No longer are people tied to the proximity of their outside office location and this has created the opportunity for entrepreneurs, salesmen, consultants and many other types of professionals to do the majority of their work in the comfort of where and how they choose to live.

The biggest challenge, most home office enthusiasts will tell you however, is getting away from your work when you need to and being productive during your designated work time.

The first essential consideration in setting up your home office is to try to locate it in a space that can remove you from noise destractions and family life. Many people find that converting their formal living rooms(which they rarely use)or guest rooms into their official office space works far better than designating an area in a master bedroom or family room for the purpose. The beauty of going to work is the mindset of focusing your attention to the task at hand. The beauty of being off work is to truly get away from it to relax. Having a computer call your name from visible parts of your living space can blur the line between work and relaxation and locating your home office in a blended use space can give you the unnerving feeling that you are never leaving work…or that you don’t have the concentration when you are trying to work. Keep the area separate.

Beyond the basic requirements of functional furniture and filing space, try to create a pleasant sense of surroundings to make your work schedule pleasant. Organize your work space where there is a place for everything. Piles of papers only add to the lack of focus that a home office already challenges. Install doors to keep family distractions to a minimum if possible. If the office is to be located away from the kitchen, consider a small refrigerator for beverages to relieve the opportunity to raid the refrigerator while you are working. Believe it or not, this is a common problem.

Give some consideration to how the office feels. A pleasant work environment will bolster your confidence in your success. Add artwork, plants and perhaps the paint the room an interesting color so that you feel good when you spend time working. This is even more important if you must see clients or collegues in your home office. You want to avoid the message that you are not a serious professional…both to yourself and other people.

As an interior designer for 22 years, I have worked out of my home office with great success. I love incorporating the overhead of an office space into my mortgage and the efficiency of not having to travel outside of my home when paperwork or research is essential to my projects.

Many of my clients visit where I live and work with a greater sense of who I am professionally. Make your office space in your home an essential part of your professionalism. Visit my website at www.barbaraenglishdesigns.com to see my work.