Setting Boundaries for Your Homebased Business How to separate your home from your home office

Q: Myhomebased business is growing, both financially and physically. Istock an inventory, and despite computers, I have paper files.I'm finding that even space-saving office equipment takes upspace. I need to expand from using one bedroom in my six-room houseto using two rooms. But I'm concerned about disrupting myfamily life. Any suggestions?

A:There may be legal as well as practical answers to this question. Asignificant number of communities have zoning ordinances limitingthe percentage of a home's floor space that can be devoted to ahome business. One state, Maryland, has even codified a limit intostate law. The typical limitation is 20 to 25 percent of the floorarea of a dwelling. Do you need to worry if your home office growsto occupying 28 percent of your home? Probably not, unless you livein a community that sends out inspectors each year to check outhome businesses for their zoning compliance-or if you have anunhappy neighbor, whose complaint might provoke an inspection.

But will the phone calls, business visitors, mail, paperwork andnoisy equipment that come with a growing business invade thesanctity of your home? Or will the productivity of your business beincreasingly disrupted by friends, neighbors, kids, barking dogs,soap operas and peanut butter sandwiches?

These are important questions if you want either or both youroffice and your home to have the peace and harmony of a retreat vs.the intensity and excitement of a telethon. A peaceful marriage ofhome and office depends on creating boundaries that preserve thecharacter of each. Here are some ideas on how to do that:

1. Clearly differentiateyour work space from the rest of the house. Try to userooms in only one wing or part of your home. If you can'tdevote all of a room to your office, use a partition, bookcase,screen or room divider to set off your work space so it's clearwhere the home stops and the office begins.

2. Set definite workhours, and let everyone know precisely when you'llbe available for business and when for personal activities. Yourhours need not be 8 to 5, but having a regular schedule will helpmake sure you're devoting enough time to both your professionaland personal life.

3. Have a signalthat makes it clear when you do not want to be disturbed, i.e.,having your office door closed or posting a "Do NotDisturb" sign.

4. Learn how to say,"No, I'm working now" firmly, butpolitely, and stick to it so everyone knows you mean what you say.Be equally willing to close the door on work to allow ample timefor your private life. A good rule of thumb is to arrange yourschedule so that either your morning, afternoon or evening isfree.

5. Use a separate businessphone line and have voice mail, an answering machine oranswering service so you screen your calls or take messages whenyou're not available.

6. Soundproof youroffice by using solid-core doors and other materialsthat reduce noise, such as drapes, double-pane windows, carpetingor fabric wall coverings. Such soundproofing can keep householdsounds from disrupting your work and office noise from disturbingyour family.

7. Organize youroffice so you can keep work materials, paper andequipment in clearly defined office spaces. Having sufficientbookshelves and filing cabinets for your office items can keep yourwork from creeping into and taking over your home.

8. Have a separate outsideoffice entrance, or for the ultimate in privacy, locateyour office in a converted portion of a garage, guest house,walk-in basement or separate detached structure.

As these solutions illustrate, establishing boundaries in yourhome is fairly simple. You owe it to your home-and all the peoplein it-to incorporate them into your homebased business.

Paul and Sarah Edwards' most recent book is Changing Directions Without Losing Your Way.Send them your start-up business questions at www.workingfromhome.com or incare of BIZ Experiences.