Have you heard about the study published in the March issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior that found the eroding boundary between work and family life takes a greater toll on women than men?

That's right - while some see workshifting as a woman's best friend, the study found that the constant availability via cell phone or email adds more stress to their lives, instead of decreasing it.

Paul Glavin, a doctoral candidate in sociology at the University of Toronto, led a team that looked at the emotional aspects of the balancing act between work and home. They surveyed 1,000 working men and women and found that women who were contacted frequently by work while away from the office reported feeling higher levels of psychological distress than men who were contacted frequently.

Turns out the study showed that it's not that women didn't have the chops to handle both roles. It's that they felt guilty about having the roles blurred.

"Initially, we thought women were more distressed by frequent work contact because it interfered with their family responsibilities more so than men," said Glavin. "However, this wasn't the case. We found that women are able to juggle their work and family lives just as well as men, but they feel more guilty as a result of being contacted. This guilt seems to be at the heart of their distress."

I assume the guilt has a lot to do with the "traditional" mother and wife roles that were (and still are) assigned to women. As a result there is likely more guilt associated with the fear of not meeting those expectations - regardless of whether they are verbalized or not, or whether work contact at home actually hindered either of those roles.

I'm wondering also if it has a lot to do with setting unrealistic expectations, both on the home and the work front.

What do you think? Have you experienced these feelings of guilt? If so - how have you dealt with them? And what about those workshifting couples out there - have you noticed that your partner handles stress differently than you do?

Photo Credit: Surreal Sways

I've noticed that articles giving advice on working from home frequently claim it's essential to have a separate room so you can close a door on distractions during the working day and then shut work behind you at night. They imply that if you don't have a spare room you shouldn't really be thinking about working from home. Is this true?

Whereas some people may prefer this as the ideal way of working, experience and many home workers tell me it most certainly is not essential. Which is fortunate, as the price of property means many family homes are already full to bursting and the cost of acquiring an extra room or two is prohibitive.

Think Differently about Your Workspace

So what to do when you want to start working from home? A new home worker told me it was a case of thinking differently about the space she did have. Sharing a London flat with a flatmate, she didn't want to work in either the kitchen or living room, as those were the rooms for relaxation after work. Nor did she like the idea of working in her bedroom, as business and sleep are such mutually exclusive activities! But then... a brainwave.

She had the brilliant idea to put a desk in front of her bedroom window, to take advantage of the view and keep her back to the rest of the room. Even more cleverly, she chose a glass desk and clears her work away into a wardrobe, newly fitted out with shelves, at the end of the day. The simple see-through desk now 'disappears' into the pink curtains at night and she gets her bedroom back.

Another option is to find a space that's currently wasted and put it to good use. A freelance writer has created her own research and writing zone by putting a desk under the stairs and pinning pictures and cuttings on the wall. Neat and out of the way, but it instantly spells work-time when she settles down there.

Understand Your Personal Workspace Needs

The kind of work you do means you might not need a permanent base at home anyway. I know a photographer who sets up her laptop on the living room table when she needs to do some editing, and the rest of the time is out and about taking pictures. Similarly, you may spend a lot of time at meetings, travelling or on clients' premises.

I'd hate to think that people might be put off working from home just because they don't have a dedicated office. Even if you do, it may not be the answer for everyone. I've met home workers who have spent time and money setting up a nice home office, only to find they hate being there because they feel too cut off from the rest of the family! As with any other aspect of workshifting, you get the best results if you understand your own needs, even if that goes against the conventional wisdom.

Photo Credit: Citrix Online

Do me a favor and think about the top tools that you like to use for workshifting.

Now if you are like me, I will bet that some, if not all, of the tools that you just came up with have some social aspect to them. Mark Zuckerberg is right, humans are social creatures and like to feel like they are part of something bigger, something that we can connect to. Much like the community we are building here at Workshifting.com, we all like to have somewhere to go to find people of like mind and thoughts and workshifters are no different.

If I were going to rattle off a list that many of you might have, I would bet it might include Twitter, Facebook, maybe a few LinkedIn's, but if your company is like a lot of others these tools are a no-no for use in the enterprise. To a certain extent there are valid arguments for not allowing these tools. Sharing company-specific information on a social network could be considered a bad idea. How many times have we seen Tweets or Facebook posts that have come back to haunt someone?

So what's a good workshifter to do? Why not consider introducing one of the new "enterprise class" social networking tools into your business? Companies of all sizes are starting to realize that the traditional ways of hiring and managing people are just not going to work any longer. The value of allowing people to communicate and collaborate in ways they feel comfortable is quickly becoming the present and future way that we are going to work.

The good news is that the enterprise social tools are getting better; I wanted to throw out a few that I know of and hopefully you can leave some that you like in the comments.

