. That is a myth which many chose to buy into because it is one more obstacle that people use to put in their own way. Set the stage. It is your space to develop a pleasant environment to work in. The key is to create a ‘HOME’ for each division of your business. It’s just like organizing your garage: lawn & garden supplies are grouped together; winter accessories are grouped together;and toys would be together in one place. In business, you will need a ‘HOME’ for equipment, telephone (including important numbers, addresses, phone book), computer (plus supplies, manuals, books, tips), files, reference materials, office supplies, and more. Critical thinking starts now. First, will you have a desk? Will it be a traditional desk or more of a computer/desk combination? Is there a phone line in that space? What about a cable line for faster computer access? Will you need a fax machine? Copier? Printers? Make these decisions up front so that you can make sure to have enough electrical connections to support all the equipment. Setting up the equipment should be according to frequency of use. The items that are used most often should be nearest their point of use. In otherwords, place the telephone nearest to where you will be working. Keep the computer printer closest to the computer....so you don’t have to constantly walk into another room or across the room to retrieve your materials. That is an instant time- waster and interruption. Tick Tock. Now that the physical space has been planned, it’s time to think about how you will plan out your time. Find a calendar that you love! It can be paper, on the computer, or a PDA (personal digital assistant). Make sure the format has specific times , preferably by the ½ hour. For example, times listed should be 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, 9:30, etc. By setting it up this way, it enables you to have more control over your time. Make a plan and stick to it. Everything that you have to schedule should be written in your calendar. This includes phone calls, report tasks to work on, and clearing off your desk at the end of the day. PLANNING is the most important part of your business. Make sure to give yourself the time to work on it everyday to insure the most productive results. Schedule the most difficult tasks first thing in the morning....get it over with! Work on the more complicated items during your highest 'energy' level for more productivity and efficiency. How much you are able to accomplish is all dependent on how well you plan your time. Systemize and Organize. In order to set up your own system, sit down with a paper and pen and think about the order in which your home office business takes place. What are the basic routines that must be done everyday? Make a list and check it twice. Make a list until you have included everything that is done on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Sit down with your calendar now and schedule each and every one of those tasks, assigning a particular day and time to each one. This will keep you focused, on track and increase the probability that it will get done. SIMPLE and CONSISTENT should be the rules for your filing system. Label your files with the words you would most likely remember when retrieving the information. When files become too big, don’t be afraid to either clean them out or subdivide them into smaller categories. Don’t forget you will need a system for general information and resources. Take a look at your categories and break them down into manageable files. If you are involved in many different organizations, consider creating a binder for each one. Label the spine and include index dividers. This will contain the information and it is easily accessible to use in your office or grab and take with you to a meeting. Getting organized is about creating systems that work for you. Staying organized is about maintenance. Your schedule should allow for 15-20 minutes each day to pick up and put away your materials in your office. The maintenance is the most important part.....keep it up. If you currently have a home office area but feel the need to make some changes, begin with the obvious. Is the layout bothering you? If so, why? Discover what is NOT working and start from there. Once you have solved the physical space, begin with the placement of file drawers, computers, and other equipment. If you need to access your filing cabinet often, place it behind your chair at your desk so you can turn around and grab what you need. As you work in your office space, be aware of what is working for you. Continue to tweak and improve your systems to support your goals. Don't Agonize...Organize IT! © 2005 - Barb Friedman - Organize IT Get organizing tips, ideas articles and more at the Organized IT web site. http://www.organizeitbiz.com Editors and publishers may reprint this article as long as it's reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact. Please direct a courtesy copy to 
or snail mail it to: Barb Friedman Organize IT 9411 North Waverly Drive Milwaukee WI 53217
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