TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

You�ll be most efficient if you don�t have to get up and BORROW things you need from another room in your home. Every time you get up and leave your workspace, you introduce the opportunity for distractions. So make a list of everything you need to do your work. Then invest in a supply of these essentials and store them in, or close to, your work area. You also need good lighting, an adequate work surface, and a comfortable chair. A productive workspace also includes STORAGE space for works-in-process, completed work, and reference materials like books, magazines, or the dictionary. Does your space have book shelves, file cabinets or project baskets?

DOES YOUR SPACE REFLECT YOU?

You�ll be most comfortable in a work area that reflects your sense of style. For me, one of the biggest benefits of working at home is being able to infuse my space with things that are "me." I left the company-issued plastic, burgundy in-boxes at my corporate office (thank you very much) and replaced them with a ceramic tray from a day at the art fair with my Mom. How fun to mix FUNCTION with INSPIRATION. Since I�d rather look at the beautiful ceramic tray than the stacks of paper in my in-box, I�m even more motivated to get through my in-box every day.

REDUCE DISTRACTIONS

According to a 2001 study conducted by the University of Michigan, worker productivity decreases by 20% to 40% as a result of "task switching." Guess what? INTERRUPTIONS cause you to switch tasks midstream, dramatically reducing our productivity. And home offices are ripe with opportunities for interruption. So let's see what we can do about them...

DISTRACTIONS IN YOUR WORKSPACE

Ideally, you�ll only see the work you want to work on rather than other things that need your ATTENTION. For example, if you can see a disorganized home, laundry that needs tending to, a notification icon letting you know email is waiting in your in-box, or the latest issue of Domino Magazine sitting on your desk -- you�re inviting distraction. Do whatever it takes to block-off these visual distractions by separating your work zone from other areas in your office. Or position your desk so you can only see work "stuff" when you�re working. Consider using closed STORAGE systems to keep business projects and personal projects separate. Keep your desk surface clear of personal projects or hobbies that may tug you away from the work you�re trying to get done.

SETTING BOUNDARIES

One of the great benefits of working at home is the FLEXIBILITY to use your time as it suits you. However, it�s very important when you work from home that you carve out times for each area of your life. Because of the convenience of a home office, the lines can often get blurred causing you to never fully ENGAGE in either area of your life. Make a list of the hours you�re awake during the day and allocate specific blocks of time to the different areas of your life -- such as business and career, family time and parenting, personal growth and development, recreation and hobbies, finances, health and fitness, community involvement, spiritual development and recurring tasks and chores. When you put together your time chart, think about your natural moods and ENERGY levels. If you�re highly creative in the morning, it makes sense to schedule your creative tasks in the morning. If you�re sluggish in the afternoon, schedule fitness or exercise during that time to serve as a natural pick-me-up.

MAKE SURE YOUR SOCIAL NEEDS ARE MET

If you thrive on the interaction of an office environment, carve out people time on your time chart. You could have lunch with friends several times a week, work out at the gym during your natural energy lows, or do a mini-commute once in a while to a nearby park, library or coffee shop. The change in SCENERY could spark your creative juices and help you to be even more productive than usual!