Firing up the Home Office

Though it isn't new, the concept of the home office has caught on like wild fire. Today about 20% of the United States workforce teleworks at home at a telework center or satellite office, works on the road, or works at a combination of work sites. A statistic of 44.4 million teleworkers was reported in 2004 by ITAC, via an American interactive consumer survey. Home buyers often make the extra bedroom a home office. Developers are now providing plans that include that choice. Home Advantage

Who are we who work out of our homes? There are those of us who handle information such as reports, proposals, data or research. Home offices appeal to architects, engineers, designers, graphic artists, writers, accountants, health and exercise consultants, to name a few. Public and private organizations are using telecommuters for specific results. Two of the benefits are increased flexibility and reduced overhead. Productivity tends to increase, while stress is reduced, caused by long commute hours. Environmentally there is less air pollution and we use less gas. People raising children have the advantage of being available to their children's needs.

Difficulties on the Home Front

Is working out of a home office for all of us? Regardless of what we do, if we have a problem feeling isolated, bored, and if we procrastinate, a home office may not be desirable. Those who tend to be workaholics can have a hard time ending their day. Also, the lure of household chores, children's needs, and family distractions can easily undermine the best of business intentions.

A Place of Power and Productivity

A home office environment can elicit and strengthen the human spirit-ours, affecting the lives of others with whom we interact. It is the space that houses our empowerment, energizing our possibilities and realities for prosperity and success. We need to organize our offices specific to our needs, arranging our environment to enhance our creativity, discipline, and success, while reducing stress. A couple of questions to be clear about are, "What is my career vision?" "Does my home office mirror this vision or keep me from moving forward?"

Fire up Your Space; Infuse It with Spirit

Location is critical. An office located near the front of the home signifies the business owner is being up-front. Sales and product-based vocations do well here. When we work focused inwardly, the ideal location is toward the rear of the house. I have also known clients who have purposely moved their office to the front of their home to encourage more business activity, again being up-front about their intentions.

No matter where an office is in a home its Entrance will either ‘entrance' us or unconsciously hold us back. First impressions bombard us and shape our energy all the time. What would be a wonderful greeter as you go to work in your home office? Is there a favorite piece of art, a water feature, or a lush plant?

Businesses have a purpose and so does each of us. If we could name a theme for those purposes, what would that be? Sometimes that theme is the business name, for example one of my clients teaches Tai Chi. Her business name is her theme, "Tai Chi for Life." She uses art and framed articles to keep that theme alive.

Desk Placement

The placement of the desk in an office is of primary importance. We need to be in a position that fully empowers us every day. The desk's ideal power position has a view of the door, a pleasant view out a window, and a solid wall behind it. The wall gives us complete support from behind and a commanding view of whatever comes through the door, the mouth of energy or chi. There's no accident that top executives never sit with their backs to the door. Symbolically they are ready for the opportunities that come their way. Most people feel more comfortable sitting to one side of the door or other and not directly in front of it.

After finding the perfect power position we need to make sure that our desk is attractive to us from every angle. We need to enclose computer wires in a tube designed to hold them and run them out of the way of the flow of traffic. When it is impossible to arrange a desk to have a view the door, a strategically placed mirror can work. Mirrors are also excellent in home offices as they activate energy, enlarge a small space, and brighten a room. Ideally mirrors reflect harmonious images.

Office Furnishings

To help to minimize stress and irritability it is best to choose furnishings with rounded corners. If we have some furniture that has sharp corners we need to keep it out of the traffic flow. Selecting a desk requires knowing what size and design suits us. Chair design is critical also. If a chair is not comfortable without the right lumbar support, productivity and health can wane. In Feng Shui it is valuable to notice the slightest barriers. Having a good chair may not seem important, but not having one can gradually chip away at the quality of our posture which may begin to impact how we feel about engaging in our business or affect relationships. Our capacity to prosper is greatly enhanced by a great work chair. When selecting furniture we need to try it out.

Creativity Verses Clutter and Chaos

It is crucial to our energy level, our creativity, and our ability to attract new opportunities to regularly return our offices to order. Clearing out stacks of paper and other superfluous items allows our projects to flourish. If our systems are ineffective and we need help, we need to consult with an expert.

The Key Is to Achieve Balance

By using Feng Shui principles, with an awareness of how our environment affects us, it is truly possible to create living and working spaces within our homes that sustain us. Balancing our office space with inspiration and healthy conditions, determining our boundaries, we are able to shut the office doors, bringing closure to the end of our work day.