Our last installment in this series about the qualities of workshifting deals with change. Not change management because that's an organizational process. The idea behind "manage to change" lies in the ability of each individual to change as necessary.

Just as a quick recap, here are the five qualities we've discussed so far:

Really, on some level, all of them deal with our ability to change. Whether it's knowing ourselves, understanding others or handling difficult situations, there is a change component. The concept of "manage to change" focuses on our ability to effectively make a change when needed. It's about knowing ourselves and our circumstances well enough to know when a change is called for and what kind of change needs to be made.

Here are two examples:

It's only natural to rely upon our strengths. And our tendency might be when the going gets tough, to use our strengths because...well, they are our strengths. However, there are times when relying upon those strengths too much can turn those positive and productive behaviors into negative and self-defeating ones.

Let's say a person is known for their ability to lead a group or project. One of their strengths is getting people and responsibilities organized then helping the group maintain productivity. If, however, the person always has to be in charge and is unable to participate without being in a leadership role, then their usually positive behavior becomes unproductive.

The way we can manage to change in the situation is by being cognizant of our strengths and aware of situations when we might be overusing them. This will prevent us from using our preferred behaviors to excess.

The second example is when we use our strengths at the wrong time. A person who uses logical, systemic, analytical behavior is a great person to have on the team. But if the situation calls for listening to people and taking into account their feelings and emotions, then it might be considered inappropriate to use logic and systemic reasoning at that time. In this instance, changing the approach to a more empathetic one would be more effective even though it may not be a strength.

We need to recognize those situations that call for us to leave our comfort zone, regardless of our skill level, to align our behaviors with what is required for the situation.

The more we can manage to change; the greater our potential.

Today's workplaces are becoming more social which, in turn, means they are becoming more personal. If we want to solve the business challenges of the future, the first step is being able to manage ourselves.

Photo Credit: David Reece

The great thing about being a workshifter is that I'm unencumbered by the formal trappings of the corporate office. Well, I don't actually have a corporate office, but you get the idea.

The downside, of course, is that I don't have the infrastructure either. And phone lines never go down and hard drives never crash when it's convenient.

My old, hulking, color laser printer died the other day. To be more precise, it stopped working in the middle of printing out materials for a meeting I had to leave for 30 minutes later. Not optimal.

My community saved me. I called my friend Sheila Butler, who's also the assistant manager for my building, and asked if I could bring her a thumb drive and some paper and print out the copies on her printer. Ten minutes later I was back in business. (Five minutes after that I did a quick product review and had a new laser jet printer on order from Staples.)

We think about community in many ways. Our family and friends. Our colleagues. Our online circles. But there's also our workshifting community (and not just this one), the network of small business owners, independents, home office denizens, and others in our proximity with resources and know-how who can help us out in a pinch. And don't discount the ones among us who do have corporate tech support on speed dial. They're possibly most valuable of all.

Photo Credit: queefette

Sometimes we don't have a choice. Like not being able to leave the house because snow is packed against the storm door. Or not being able to get the car out of the garage because a five-foot snowdrift is jammed against the garage door. Or not being able to drive to work because a two-day blizzard has ushered in dangerously cold winds and more snow than can be cleared easily even with my city's fleet of 150 snowplows.

Mother Nature gave folks in the Twin Cities a heartless punch a couple of weeks ago that still smarts. Days after the snow has stopped swirling, muscles ache from moving mountains of snow from where it landed to where I'd prefer it to be. I'm no stranger to snow; I was born in the Midwest, and though I've had a taste of the good life in California (e.g., the beach at Christmas and flip-flops in January), my family opted to return to the Midwest for reasons that included "seasons" and "weather," and even "snow."

But this storm was a different animal--more ferocious and wild than regular winter. It brought the heartiest among us to knees in bitter agony as snow fell an inch per hour. For two excruciatingly long days, snow pelted frosted windows, accumulated in masses that hid my greyhounds from view, and slapped against exposed faces. Tragically, about a dozen people died during this storm from heart attacks while shoveling, traffic accidents, and house fires that emergency vehicles simply couldn't reach.

Despite the very real dangers of a storm of this magnitude, people put down shovels and silenced snow blowers once Monday rolled around. It was time to commute to workplaces across the city and suburbs. Never mind that the streets weren't entirely cleared of snow. Or that school was canceled because the temperature was considered too dangerous for kids waiting for buses.

