Continued from Home Is Where The Office Is! part 2

STYLE and FLEXIBILITY

Does your home office have to look like an office? Perhaps not. Style doesn’t necessarily have to be compromised. Your office may take on the look of a handsome library with beautiful furnishings, especially if you frequently receive clients or vendors. A pleasant and colorful design can brighten the mood, energize the space, and enhance your productivity.

What should you do if it just isn’t feasible to dedicate a specific room solely for your home office?  There are stylish and fun ways to create a space designed for double or even triple duty. A guest room can be converted to a home office while discreetly and cleverly maintaining its original function by incorporating a Murphy bed. This space-saving bed keeps the room open except when the bed is pulled down from the wall for occasional use.

If you just don’t have a room you can sacrifice, even a wide closet with double doors can be converted into a practical configuration. When you are done for the day, simply close the doors and it’s out of sight and out of mind. Voilà!

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

Working from home is a money saver on clothes, gas, tolls, parking, and the possible ticket on the highway! There are other plusses as well, but the flip side contains two major pitfalls: isolation and the temptation to work at all hours of the day and night. Yours truly can attest to these issues as I’ve worked from a home office for several years.

Working solo can get pretty quiet depending on the type of work you do and the frequency of appointments and interaction. A periodic change of scenery is important, but the corner coffee shop might not be the right place for you. Co-working or office sharing might be a good option depending on your business model and the need to build professional relationships. Services such as www.loosecubes.com provide a people-centric and collaborative environment and connect you with like-minded colleagues.

Regardless of your arrangement, it’s important to set and stick to regular business hours and close the door behind you at the end of your workday, even if only metaphorically. Social media is a great way to promote business and stay connected, but personal contact and relationships nurture and help us grow, both professionally and personally.