There are so many advantages to running your new start-up business from the comfort of your own home, but there are challenges too quite apart from the discipline that will be required to resist all the everyday distractions that domestic life will inevitably bring. Having the family around, the cupboard filled with tempting food and the TV remote control strategically at arm’s length could all, if you are not careful, conspire to ensure that you will never get anything worthwhile done. But if you have the strength of character to set all of this to one side you will be able to move swiftly on to the next obstacle – making sure your comfortable home is business-friendly.

According to an article in the New York Times, more than 43 per cent of Americans already work “remotely”, many if not most of these from their own homes. The advantages in terms of protecting the environment, not to mention the sanity of those in question, are as substantial as they are obvious. But there comes with it an imperative to ensure that the work is actually done.

Converting Living Space to Work Space

This is the challenge, to create a working environment in the midst of a dwelling that has been designed and configured to be a place of relaxation and leisure. Luxury furniture is often not conducive to sitting and working. Ideally you will have a spare room which can be reinvented as an office, but if you do not then somehow a corner of the living room or a bedroom will have to suffice. A stiff chair positioned at a solid desk would be ideal.

If you can afford the luxury, hiring a professional company like RentalCity.ca would be really helpful. These are specialists who provide home staging services and who could take the work out of designing your new home-based office.

Of course the most important consideration of all is the installation of the requisite technology. You will need at least one computer with Wi-Fi and broadband, functional telephones and all the necessary accounts set up and ready to roll. Depending upon the nature of your business there may be other equipment involved such as portable handsets, speakers, screens, still or video cameras and such like. You may even need a biro and some scribbling paper.

The Intended Benefits of Home Working

Home working is intended to bring you the best of both worlds – convenience and functionality without the need for time-consuming travel or upheaval. Usually there will also be at least some flexibility about the hours that you choose to work, just as long as everything required of you gets done. When you are running your own small business the amount of time and effort that you put in is entirely down to you, which is why application and self-discipline are absolutely of the most paramount importance. If you are able to function in such an environment then there really is little by comparison to commend traveling out to work each day.