Be sure to consider how accessible you will be to your family members while you are in your office. One office I had was a bedroom in a small apartment. My two-year-old would constantly come in to see what I was up to. I’ve found that putting the office on a separate floor helps eliminate the distractions while still being close enough if anyone needs me.Some people find it important to set some level of expectations when it comes to family interruptions. Keep in mind, one of the advantages of working from home is being able to be present when your kids start to smile or take their first step. You probably don’t want to completely shut yourself off. On the other hand, if you are getting interrupted so often that you can’t get anything done, you may need to work out some type of system to show when you are concentrating deeply and when it is okay to come see you.

The design of your home office will greatly influence how much work you are able to accomplish.  Make sure you understand the tradeoffs and design something that will help you be productive.