Microsoft SharePoint - If you are a Microsoft shop, SharePoint has quickly become the go-to intranet site for your business. Because it takes the tools that most companies use and love, the Microsoft Office suite, and builds in tight integration with SharePoint, the functionality is hard to beat. Microsoft has seen the social light and is quickly trying to build social aspects into their products and their latest release, SharePoint 2010, has the most social hooks to date. Best of all is that there are several bolt-on products from companies like Newsgator that can kick the social aspect up a notch.

Yammer - I consider Yammer to be the Twitter for the enterprise. Much like Twitter, Yammer allows you to create a profile for each of your employees, post and reply to comments and thoughts, securely share files, and direct message each other all via their app. They even have a great starting price: free! All you need is a company email address to sign up.

Salesforce.com Chatter - When you hear "Salesforce" you might instantly think CRM but they have rolled out a new collaboration tool that is getting pretty good reviews. I consider Chatter to be more like an internal, private Facebook for your business and all of the good Facebook features are there. Profiles, groups, status updates, file sharing - all that you need to help make your business more collaborative.

How about you? These are a few that I have come up with. Which ones would you add?

Photo Credit: stitch

A workshifting life can be a life spent largely in the confines of one's own head, whether at home, driving, on planes or in hotel rooms. It's one of the workshifting realities. I recently met someone at a networking event and we were discussing the drawbacks of this much solitude. He said he used to spend hours alone every day in his car and although an introvert by nature, in the end he grew to hate his own company.

I find that a big disadvantage of spending time alone is the danger of losing perspective. The lack of exposure to other people's ideas means my own thoughts and opinions get rather too well reinforced. For example, I remember being very motivated by Harvey Mackay's book Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty and particularly struck by his exhortation not to 'say no for the other guy'. In other words, never assume you can't ask somebody something, don't talk yourself out of a possibility by assuming they will say no.

I took this on board for a while but over the months I've slipped back into believing my own assumptions. Ever since my book was published almost two years ago, I've been meaning to ask a few people to put a review on Amazon for me. I know they like and recommend the book, they've said so, but somehow the moment passed and it seemed awkward to do it so long afterwards. I kept putting it off, saying no for the other guy, until my publisher nagged me about it a couple of weeks ago.

It's weird what you'll keep putting off until someone else asks you to do it, isn't it? I sent a couple of emails and immediately got a cheery reply - 'Of course I'll post a review, loved the book etc etc.' And the review appeared a few minutes later. I haven't heard from the other recipient, but maybe they're just busy. They either will, or they won't, but at least now there's an equal chance they will!

Assumptions - don't you just hate the way they come crawling up without you even noticing, until they've taken up full-time residence and it needs a big push to get rid of 'em?

What assumptions have you conquered to become a more effective workshifter?

Photo Credit: Justin Levy

We've brought some new people on board at our company recently. This week, we have two new students working with us on internship. They will be with us for the next 6 weeks or so, working on web development, design and video projects.

As we're a virtual office, our team members are free to work in whatever space they choose, on whatever schedule works best for them.

This kind of flexibility is very appealing to our teams, many of whom are freelancers who have other clients and work to juggle around the projects they do for us. We find that, because they are afforded the freedom to choose the terms of their work environment, they are much happier and more productive.

However, welcoming a new person on board your virtual team can present some different challenges than bringing someone into your physical work environment. It's challenging enough to be the new guy or gal, and if you're not physically with the team on a daily basis, it's easy to feel isolated or confused. Here are some tips for getting your remote teams up and running with ease.

Face to Face is a Must

The first day on the job for your new staffer, make sure that you spend some time face to face. If you can't be in the same room (because you live in different cities, for instance), then set up a video call. That time spent looking each other in the eye will go a long way to building a good relationship. If you can, invite other team members to the meeting as well, so everyone can meet and establish a rapport. Discuss the new person's role in the company, and lay out projects, tasks and deadlines clearly. Draw pictures, make lists, and explain the process and flow of communications expected.

Laying out your expectations and the company's processes clearly at the beginning will avoid a lot of confusion down the road, and doing this face to face rather than on the phone or via email will help the new person to feel more comfortable right off the bat.

Set Them Up for Success

Prior to their start date, make sure you have all their access points set up. Create their email account and test it out. We use Google Apps for our email, because it also gives our team access to Documents, Calendar and other tools for sharing information, and integrates well with tools that a lot of people are already using. 

Share relevant documents with them through Google Docs, or share folders with them on Dropbox containing all of the documents they will need to get up and running on their projects. Sharing documents this way is far better than emailing them a bunch of attachments, which can get lost in the shuffle. 

Make sure the new person has the contact information for everyone they will be working with. 

Ensure they understand reporting procedures for updates etc, and that they area clear on the best ways to contact team members. 

