Today Amber Naslund stops by to share her thoughts on developing family balance while being a workshifter.  Amber is the Director of Community at Radian6 which keeps her on the road a lot.  Amber also maintains a blog, Altitude Branding, and can be found hanging out on Twitter.

When you're a workshifter, there's often a perception that you have the ultimate freedom: work from anywhere, control your own schedule, travel to interesting places. Part of that is true, and I'm very grateful for the flexibility that my type of job affords me.

But as other workshifters can attest, it can be demanding, too. Travel isn't always glamorous, and the flexibility that comes with working remotely can also mean that boundaries are hard to set. One of the things that's hardest to balance is family: time with kids, time at home, time for the people that matter most to you.

I'm a single mom of a 2 1/2 year old, a daughter, sister, friend, and pet parent to two dogs and two cats. Finding time for all of that isn't easy, but I've learned a few things along the way.

Have Off Hours

There is no question whatsoever that there have to be times when you're just not on the clock. That also means cutting the remote tethers like the iPhone or the Blackberry that are distractions, even while they're conveniences.

When I'm home, I have hours in the morning and after work where I am not on the clock, because those are the times I have to spend with my daughter. It doesn't mean I can't take a phone call from a friend, but it does mean that my daughter is my first priority. She needs to know without question that she matters more to me than the computer or my phone.

Same goes for making time for family and friends. The weekends can be tempting, uninterrupted time to get loads of work done. But my family and friends live with my crazy schedule all the time, so when I have a weekend home, I make it a point to catch up with folks in person or on the phone, without work getting in the way.

When I travel, I keep "off hours" too, that I can spend recharging, resting, or visiting with people wherever I am. No matter where I am, the work will always be there when I get back to it.

Be Okay with Getting Help

A heavy workshifting schedule often means you can't do it alone, and that's okay. It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help. It means you're aware of your own limits.

For example, my family, my daughter's dad's family, and our regular daycare sitter are enormous and important sources of support that care for her when I can't be there. She's always loved, attended to, and has someone investing time with her (not just keeping half an eye on her). It's critical to me that she never, ever feel like she's an afterthought.

I also have an in-home pet sitter that visits my home and critters several times a day to make sure they're tended to. It's a *huge* relief to me while on the road to know they're cared for in the comfort of their own home. They're family, too. Is it cheap? No. But neither is my sanity.

Tap the people closest to you for support and reassurance, or seek out groups of other parents or professionals that can lend even moral support while you balance priorities. And above all, cut yourself some slack and realize that not everyone is a superhero.

Communicate Often

Little touch-bases really do matter when you don't have the time to connect fully with the people you love. A quick phone call to say hello, or even just a note to say "I'm not there right now, but I'm thinking of you" can go a long way to staying connected to those around you. Perhaps most important is to ASK your friends and family to tell you about what's new in their world. Listening is some of the best attention you can give.

I use phone, email, text message, and even Skype to keep in touch in little snippets. My daughter gets lots of phone calls from the road so she can hear Mommy's voice, and my friends and family get lots of little touch-base moments so they know they're on my mind (and that I'm eternally grateful for their support of my career lifestyle, demanding as it may be).

Demonstrate Your Priorities

How you respond to demands on your time demonstrates a lot to others.

Sometimes that means saying "No" to something that conflicts with other priorities, either professional or personal. Sometimes that means honesty about your bandwidth with the folks asking for your attention; giving them clear timelines about when you CAN respond (even if it's not immediate) can help a lot. Enforcing those off hours can show a great deal, nonverbally; people's feelings really do get hurt when they're sharing your attention with your Twitter DMs or text messages.

It's also important to be in sync with your employer about your family commitments and priorities, and communicating when you need to be off the grid. The key? If you always deliver on your promises, folks won't look sideways at the time you spend in personal places.

Nobody's Perfect

I sure don't always get this balance right. I feel guilt each and every time I get on another airplane, conscious of how fast time flies as my daughter grows up. I'm always seeking balance between my professional ambitions and the security I know I'm providing for my daughter's future, and the time I get to spend with her now - which is the time I can't ever get back.

I have a handful of really close friends that love me unconditionally, and plenty of people that get upset with me because I don't give them the attention they probably deserve. Conversely, I'm sure I frustrate people when it takes me days to respond to an email that's a lower priority to me but perhaps more important to them. I'm human and I have limitations, and I'm doing the best I can with what I've got. But I'll sure never apologize for putting my daughter first, and my family and close friends close behind.  They're what makes all this craziness worth it.

How do you balance family, friends and being a workshifter?

Photo by: doou