Q: My
homebased business is growing, both financially and physically. I
stock an inventory, and despite computers, I have paper files.
I'm finding that even space-saving office equipment takes up
space. I need to expand from using one bedroom in my six-room house
to using two rooms. But I'm concerned about disrupting my
family life. Any suggestions?
A:
There may be legal as well as practical answers to this question. A
significant number of communities have zoning ordinances limiting
the percentage of a home's floor space that can be devoted to a
home business. One state, Maryland, has even codified a limit into
state law. The typical limitation is 20 to 25 percent of the floor
area of a dwelling. Do you need to worry if your home office grows
to occupying 28 percent of your home? Probably not, unless you live
in a community that sends out inspectors each year to check out
home businesses for their zoning compliance-or if you have an
unhappy neighbor, whose complaint might provoke an inspection.
But will the phone calls, business visitors, mail, paperwork and
noisy equipment that come with a growing business invade the
sanctity of your home? Or will the productivity of your business be
increasingly disrupted by friends, neighbors, kids, barking dogs,
soap operas and peanut butter sandwiches?
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These are important questions if you want either or both your
office and your home to have the peace and harmony of a retreat vs.
the intensity and excitement of a telethon. A peaceful marriage of
home and office depends on creating boundaries that preserve the
character of each. Here are some ideas on how to do that:
1. Clearly differentiate
your work space from the rest of the house. Try to use
rooms in only one wing or part of your home. If you can't
devote all of a room to your office, use a partition, bookcase,
screen or room divider to set off your work space so it's clear
where the home stops and the office begins.
2. Set definite work
hours, and let everyone know precisely when you'll
be available for business and when for personal activities. Your
hours need not be 8 to 5, but having a regular schedule will help
make sure you're devoting enough time to both your professional
and personal life.
3. Have a signal
that makes it clear when you do not want to be disturbed, i.e.,
having your office door closed or posting a "Do Not
Disturb" sign.
4. Learn how to say,
"No, I'm working now" firmly, but
politely, and stick to it so everyone knows you mean what you say.
Be equally willing to close the door on work to allow ample time
for your private life. A good rule of thumb is to arrange your
schedule so that either your morning, afternoon or evening is
free.
5. Use a separate business
phone line and have voice mail, an answering machine or
answering service so you screen your calls or take messages when
you're not available.
6. Soundproof your
office by using solid-core doors and other materials
that reduce noise, such as drapes, double-pane windows, carpeting
or fabric wall coverings. Such soundproofing can keep household
sounds from disrupting your work and office noise from disturbing
your family.
7. Organize your
office so you can keep work materials, paper and
equipment in clearly defined office spaces. Having sufficient
bookshelves and filing cabinets for your office items can keep your
work from creeping into and taking over your home.
8. Have a separate outside
office entrance, or for the ultimate in privacy, locate
your office in a converted portion of a garage, guest house,
walk-in basement or separate detached structure.
As these solutions illustrate, establishing boundaries in your
home is fairly simple. You owe it to your home-and all the people
in it-to incorporate them into your homebased business.
Paul and Sarah Edwards' most recent book is Changing Directions Without Losing Your Way.
Send them your start-up business questions at www.workingfromhome.com or in
care of Entrepreneur.
Originally published in the June 2001 issue of HomeOfficeMag.com