Working at home has its perks: no commute, no dress code, no fluorescent lighting sucking the life out of you. But if you’re like most people who work from home, you probably haven’t spent enough time thinking about your home office design.

If your home office fits into one of the following categories, then you might benefit from a few easy steps that will not only make you more productive, but will make your workday more enjoyable.

My office is:

• An office by day, the dining room table by night.
  
  
• In the basement, wedged between the treadmill and the washer/dryer.
  
  
• A corner in the bedroom. Hey, I just roll out of bed and I’m at the office!
  
  
• All over the house; there is no distinction between home and home office.

The first step in designing your home office is choosing a location. You need to designate a place for your home office that will function strictly as an office. Many in the home office workforce find that their work is spread throughout the house, making it difficult to establish a boundary between work and free time. Your home office should be a separate space with enough room for your desk, your office equipment and any filing cabinets you might need. A spare bedroom, attic, or basement room is a perfect location.

The second step is choosing the furniture and equipment that you will need for day-to-day business. You’ll need a functional desk, a comfortable ergonomic chair, and space for your files. A home office should be as practical and professional as any business environment in order to maximize your productivity, regardless of whether or not you’ll have visitors.

And finally, you’ll need to lay out your office to maximize space and efficiency. You’ll also need to consider your lighting. If your office is near a window, be sure that the placement of your computer monitor isn’t such that you’ll be distracted by a glare. You may consider recessed lighting or a smaller task light that illuminates specific areas to reduce eyestrain.

My Favorites:

Balt’s Sit/Stand Ergo Workstation: This ergonomic unit measures 41w x 29d, and adjusts pneumatically from 29” to 39” for sitting or standing use. It maximizes space with a printer shelf, and a bottom CPU shelf, keyboard shelf and articulating mouse platform.

Maxon’s Mobile Pedestal Files: High-sided drawers accommodate letter size hanging files. Roll away under and 29” desk.



Hon’s Sensible Seating® Series Mid Back Pneumatic Dual-Action Synchro-Tilt, Swivel Chair: Fully ergonomic chair with pneumatic seat height adjustment. “Inverse synchro-tilt” opens torso for better circulation. “Zero lift” seat front keeps feet on the floor when reclining.

Catalina Lighting’s Counter-Balanced Halogen Desk Lamp: Adjustable black metal arm and shade with positioning handle. High/low switch, includes 50W halogen bulb.