Of course, I appreciate that some work must be done at a specific location. One of our neighbors is a resident at a hospital and was scheduled for an ER shift smack-dab in the middle of the storm. He knew he would never make it to work by car, so he donned winter boots and walked the three miles instead. I should mention that he's of Icelandic origin.

For those of us who aren't Icelandic or doctors and who simply need secure access to project files, corporate apps, and email, taking a day or two to work remotely should not even be up for debate--particularly when roads are impassable and weather is dangerous. One more vehicle stuck in a snowdrift does nothing for a worker's productivity and actually presents another delay in getting roads cleared for everyone else (particularly emergency vehicles).

The world is unpredictable. But we can be certain that snow, earthquakes, floods, fires, and tornadoes will interrupt our working lives from time to time. These inevitable natural events will sometimes make travel dangerous or impossible. And they will hopefully make us think differently about how we can effectively be both productive and safe.

As for the Metrodome's roof collapse, all I can offer is this: Even the Vikings aren't immune from a weather-related workplace disruption.

Photo Credit: Jason Wermager

Workshifting requires regular doses of inspiration. This year, I was fortunate to find great inspiration. I thought it would be nice to share some of the names of the people that made me better. A better writer, a better listener, better wine drinker, better father, more patient, more giving, more focused, less inhibited, and just plain made me stand up and pay attention. My hope is that they will do the same for you.

This list isn't exhaustive, and they aren't in any particular order, but I wanted to pass their names along simply to shine a light on some people that deserve to be recognized. Some I know personally, some I don't know at all. Some are recognizable, some are not. People tend to think that the recognizable don't need more recognition. To that, I say we all need to be inspired, and sometimes, a simple thank you may be all the inspiration that's needed.

Phil Terry

Alex Beauchamp

Youngme Moon

Amanda Rose

AJ Leon

Melissa Leon

Scott Harrison

Lynn Koves

Chris Brogan

Georges-Edouard Dias

Terri Holley

Tony Porter

Keith Saarloos

Amber Naslund

Dad-O-Matic

TED Blog

Justin Levy

Budi Kazali

Tim Hayden

Jessica Randazza

Jim Long

Salman Khan

All the best in 2011!

Photo credit: Kicki

"Hi. My name is Heather. I'm a marketing consultant, and I'm self-employed."

You're familiar with the scene, the one with anxious-looking people sitting in chairs cast in a circle. They each take turns introducing themselves, then follow with the statement that balances any socio-economic inequity and forces attention on the common thread tying them all together. Each person's individual story will vary - how they came to be in the room - but the fact remains, they all need support and an outlet in order to be successful.

I have the support of a great tribe of people, and my work is both my creative outlet and my means of earning a living.

But I'm new to self-employment. As in, still-rubbing-grit-out-of-my-eyes type new. I may be a veteran in my field - 18 years now - but am a rookie at running the entire show myself. All the talent and skills in the world won't help me if I can't establish an operational foundation and a recursive loop of lead development.

So what does one do when they need to hit the ground running? When they have the skills but are lost in a new environment? They call on their network, of course.

Everyone has a network of friends and acquaintances, previous co-workers and friends-of-a-friend and even family. When you're shingle is so new it shines, it's crucial to tap into the tribe of who you know to find out what you need to learn. And there's sure to be a lot to learn.

The Trailblazer

One of the first things I did was have lunch with someone who's "been there, done that." This good friend leads an agency of 10 since striking out on her own 5 years ago, shirking the protective cloak provided by a larger, well-steeped institution. She passed along valuable nuggets of advice about finding the right sized CPA firm and how to handle the client who haggles. Her experiences will be invaluable, saving me both time and potential missteps.

The Inside Man

I spent an hour with a well-connected friend, one who recruits talent and advises businesses on training issues. She helped me learn a bit about the mindset of businesses today to help formulate my approach to fresh prospects. She also passed along the contact info for a great resource at the local small business development center. It seems the center has the means to support entrepreneurs like me get set up with an attorney at little to no cost.

The Coach

For a few years, I've had the privilege of meeting with a fantastic professional coach in an on-again, off-again fashion. She's counseled me through some challenging interpersonal issues and helped me learn more about myself through some strengths testing. It can be difficult to explain the benefits a coach can offer because in many ways they're intangible until the individual begins to apply the lessons and practice them each day. Trust me when I say that an objective, professional opinion and advice will be the best money you ever spend provided you're committed to learning how to be the best you can be.

