Thursday, July 12, 2007

Why a Good Home Office Setup is Essential for Work From Home Entrepreneurs

More and more people are working from home today. The urge and desire to work from home is growing by leaps and bounds as people begin to realize the importance and the need to spend more time with the family.

Unfortunately many home business entrepreneurs working from home often complain of discomfort, pain, injury or fatigue because certain important factors have been ignored, neglected or overlooked when setting up the Home Office. Poor equipment layout and thoughtless layout are the main culprits for excessive strain on certain parts of the body such as the frequently used muscles in the hand, neck and back.

We certainly cannot ignore the fact that ergonomics defined as “The applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort." plays a very vital role in setting up your home office. With the proper implementation of Home Office ergonomics you can work from home in a relaxed manner, avoiding excessive strain, fatigue and saving on medical bills.

When you work from home using the computer, you are bound to spend several hours seated on your chair. It stands to reason that your chair has to take pride of place in your Home Office setup. The chair has to be comfortable. You will need a swivel chair that has an adjustable height, adjustable backrest with lumbar support and preferably with arms.

Another key factor that plays a significant role in causing muscular aches and pains is the keyboard. This pain is often noticed in your wrist and forearm. The keyboard should be placed at a lower level than the desk in a sliding tray thereby reducing the strain on your wrist and forearm. This aspect is often overlooked by most computer users thus causing a lot of hardship, pain and discomfort.

The computer monitor should be placed at the proper height so that you do not strain your neck when you work. If you are using a laptop it will be wise to have an external keyboard and mouse since working for long hours on the laptop keyboard can be strenuous.

When you work from home especially as an Internet Marketer, a good Computer with a large hard disc, a quick processor and a quality keyboard and screen are very essential

Your home office is a new creation after you made a decision to work from home. This could be in a room or in a corner of your house and the chances are that the lighting might be inadequate. Natural light no doubt is ideal for work but when that is not possible special care should be taken to ensure that your work area is properly illuminated. Improper or insufficient lighting can cause eye strain, headache and fatigue resulting in loss of efficiency.

Once the basics have been set up the other paraphernalia such as a telephone, fax machine, printer, filing cabinet, trays and shelves should be placed within easy reach and without obstructing movement.

Noise and fluctuations in temperature in and around your home office can be very annoying and irritating. All modifications and adjustments have to be made to ensure that you are able to concentrate and work without being distracted by these problems.

Your home office is the place where you are going to spend several hours a day. Ensure that you will be comfortable and happy working from home. Create an environment that will inspire, motivate and stimulate you to make your home business dream come true.

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