Challenge Title: Creating Powerful Systems: A Home Office that WORKS

Challenge Description

 

Benefit of Changing Course

The benefit of this maintenance is:

1.

Have an understanding with yourself and within your household that your office space is 100% dedicated to the performance of your primary job functions

2.

Design a space that supports productivity

3.

Create and communicate polices that minimize interruptions

Organizing by Degrees™: Step by Step Implementation

Designs contribution to productivity
100% Dedication

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Treat space as important!

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Decorate with same vigor as the rest of your home. Make the space pleasing to be in.

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Determine the appropriate location within the household. Do you need to keep an ear open for the kids, or is it best if you are sequestered away. The location will affect your productivity.

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If you perform personal functions within office (bill paying..) separate work and life

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Lighting has the single biggest impact on productivity. Make sure that you have:

 •

Ambient light which surrounds the space — ceiling and or sunlight

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Task lighting typically focused on the keyboard or work surface

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Start with your chair as "Command Central"

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A center drawer for immediate access to everyday supplies.

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One or more file drawers. One of which should be located in the lowest position in your desk

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Enough surface space to maintain your computer and comfortably support “work in progress.”

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Create an L-shaped surface. Combine your desk with a "return." This increases productivity by keeping items within arm’s reach. If space allows, expand to a U shaped surface by adding a credenza or table behind you

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Maintain your active projects at your finger tips

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Tiered desk rack

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Magazine rack are excellent tools because the handle a lot of paper in varying formats; binders, brochures,

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Your bottom desk drawer

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If you use a corded phone, place it on the left hand side of your desk if you are right-handed. When on the phone the cord does not interfere with your taking notes.

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Use a phone headset for office days

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Buy the best chair you can afford (see article on chair design)

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A contoured back rest

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Adjustable arm rests

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Waterfall cushion which slopes down at front of chair to improve circulation

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All adjustment knobs and levers should be reachable while seated

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Select a chair with casters appropriate for your flooring

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Create storage zones:

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Convert a standard bedroom closet to accommodate shelving. Install shelving in graduated depths Deeper on the bottom to store binders… decreasing upward to store smaller objects…

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Store like items together: paper and cartridges with printer; Fed Ex and mailing supplies…

Have polices in place that minimize interruptions.

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Set up a standard office day template: bock out specific times to accomplish specific tasks. Mark them as appointments in your calendar

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Direct Report Call in

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Use your office day afternoon for your direct reports regularly-scheduled check in calls. Utilize the precious and productive AM hours to bang out your own work.

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Consider NOT having regularly scheduled calls. Your reps will feel obliged to call if you designate a time for that. Instead make yourself available from 1-3 on Friday afternoon for anyone who needs a 1:1 with you. 8-9 review sales data

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Either way set policies with subordinates about availability, including what hours not to call or FAX because of household activities, meals, sleeping babies…

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If you must share your office with a partner, make sure that there is a clear distinction about which equipment belongs to and can be used by whom. Consider alternating use time between you.

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Have an understanding with your children about access when you are working

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Have a conversation with your partner about running errands and watching the kids on your office day. Make sure that those activities are the exception rather than the rule.

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Set boundaries with neighbors and friends, "I’m home but I am not available."

24/7

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When you are in the office, do the work. When you are done the work, get out of the office.

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Know your purpose before you go into your office, designate an amount of time, set a timer when you go in

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Get a BIG clock. One problem with working in a home office is that your become time unconscious. A big well-place clock helps counter that.

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Shut door at the end of the day -- Lock it if you must. Getting into the home office is NOT the challenge, getting out of it is

 

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