The Posse

Ahhh, the people who love you. Like a cup of hot chocolate, there's comfort in reconnecting with those who want to see you succeed. In my group, there's a designer and photographer, some web developers, copywriters, and an SEO or two. I've found that they're each happy to pitch in their talents to see that I have nicely designed collateral, a few custom hacks to my web site, and more. I'm conscientious of the time they spend and try to give very clear requests at the start to minimize any revisions. Also, I'm trying to feed paying freelance work their way to help offset the time they spend on my own stuff.

These and many more generous, talented people are helping me navigate the early stages of entrepreneurship, for which I'm very thankful. What types would you add to the list? The Voice Of Reason, The Cheerleader, The Little Engine? Let us know who you'd add and why.

Photo Credit: jimmediaart

Winter has come early in the UK - we usually assume snow and ice will only arrive after the New Year - and given me a sharp reminder of how the seasons affect life as a workshifter based mainly at home.

I feel the cold so sitting for long periods at my computer is a recipe for quickly getting chilled to the bone. Just looking out of the window at the snow and frosty garden makes me feel cold. Unconsciously I close up and find myself hunched and full of tension.

And not just physically closed - the dark, short days drive me emotionally and psychologically inwards, which can lead to a dangerous lack of perspective, not to mention humour!

And then there's the sheer inconvenience of getting everyday jobs done when it's snowy outside. 'Popping' to the shops for a few basic groceries involves wrapping up in layers of clothing, lacing up boots, scraping the car, waiting for the windscreen to clear, a slow drive and a tentative walk over treacherous pavements.

It's tempting to try and stay warm by going out less, but that means mixing with fewer people, less input from a different environment and becoming even more susceptible to cabin fever.

I find that in winter I need a much firmer schedule than at other times of the year. Usually I know each morning what I want to achieve that day, but apart from appointments, I'm flexible about how to go about it. If I'm on a roll I'll put off my walk or the errands until I come to a natural break.

In winter I operate much better knowing that at 11 am I'm definitely going to walk into town to the library and to pick up some things for dinner, then come back and get on with a specific task. Sometimes I have to force myself to go out regardless of the weather - it may be an effort but if I don't, I soon regret it. Coworking and Jelly events take on much more significance as highlights in a home working week.

I also cut myself a bit more slack than at other, lighter times of year, like a bit more time to read, tweet and to do less obviously productive tasks that nevertheless are business-related and provide inspiration.

How do you cope with changing weather? Do you find yourself changing your routine as the cold weather sets in?

PS: If you are reading this somewhere like California or Florida and are still with me, how I envy your climate!

Photo Credit: Christen Bouffard

Ah, the holidays. Time to relax, hang out with the family, and celebrate the joys of the season.

This time of year I'm reminded of what it was like to work in an office environment. Work started to slow down as people left early to start their holidays. Quiet afternoons gave way to informal gatherings in the boardroom, for secret Santa gift exchanges and the occasional drink of eggnog and if you were lucky, a drop of rum. By the last day, things were free and easy, and often the office shutdown would commence, between Christmas Eve and January 3rd.

If you're a workshifter, the scene can be very different.

The run up to the holidays can be quite stressful; plowing through billable projects so invoices can be sent (and hopefully paid!) prior to year end keeps us very busy the closer Christmas gets. We don't always have the luxury of a holiday shutdown...deadlines loom in spite of our clients being away. And, somehow we still need to balance our shopping and baking and gift wrapping with social gatherings. Fortunately, there are many ways to ensure a smooth and enjoyable holiday season, even if you're more than a little tied to your desk while everyone else is checking out for the season.

Keep Distractions to a Minimum

Distractions are super high this time of year. Everyone is online talking about shopping, and food, and travel plans, and parties...and you're stuck on the computer trying to get one more proposal out the door, or finish that year end client report. It's pretty easy to get sidetracked by all the fun everyone else is having. So now, more than ever, shut down the Twitter and Facebook streams, and focus. Set your task list for the day and don't even think about peeking at your email or social stream till it's done. Then, at the end of the day, reward yourself with a festive drink and join the party again.

Online Shopping is Your Friend

When you're focused on work, you can be reluctant pull away from the desk and go holiday shopping. This time of year, a one hour trip to the toy store can easily become a three hour marathon, and that's time the average work shifter simply can't afford. A few years ago I started doing my Christmas shopping online and I've never been happier. It takes way less time to place an order than to shop in person, and I find there is often more variety and better deals. And delivery is a snap - after all, you're home most days to accept deliveries, right? There is still a bit of time to shop online and still receive things in time for Christmas. So get on it!

