Creating a Home Study
By Janet Barclay, MVA
Back-to-school traditionally means shopping for new clothes and supplies. These days, it may also include buying a new computer, and many people face the challenge of choosing a location to keep the family computer.
You may be tempted to convert a spare room into a study, in order to provide a quiet area away from distractions and keep the computer out of your living space, but be aware that if your family computer is connected to the Internet, it should be in an openly supervised area of the home where your children’s Internet activities are observed and discussed.
One alternative is to purchase a laptop rather than a desktop computer, providing an Internet connection only in an open area. This will allow students to move the computer to their own rooms for preparing homework assignments, where they will be away from the distractions of household activities. However, if you already own or prefer to buy a desktop computer, there are other options.
If your house has a landing, there may be enough space to set up a work area there. This is a relatively open area, yet away from your main living area.
In your living room or family room, consider a cabinet which allows you to put your entire desktop computer behind doors and out of sight when it is not in use. This type of furniture is available to suit every décor. To keep school and computer supplies from taking over your living area, place school supplies inside the cabinet or on a bookcase or shelving unit, using baskets or other attractive containers to keep the supplies out of sight. A free-standing privacy screen can be used to reduce distractions and interruptions from other family members.
If necessary, your dining room can be converted to a study by placing the table next to a wall and using it as a desk. A storage unit on casters can be kept under the table to hold supplies. This is not recommended, as extended computer use may lead to repetitive stress injury or other computer-related ailments, especially when a proper workstation is not used.
Another important consideration when deciding where to place your computer is proper lighting and access to electrical outlets and a telephone jack.
This may be only one of the many challenges you will face as a parent, but with the above tips and a little creativity, you too can have a home study!
About the Author
Janet Barclay, Organized Assistant, offers a variety of professional quality services to support entrepreneurs and other individuals who are overwhelmed by the demands and technology of the 21st century. For further information, please visit her website at www.organizedassistant.com.
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