| Your home office plays an integral part in the | | | | 4) Equipment |
| development of your internet business. You will be | | | | The most important equipment expenditure that you |
| spending a great deal of time in your office and it is | | | | will make for your home business is your computer |
| important that you develop an atmosphere that will | | | | and your internet provider. Try to invest in your own |
| contribute to the success of your internet adventure. | | | | computer. Again, if money is tight and you have to use |
| Your business plan, your product line, your marketing | | | | the family computer, make sure that your files are |
| plan, your choices, your decisions and your | | | | protected. |
| achievements will develop within the walls of your | | | | You will be spending extended intervals on the internet. |
| home office. It is essential that you create the | | | | If you must use a dial-up connection, be prepared to |
| surroundings that will make your journey to online | | | | stare at your monitor for long periods as you wait for |
| prosperity easier. | | | | information to upload or download. Go with cable, DSL |
| There are six areas that you need to consider before | | | | or satellite as soon as you get the opportunity. You |
| you design your home business office: | | | | need to devote your time to better pursuits than |
| --- Location | | | | watching how much longer it will take a file to |
| --- Setting | | | | download. |
| --- Furniture | | | | As your business grows, invest in a separate phone |
| --- Equipment | | | | line for your work from home venture. Add an |
| --- Software | | | | answering machine, copy/printer/fax machine, postal |
| --- Supplies | | | | meter (depending on what you sell), scanner, calculator, |
| 1) Location | | | | notebook computer and a clock to your shopping list. |
| The perfect location for a work from home business | | | | 5) Software |
| office is a separate room. A spare bedroom, a den, a | | | | A word processor, spread sheet and accounting |
| basement, a converted garage, or other empty space | | | | software will help get your work at home business |
| would be ideal. The goal is to limit your distractions by | | | | organized. These are the basics but they will get your |
| insulating yourself. Focus is what you are after. Dont | | | | online enterprise pointed in the right direction. In addition, |
| have a spare room? Choose an area that is quiet and | | | | you will need to invest in a firewall, anti-virus software |
| isolated. Remember, you will be managing a home | | | | and anti-spyware to protect you while you are on the |
| business and you need an environment that is | | | | internet. As your internet venture develops, you will be |
| conducive for success. Constant distractions and | | | | introduced to software that will simplify the |
| interruptions will not get your online venture to that | | | | management of your home business. For now, these |
| level. | | | | should get you started. |
| 2) Setting | | | | 6) Supplies |
| Choose a room or a location that has the proper | | | | Invest in the basics but make sure that you have an |
| conditions. You will need adequate lighting, good | | | | adequate supply. You do not want to run out of printer |
| acoustics and a suitable temperature. You do not want | | | | ink at 10:00 P.M. on Sunday night. Consider these |
| to be straining your eyes, covering your ears while you | | | | essentials for your home business office: stationery, |
| are catching pneumonia. The setting for your internet | | | | envelopes, mailing labels, business cards, paper, file |
| business office must be comfortable enough for you | | | | folders (Tip: have a separate folder for every aspect |
| to concentrate. Without concentration, you will make | | | | of your internet business), note pads, Post-Its, pens, |
| very little progress toward making money online. | | | | pencils, pencil sharpener, stapler, paper clips, rubber |
| 3) Furniture | | | | bands, scissors, tape, glue, printer ink, printer paper, file |
| Think desk and chair. Select a seat and backrest that | | | | cabinet AND pictures of your loved ones for your |
| are comfortable and adjustable. You will be spending | | | | desk (very important). Most of these are already in |
| large amounts of time in your chair and you dont want | | | | your home but you should plan on outfitting your office |
| to be suffering from back aches and neck aches. | | | | with the ones you dont have as soon as you can. |
| Test the chair and make sure it gives you the support | | | | Remember to have extra! |
| that you need. The desk must have a large work area | | | | Every aspect of your home business is a building block |
| to occupy the papers, folders, books and tools that | | | | to your online success. If you put the time and the |
| you will be using. If you have the space in your home | | | | effort into creating an organized and functional home |
| and the leeway in your budget, invest in the largest | | | | office, your internet enterprise will operate more |
| desk you can. It helps when all of your home office | | | | smoothly. In addition, you will be developing the patterns |
| tools are easily accessible. If your budget is small, | | | | that will propel you to making money online. |
| invest in a desk that is large enough to accommodate | | | | "Be always resolute with the present hour. Every |
| your paper work, your computer and your monitor. | | | | moment is of infinite value. |