Creating Your Office Space
When you look around your office or your work space what do you see? I
believe there are certain “tools” that are a must for any work space:

1. A clock or a watch. I believe it’s very important to know how long you
are investing in each task. If you’re writing an article, how long have you
been writing that article? If you are placing ads, how long have you been
sitting at your computer placing those ads? Perhaps you are speaking with
folks on Instant Messenger. It’s amazing how much time can fly by when you
are chatting with others. Having a clock or a watch lets you be accountable
for your time.
2. Your calendar. I still keep my calendar offline. Many folks keep their
calendars online. Either way, a calendar is a must. With your clock or
watch, your calendar will help keep you on schedule. I write in both
personal and business commitments. I don’t want to tell someone I’ll call
them at 2 p.m. tomorrow if I have to be at my daughter’s school at 2:15 p.m.
tomorrow.
3. Paper and pen. I believe you should have paper and pen everywhere. You
should have paper and pen by your desk, by your bed, in your vehicle and for
women that carry a purse, you should have paper and pen in your purse. Ideas
come to us at all times, day and night. When we get ideas, we need to be
able to jot down our thoughts, so that we can act on them later.
4. Your goal sheet. In order to know what needs to be accomplished today,
you’ll need your goal sheet. Goal sheets can be detailed or they can be a
simple task list. I believe goal sheets are very similar to road maps. Road
maps tell us how to get where we need to go. If we’re on familiar roads, our
map can be very simple. If we are on unfamiliar roads, we need a more
detailed map.
5. A phone. It’s near impossible to run a business without a phone. I have
both a home phone and a cell phone. I also have a calling card for my home
phone. At one time I had a separate line for my business. Today, with
calling card rates so low, I just use a calling card on my home phone. I
know that calls made on the calling card are charged to the business.

My own work space also includes a bottle of water and my computer. I believe
that with the above tools, you’ll be ready to make the most of each day as
it comes to you.

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Audrey Okaneko has been working at home since 1983. She can be reached at
audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.recipe-barn.com