The Trouble With Home Offices

Who wouldn't want to work from home? You roll out of bed and before you have time to change out of your PJ's your already in your office, no commute, no hassle with mass transportation, no fighting the crowds or waiting in lines, you are already there.

But then you have to work, and the problems with the home office start to become an irritant. Suddenly you are hearing your neighbors dog barking, your hearing a jackhammer sounding the call to construction outside your window, your hearing babies crying and children playing and TV's blaring.

Then there is a nock at the door. Maybe it's a neighbor, or maybe it's a spouse, or one of your own kids, or even just a pet that wants to be obnoxious. Time and again you are interrupted, until you are unable to retain any semblance of a train of thought.

Even if you can escape the interruptions around you, then you have to overcome your own personal shortcomings. How do you motivate yourself to actually start working? Where will you find your inspiration? Wouldn't it be easier to just go find out what's on TV?

These are some of the major problems that you encounter when you have a home office. However, there are ways to combat the distractions and the malaise, and actually create a home office environment where you can be productive and successful.

Destroy the Distractions
If you own your own home, you office should be situated somewhere outside of the regular flow of the house. This can be done by putting it in a basement, or a well ventilated attic, where people won't be constantly running around just outside your door. Whatever space you choose, make sure the windows do not look out onto any busy streets. If possible you should also ensure that the window doesn't face too closely into anyone else's house.

If there are noise distractions you can't get rid of, then you should invest in a pair of noise canceling headphones. Using some soft background music can also help to drown out certain distractions. If necessary, thick heavy curtains can also help to somewhat cut down on the amount of unwanted noise that penetrates your room.

As far as distractions from family and neighbors, you are basically going to have to put your foot down and let everyone know that in no uncertain terms this is your office, and your job depends on you not being bugged every few minutes. If that doesn't work, you might want to invest in an intercom system. That way you don't have to get up from your desk and open the door every time someone has a question. It is also difficult to carry on a long and meandering conversation through an intercom system.

If the problem is your own lack of motivation, or an inability to focus, then you should surround your office with meaningful and inspiring objects. Artwork that moves you should hang from the walls, words of wisdom and courage should adorn your desk, and everywhere you look there should be signs of hope.

If there is a song, or a speech that particularly moves you, then you can purchase it on tape and play it whenever you find a malaise starting to creep over you. You can use certain meaningful pieces of media in this way to inject yourself with motivation whenever you feel yourself flagging under the strain.

There are a lot of problems with home offices. Luckily, some strategic planning and clever tricks will help you to reduce these distractions, allowing you to enjoy the many benefits that are associated with such a setup.

This article was provided courtesy of PebbleArt's line of decorative stone mantel clocks. The author of the article is Joey Pebble, an innovative young designer who works primarily in natural materials.

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