Remember, especially when working with freelancers, they are being paid by the hour...so whatever you can do to set them up to hit the ground running their first day, will actually make them more productive and save you money.

Be Available

There are always many questions when anyone starts a a new project. In fact, I get worried when a new person doesn't ask enough questions!

Make sure you are open and available the first few days to answer questions and clarify things for the new person. Be prepared to have a follow-up face-to-face if need be, to get them up and running smoothly. Your support at this point will go a long way to making them more comfortable in their new role and to establishing a trusting relationship on both sides.

I've found that typically, after the first week, most people (if you've done your hiring right!) are comfortable and confident and can move forward on projects. As long as you are clear about objectives and deadlines, and keep the lines of communication open, your remote teams will be efficient, productive and happy!

Photo Credit: renaissancechambara

A few weeks ago we told you about the "Freedom to Let Go" contest that GoToMyPC was running to celebrate the launch of their GoToMyPC for iPad app. The three finalists have been announced and now the voting begins!

Voting is open now and you can continue voting through March 30th. The video with the most votes will win $10,000, an iPad and a year of GoToMyPC. And don't worry, all videos are only 30 seconds so it won't take a lot of time to watch them and then cast your vote. The three finalists were really creative with their submissions so hopefully you'll enjoy them.

The three finalists are:

Keep John away from "The John"
John works in an office in close proximity to the office restrooms. If he had the Freedom To Let Go he'd spend more time away from the office (and the restroom) and more with his family at home and on the road.

  

Super Skinny
Matt is skinny and if he had the Freedom To Let Go, he'd let go in Vegas

 

I Would Hang Out with Farmers (Really!)
Olivia wants to help people learn where food comes from. With an iPad and GoToMyPC, she'd travel around the country sharing farmers stories to help educate and inspire people around the country.

Now go run over to the GoToMyPC Facebook Page and cast your vote now!

A few generations ago, companies used to look no further than their immediate neighborhoods to staff their organizations. People were able to walk to work and even eat lunch at home with the family; companies were able to satisfy the demand for productivity with an eager supply of local workers.

But sometimes companies moved or closed up shop altogether. And when this happened, the surrounding neighborhoods took a tremendous socio-economic hit. Job losses led to housing vacancies and that undoubtedly placed enormous stress on families. People who had lived for years in a stable community packed up and left for better opportunities elsewhere.

I've seen the aftermath of this in my own neighborhood decades after three internationally recognized companies either closed or shifted operations elsewhere. The loss of nearby employment opportunities had a profound impact on the surrounding community. Even today, old-timers are eager to share memories of the good old days when jobs were plentiful for anyone with a penchant for hard work.

Here's the thing: placing all your eggs in one basket is always a risky strategy, whether you are an employer hiring from a single neighborhood, an employee looking no further than the business down the block or a community sustaining itself on the productivity of a single organization. And maybe it's just me, but there's something unsavory about a homogenized workforce lacking in global influence or perspective.

Globalization - and the workshifting tools that enable a global marketplace - have opened up untold opportunities for companies to look beyond the immediate neighborhood for talent, which creates a stronger, more competitive business. Employees, too, can look further than a nearby employer for opportunities and growth. And all the while, we're learning how to create community on a global scale.

Interestingly, members of the mobile workforce can still walk to work just like yesteryear (or in my case, walk upstairs) and eat lunch at home with the family (or their pack of greyhounds). Workshifting brings us back to a few basic old-school values while serving up some very modern advantages for businesses and workers alike.

Photo Credit: mlhradio

With the limelight shining particularly bright on it during Telework Week 2011, it occurred to me that "workshifting" is not merely a type of work arrangement, but also a state of mind and mode of behavior.

Many a time, a workshifter's reality is envied and aspired to; rarely are the coping mechanisms and behavioral discipline needed to survive and thrive in this space closely acknowledged or examined. Fortunately, this very forum has explored the impact of isolation, distractions and the need for structural rituals among workshifters.

What most do not realize is that workshifting may not only trigger but also force significant changes in job responsibilities, efficiency and work efforts. At the same time, it is expected that output will not change and, in many cases, should improve! But therein lies the paradox. The perceived "Workshifting Utopia" is characterized by flexible work schedules, more time to balance personal and professional life, and the joys of a home office; yet we must recognize and respect the degree of self-discipline, structure, ingenuity and pure proactivity required to effectively work remotely and independently.

And, as all workshifters unite and aspire to see a greater majority of organizations adopt and promote the workshifting lifestyle, we must warn these organizations to hire carefully for the lifestyle, search for self-adjusting, independent individuals who rate an "A" in self-efficacy. As more and more organizations adopt telework into their culture, they will realize the positive correlation between teleworking employees' ability to cope within a flexible work context and successful entry into the workshifting space we all know and love!

