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One of the biggest challenges of working at home is child-proofing your home office. A home-based or virtual office is often an irresistible temptation to the young children of a household. The desire to be with the parent who works in the office and to be included in their activities is a powerful attraction. Young children love to mimic the activities they see their parents involved in, whether sitting at a big desk with the computer or writing important documents.
The key to child-proofing your office is to provide space and materials in a safe environment so the time your child spends there does not upset the productivity and peace of your office but rather adds to quality time with your child.
Keeping safety as the major motivator, develop a plan of action to make your home office a welcome place for your child to spend time. Some ideas to consider when developing your plan for child-proofing your home office are:
Child-proofing your home starts by creating a distraction.
Set aside a corner of the office where you can have a toy box filled with toys that are suitable for the space you have available and is out of the traffic area required for the smooth operation of your business. Please encourage your child to keep the toys in the designated area so they don’t become a hazard.
Provide materials similar to those you use while you work so the child can “do work like Mommy or Daddy.”
Be sure to emphasize that they now have their own things that are like yours to work on and that yours are off limits.
File important papers promptly.
Papers left sitting around are often attractive to children; they see you working and writing on them and want to do the same. Don’t leave important papers out where your child has access to them. Provide your child with paper and crayons they can draw on, allowing them to be creative.
Make sure the area is physically safe for your child.
Attach electrical outlet covers to outlets that are not in use. Look for window blind cords, hazardous chemicals, and other such items used in your daily business, making sure they are stored out of the reach of children.
Get rid of the electrical wires.
Cable ties can be used to tidy and shorten wires that can be dangerous to children and anyone who moves around the office. Making sure wires are not in the way protects the people in the office and expensive equipment from damage.
Keep garbage contained.
The answer to this can be as simple as purchasing a garbage container with a lid.
Keeping drawers and cabinets inaccessible to children with child-proof latches is another great idea.
Small items present a safety risk for young children. Storing loose staples, elastics, tacks, and paper clips in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids will remove this risk if you don’t have a drawer or cabinet equipped with the appropriate hardware to make it inaccessible to a child.
These simple ideas do not take long to implement, and the cost is minimal. Having a child-proof office in your home gives you peace of mind and the added benefit and pleasure of being there for your child.
About the Author:
Michelle Jamison is a Virtual Assistant, Coach, Speaker, College Instructor, and Author. Her latest book, Virtual Office Essentials: Success Strategies for the Virtual Work Environment provides virtual office workers with solid strategies to ensure a successful virtual work environment.