Use the Downtime

No matter how busy you are in the next couple of weeks, it's going to be quiet between Christmas and New Years. So why not use that time wisely? Clean up your office and purge out all the unnecessary junk you've accumulated over the year. File those receipts that have been shoved in that box under your desk. You're going to appreciate those organized receipts in a couple of months when you're swamped again and it's tax time. And perhaps most importantly, don't forget to close up shop yourself for a bit. Set your out of office notice. Don't answer the phone. Turn off your notifications. And just enjoy your family and friends. You've earned the break!

Happy Holidays!

Photo Credit: iampeas

Recently, I caught up with an old college acquaintance. Nick is new to the workshifting world. He is finding his liberation from the cube farm exciting and daunting. His background is in finance, where the office environments are notoriously "cheek in seat." He explained that everyone focused on keeping up with appearances instead of being productive.

Nick now has control over the productivity of his day but is so used to going to the office he feels like an alien in the outside world. He said he catches himself feeling guilty for working in a coffee shop or getting all of his work for the day done early. I let him know he was OK and the feeling will pass.

Flexibility Anxiety

Many new workshifters leave the confines of traditional office life feeling a little like Red as he left Shawshank Prison. It takes a little time to adjust to office anywhere life. I call the experience Flexibility Anxiety.

If you are new to working out of coffee shops, airports, hotels, or a home office, don't worry. You are OK. The sensation of being unplugged from the Matrix will pass. Here are a few posts from workshifting.com that will help you get acclimated to your new professional lifestyle.

How to Prepare for Becoming a Workshifter

7 Considerations for Setting Up a Home Office

Work/Life Balance When Work is Wherever You Are

The Greatest Benefit of Workshifting: The Life Shift

Cast off the need of waiting for the clock to strike five. You no longer need to lose hours sitting in traffic or in pointless meetings. Enjoy working in an environment you control. You now have the freedom of choice.

Take a deep breath. You are OK.

Photo Credit: Sterlic

Last month we published an infographic on the international language of business based on a study that Citrix Online commissioned from Forrester Consulting. Today we're happy to launch the results of that study. The study yielded surprising findings related to generational and cultural working behaviors that impact how businesses communicate and collaborate in an increasingly dispersed workplace, and the implications for the future competitiveness of SMBs.

Key Findings

The study asked information workers of all ages in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia about their business communication habits.

Gen Y does not have the monopoly on technology use and social tools during the work day. Meanwhile, the older generation is getting with the program.

• Gen Y is least likely to share information via text message (26%, compared to 47% of those aged 55+), and least likely to use video conferencing, video chat and web conferencing tools.
  
  
• Gen Y uses social networking the least frequently (40% of Gen Y workers who use social media do so daily, compared to 50% of those aged 55+).
  
  
• Older Boomers (55+) have increased their business use of social media 79% in the past year.  

The younger you are, the less you value meetings - and pay attention.

• Gen Y is least likely to think meetings are efficient. Only 29% of Gen Y workers think meetings used to decide on a course of action are very efficient, compared to 45% of Older Boomers.
  
  
• Gen Y is least likely to pay attention in meetings and barely half (51%) believe it's very important to do so in meetings to decide a course of action.

Americans have more meetings - and pay more attention.

• 90% meet in person to communicate and build relationships, more than any other nationality.
  
  
• Of those, 51% meet daily, compared to a mere 31% of French.
  
  
• 75% of Americans believe it's very important to pay attention in meetings to decide on a course of action, compared to 50% of the French.

The in-person meeting is alive and well, but not necessarily effective.

• 84% of all respondents have in-person meetings, but meetings often don't achieve their goals.
  
  
• Only 45% are very satisfied that planning meetings achieve the task in hand, and only 30% believe such meetings to be very efficient.
  
  
• Across all categories of meetings for designated tasks (e.g. review of documents, plan projects or initiatives, decision on a course of action), less than half of respondents believe those meetings are very efficient.

In an era of multitasking, it's still considered rude in a meeting.

• 83% believe that side conversations are unacceptable during a meeting, and 77% frown on those doing other work on a computer or smartphone.

We still like to look each other in the eye.

