Stay at home working moms, and even dads who prefer a work from home atmosphere, love the convenience and independence of

home office (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

working from home. The call of working in your pajamas is sometimes so inviting that one is ready to chuck that extra guest room to create a home office command center. Yet, having a home office can get a little overwhelming if not planned for accordingly.

Below are tips on how you can create a perfect home office

1. Think of your electrical needs. Before creating a home work space, assess the room where you are going to home office in and make sure there are adequate numbers of outlets. If you’re resorting to power strips, make sure you don’t overload your breaker for that room or you’ll have constant problems.
2. invest in a good battery back-up. There’s nothing ore frustrating than losing a big project in the middle of a thunderstorm or unexpected power surge. A batter backup will allow you to keep running your computer long enough to save your work and shut down appropriately without corrupting your files.
3. Make sure your wireless internet has a good signal. Whether you will connect directly to the odem from your desk or have other devices running off the modem elsewhere, confirm there’s no interference where your main computers will be. Also, remember to password protect your wifi signal so neighbors and strangers on the street can’t get into your network.
4. Stay out of the bedroom. The bedroom is a place that our minds are conditioned to relax. If you bring your home office space into the bedroom you’re never likely to fully disengage.
5. Make use of vacant spaces.  If the your attic has been idle or the garage has an open area and they can be climate controlled, then use these underutilized spaces for your home office. The attic may have good natural lighting, and the garage may be free from noise.
6. Decorate your office space with items that you need and will allow you to focus on work.  The desk should have your laptop, a pen, papers, a memo block, and other items that you consider valuable in your work area. If you haven’t become a paperless office yet, a two-drawer file cabinet may also be of some help to keep things neat.  Other items could be kept in a nearby shelf. Keep the laundry and kids toys in another room so you can focus.
7. Get a comfortable chair. If it’s on wheels and you have carpet, invest in a floor guard to allow for ease of movement. Good seating leads to productive work and keeps the back issues at bay.