You
Need a Separate Work or Business Space at Home
The best
possible solution is to have a
totally separate space just for your home business.
Sometimes that need is more symbolic
than
necessary. It may
just be necessary for
you to be able to close the door to feel that the business is closed
for the
day or the weekend. The worst place would be in a bedroom.
Having a
definite place does make a statement
about the seriousness of your undertaking. The larger and more separate
the
space you can make available, the more functional it will be at
dividing your
business life from your home life. Over the long haul, this separation
will
benefit everyone living in the household.
You need to
assess the physical lay-out of
your home:
Where could
you conduct business?
Do you need
to re-model or rearrange furniture?
How would
these changes impact the family and
the present use of the space?
Is
your home really the best location for the business
you have in mind? Here are some possible advantages and
disadvantages
of a home
base:
Advantages:
Low risk of
expensive mistakes,
Use home
resources for business,
Low overhead
and operating costs,
Gradual
start-up and growth,
No commuting
time or expense,
Possible
relocation to lower cost housing,
Tax
advantages (with deductions allowed for part of the house)
.
Disadvantages:
Isolation and
lack of contact with co-workers.
Increased stress
due to the difficulty
of operating a business and home
together,
Self
discipline and the ability to
plan and manage your time.
By-laws and
regulations affecting what you can
and can't do at home.
Poor image
(you may look more home-like than
business-like).
Possible
conflict with
neighbours over noise, traffic, changed
use of space, parking problems.
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