• Germans like to see others during meetings (75%), while Americans find it less important (55%) though they have the most in-person meetings.
  
  
• 79% of those aged 55 and over think it's important, compared to 65% of Gen Y.
  
  
• Why? To read body language, say 78%.

Usage among users of collaborative technologies is rising fast.

• 64% of those who use social networking tools in business use them more than last year. Video chat, team document-sharing sites and web conferencing also experienced significant increases in usage, with 56%, 55% and 52% respectively.

If you would like to download a copy of the report, you can find it posted in our Downloads section here.

Recently I listened to a very good TEDx talk given by Jason Fried, titled Why Work Doesn't Happen at Work.  Much of what he espouses, I agree with, such as a traditional office is not our most productive work environment.  His issue with the office is involuntary interruptions and meetings.  Jason says that meetings are "toxic, terrible, poisonous things..."

Admittedly, Jason and I are in the same industry and, as such, mass collaboration outside of traditional office structures benefits us greatly.  However, I am not as fanatical about eliminating in-person meetings.  In fact, the very conference he spoke at was, by its very nature, a meeting. 

Workshifting is not about the elimination of meetings.  It is about enhancing productivity by focusing on a results based work environment that is location agnostic.  However, face-to-face meetings are critical for developing relationships and building culture.

When I need to be head-down in a project, I go anywhere that will provide me solitude.  However, that solitude is not where I do my best work.  My best work is done in and around the company of others.  Be it face-to-face, or online. The key is creating a workshifting environment that provides the flexibility for both. 

Don't cancel all your meetings, but cancel those that don't add value.  A great to test is to simply take the meeting off of the calendar and see if anyone notices.  Same goes for reports or updates you are sending.  Stop sending, see if anyone comes knocking on your door.  Lastly,  just ask people what value they are getting from a meeting.

Online or offline, we meet to collaborate, solve problems and to connect.  If your meetings are not some combination of those attributes, it may be time to take Jason's advice, and kill them.

What works best for you?

Photo Credit: jough

The University of Arizona recently announced that a team of researchers developed a new type of holographic telepresence that allows the projections of a "three-dimensional moving image without the need for special eyewear such as 3D glasses or other auxiliary devices."

They compare the technology to the 3D hologram images of Princess Leia in the Star Wars films. Remember the scene where R2D2 projects a 3D image of the troubled princess reaching out for help to Luke Skywalker?

The team of researchers apparently developed a screen made from a novel photorefractive material that is capable of refreshing holograms every two seconds. This makes it the first to achieve a speed that can be described as quasi-real-time, according to Pierre-Alexandre Blanche, an assistant research professor in the UA College of Optical Sciences. (For more details, check out the Nature cover story on the technology and this UA video.)

The UA announcement states that the technology is likely to take applications ranging from telemedicine, advertising, updatable 3D maps and entertainment. But imagine for a moment what type of implications this could have on Workshifting.

Holographic Workshifting

With this type of holographic technology, you could beam yourself to a conference room in Denver with an array of web cams on your end and a 3D display using a laser system on the other end. The camera would capture several different perspectives of you talking, while a computer processes them into a cohesive image on the other end.

While the team of researchers concedes that they still have a lot of development work ahead of them, the idea of holographic Workshifting is pretty cool.

Remote presentations would become much more impressive and impactful - instead of simply being a voice on the phone or computer screen, you'd actually be there...in the room...well, sort of.

But it's kind of freaky, too. You'll be able to see the person in front of you - life size, I presume. But you still won't be able to interact with them like you would in real life. And I can only imagine the cables and cameras and screens that will be needed to make these types of projections happen. I chuckle when I think of me and my colleagues trying to figure out how to make something like this work.

What do you guys think? Can you imagine becoming a holographic Workshifter?

Photo Credit: philmabs

Being a workshifter involves doing a lot of things independently - resolving your own conflicts, figuring out the solutions to your own problems and creating your own work. It also involves thinking about your own future and generating your professional development plan.

In a traditional office environment, your boss might tell you what skills to develop. When the boss doesn't see you all the time, they might - scratch that - they will rely upon you for input. That's where knowing yourself comes into play. You want to be confident in the things you do well and have specific examples of when you've used that skill.

Be prepared to discuss what skills you'd like to develop. It might be something that will help you do your work easier, better or faster. It could also be a skill you would like to acquire for the future.

