In a recent article “What to know when you are work from home” in The Post, the author has identified staying focused, security of your work and maintaining a social and professional connections and key components of a successful workspace. While these are very important, I would add a fourth key element of protecting your workspace.
When setting up a home office, client frequently decide to start by taking over a small part of an existing function space in their home in order to see if working at home will be feasible for their family or home life. These multi function spaces frequently serve family tasks like home work as well as the new work tasks that have been added by a home office. We then get called to help them out when they find the children’s homework is mixed in with the latest monthly or quarterly report or preparation of invoices.
When setting up a work at home location, establish a means of separating the business work you do physically from anything else that might happen at that work station. This can be accomplished through a cupboard, box or even just a shelf where you material can be collected and put away before the homework research starts up. You can teach other members of the family that you put away your material when not actively working at the work station and that they are expected to put away their things when leaving the work station. It might take a bit of reminding at first but your material will be secure and the work station can continue to be used by the family while you enjoy the advantages working at home can bring.
