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Computer equipment
Computer equipment must be close enough to an electrical outlet that you don't need extension cords to plug in that equipment. Ideally, your computer should have its own electrical circuit to shield it from fluctuations caused by other electrical equipment going off and on. At the minimum, don't put the computer on the same electrical circuit as the air conditioner or heater. Also, your computer, monitor, printer, and even the phone line that goes into your modem must be plugged into a top–quality surge protector.
Monitor placement
Don't place your monitor where light — either natural or artificial — will reflect off the screen. Unfortunately, this may rule out placing your desk right next to a sunny window. For artificial light, it's better to have several adjustable lamps rather than one bright overhead ceiling fixture.
Protect your keyboard
If your office air is very dry, or you generate static electricity by walking on your carpet, you may get a small shock when you first sit down at your keyboard. Unfortunately, your keyboard is getting shocked too. The solution is to place an anti–static rubber mat underneath the keyboard. Touch the mat before touching the keyboard to dissipate static charges safely.
Choosing a desk
The ideal desk shape is an L–shape or U–shape. Your desk should have either shelves above it or a hutch — you need a place to put files currently in use, reference materials, and the supplies you use every day. This frees up enough desk space that you can put your printer at your desk, which will save you time.
Telephone essentials
Another space extender is a swivel shelf for the phone, which attaches to your desk and can be moved up, down, left, and right. This keeps your phone handy without wasting valuable desk space. A telephone headset is essential. It takes the pressure off your neck and shoulder and permits you to walk around while talking, which keeps your energy up.
Chair must-haves
A good chair is one of your most important business tools. You need a wheeled chair of adjustable height with good lower–back support.
Filing and storage
Obtain enough file cabinets to hold your papers. You should have at least one file drawer that you can reach without leaving your desk chair — it can either be under your desk or beside it. If you save old files for legal or historical reasons, save money and space by putting the files in bankers' boxes and storing them in a closet, or in an off–site record storage facility.
Supplies
You'll need a place to keep supplies. A cabinet or credenza is ideal, but open shelves will suffice. Keep extras of everything on hand — you don't want to run out of laser toner 30 minutes before that proposal is due! Keep your inventory of paper sealed and dry — many papers will curl and jam during printing if they're exposed to moisture during storage.
Phone lines
If you have DSL, you won't need a second phone line for Internet access. But if you have a dial–up connection, you must have that second line — having your callers reach a busy signal when you're downloading your email is unprofessional.
Consider a multifunction machine
You'll definitely need a printer and probably a fax and scanner. Fortunately, there are reasonably priced multi–function machines that will do black & white printing, make copies, send and receive faxes, and even scan documents. A multi–function machine is fine for most offices; if most of the copying and scanning you do is from loose sheets. But if you copy or scan often from bound material, you need stand–alone machines.