Once you agree on that skill or quality you want to develop, think about how you want to go about learning it. We all have preferred methods of learning. Have you ever heard someone come back from a workshop only to say they could have learned everything they needed to know by reading the book? This is why understanding how you like to learn will be very valuable to you.

Audio learners like to learn by listening. This could be at a lecture or podcast.

Visual learners want to see to gain understanding. Charts, graphs, diagrams, pictures, films are all visual learning mediums. Visual learners might also like to learn via books.

Kinesthetic learners prefer to have a hands-on learning experience. They enjoy the opportunity to practice the activity, conduct an experiment or maybe even role play.

No style of learning is better or worse. It's understanding the best style for you that makes the difference. For instance, if you're a visual learner then the last thing that might interest you is attending a lecture. To the point, if you did attend the lecture, you might not learn anything.

You might also find that you gravitate toward different learning styles depending upon the subject. An example might be learning how to create a spreadsheet pivot table (by doing it which is kinesthetic) versus learning the history of blogging via a lecture.

Being in tune with not only the subjects you want to learn but your preferred learning style creates greater opportunities for you. It allows you to allocate your resources (time, money, etc.) toward those experiences that will help you learn the most.

In today's work environment, it's important to understand that we as individuals are in control of our professional development. And what better way to drive your career than by establishing your own development plan on your terms.

Photo credit: Wesley Fryer

A friend of mine recently proposed a modified work schedule to her employer of six years. She currently works the standard 40+ hours spread out over five days, but she'd prefer to work the same number of hours in a compressed four-day workweek. Based on casual conversations she'd had with HR and her boss, the proposal was merely a formality; she fully expected the request to be a slam dunk.

So when her boss said no, it took the wind right out of her sails.

The reasons behind the rejection were vague and seemed inconsistent with the company's official position published in the employee handbook. And instead of transitioning to an exciting new work routine, my friend felt stymied and frustrated.

I can't ignore the obvious parallels between making the case for a four-day workweek and making the case for workshifting. As we redefine the working life, we sometimes come toe-to-toe with those who have little to no experience with a more intuitive way of working. And the reaction can be one of resistance due to fear of the unknown or a perceived loss of control.

Regardless, the ways in which we work are becoming far more organic than the traditional 9-5 cubicle routine. The fact of the matter is that we're working smarter than ever before by learning to leverage new assets (technology) and angles (locations or optimal times for peak performance) to be more productive, more creative and more accountable to ourselves, our work and our employers or clients.

The desire for a greater work/life balance is what led my friend to explore a four-day workweek. If she were allowed to pursue this slightly modified work routine, she'd likely be a happier person, as well as a happier employee--maybe even healthier. Unfortunately, confusion about the arrangement and inconsistencies about the way it is interpreted throughout her company have had the opposite effect and have even led her to question her long-term loyalty to the organization--certainly not an ideal outcome.

My friend plans to appeal the decision, and that means she has some work to do. Here are the strategic steps she's taking to build her case for a four-day workweek:

1. Research the specific type of arrangement and glean tangible data from reliable studies.
2. Talk with others who have successfully implemented this type of arrangement. What were their strategies for gaining approval and making things work?
3. Ask human resources professionals for guidance. (My friend happens to have a friend in the field.) 
4. Armed with data, steeped in the experience of others and full of HR wisdom, sit down with the boss for an honest, straightforward conversation. 
5. Consider negotiating a three-month trial period. Then assess strengths and challenges with management and HR at the end of the trial.

Incidentally, Utah recently conducted a four-day workweek experiment involving more than 17,000 state employees. Immediate benefits included reduced utility costs, improved customer service and greater work/life balance. I hope my friend's boss takes note.

Have you ever had to deal with resistance to modifying your work schedule or location? How did you deal with it?

Photo credit: Paranoideo

As any worker knows, the holidays and work clash.  We want to enjoy time with family, overeat on Thanksgiving, shop like mad on Black Friday, but the demands of work get in the way.

For example, I work 1500 miles away from my family and Grammie.  While I love the beaches of Santa Barbara, I miss being close to them in the cowboy country of Oklahoma.

As my Grammie's health has been declining this year, my company and remote technology has allowed me to work from Oklahoma for the holidays.

This has made my Grammie happy and my life that much richer.  My Grammie has written workshifting a thank you letter as a result (below).

Thank you to workshifting (from me and my Grammie), and thank you to the innovation of technology that allows all of us to work from anywhere.

Your most loyal supporters,
Jessica and Grammie J