What do you think makes a successful workshifter?

Photo Credit: Scoobymoo

I have a sometimes problem. It has to do with "soft" deadlines and medium-level priorities.

Now I never miss a milestone or a "hard" due date for a project that actually matters to someone other than myself. Interviews? Check. Drafts and finals? Check. Launch dates? Check. After practice pick-up? Check. My problem, it seems, is my inability to consistently keep a commitment to myself. I do just fine with other people. What's up with that?

Take my business blog, for example. I'm good about keeping a list of possible titles and links to resources I might want to reference. I even accepted that a twice weekly posting schedule is the frequency I can reasonably commit to. I also know that time is money, and striking a balance between keeping my blog fresh (which is undoubtedly good for business development) and doing hands-on work for clients (the ones paying me now) is imperative. And yet I think I spent about 4 hours on a single post yesterday. Sigh.

It wasn't 4 straight, uninterrupted hours. "Uninterrupted" went out of my vocabulary 14 years ago with the arrival of my first child; by my estimation I have another 13 years before the word gets reintroduced. That is, assuming my youngest takes flight at age 18.

So I had better get this "soft deadline" thing worked out, eh?

Recently I stumbled across something called the Pomodoro Technique. Heard of it? It's supposed to be a life-altering approach to time management that "eliminates the anxiety of time" and "enhances focus and concentration." Raise your hands, folks. I *know* I'm not the only one who gets anxious over time. Where it goes, how much I have left, whether it was billable, what I missed when I used it for X instead of for Y, how much of it the other things on my list will take, ad nauseum. My color-coded task list doesn't actually get the work done; it just helps me feel better about being organized. But I've found, after 18 years in the work force, that being organized just isn't enough to get me to buckle down and muster through my own personal, heaping task list. It just sits at the corner of my desk and mocks me.

Pomodoro is based on the theory of time-boxing. Time-boxing is a fixed time constraint. The goal is to steadily increase efficiencies by decreasing the units of time needed to complete a task.

The general idea:

1. Plan your day's tasks. Not a full week's worth of stuff, but just for today.
2. Choose one task.
3. Give yourself a hard 25 minutes to work on it. Set a timer.
4. Work on the task. When time's up, put a check mark next to the task.
5. Take a 5-minute break. Stretch, check email, send a tweet, etc.
6. Repeat steps 3-5. When complete, start back on step 2 and repeat.
7. Every four pomodoros (increments of 25-min work), take a longer break. Assess your progress. Assemble your thoughts on what's needed to complete the open tasks.
8. At the end of the day, add up your pomodoros. With a few days under your belt, you should start to see some patterns emerge.

I think this approach could be a little tough to manage at first. Reading through the guide, it discusses those pesky little "internal interruptions" we all have - a quick call, a short email, a fly-by to see what's up on Twitter. We allow ourselves these little excuses and distractions because they don't seem to amount to much. But the reality is, when you add them all up, several hours of each day just evaporate because one interruption or distraction leads to two... and by then, it's almost time for lunch so maybe you should just go early.

Anyone up for giving Pomodoro a try? I'd be willing to try it if I had a partner, someone to bounce the experience off of. Let me know by pinging me on Twitter, @heatherrast.

Photo Credit: RLHyde

Did you know that hospitals have great wifi?

Granted, a hospital is a weird place to workshift. But it can be done. Of course, I don't recommend a steady dose of it, because it tends to mean that you or someone you love is stuck in one. In my case: my mom. Without delving into the details, suffice it to say she was in the ICU for a week and in the hospital for two.

I've written in the past about how to avoid work pitfalls when you get sick. When someone close to you is in the hospital, however, you have to adjust to that, too. It's just not in the same way.

Here are my 5 tips for workshifting from the ICU:

1. Assess the Limitations. As workshifters, we're used to typing away in unusual venues and talking business in sub-optimal places. I even initiated a client call once when I was in a bar (disclosure: I was hosting an event, and I did give the client a heads up about the timing). But the ICU is not a place where you should be making or taking phone calls.
   
   
2. Give Clients (or Bosses) a Heads Up. Clients don't need (or want) the nitty gritty details, but they do need to know your schedule's in some flux. I was supposed to be setting up interviews for one project; we negotiated what had to be done and what could be postponed a week. (It helps to have great clients.)
   
   
3. There's a Human "Need to Know," Too. It's useful for clients and bosses to know your head isn't fully in the game. It's okay. We're human, and it happens. We just have to share that fact with other people from time to time.
   
   
4. Think Pen and Paper. There were enough machines in the ICU without my computer to get in the way. I used a pen and paper to draft several blog posts and work on some client stuff.
   
   
5. Books Are Good. I had a book review to write, which meant a book to read. The ICU is a quiet place to catch up on reading. I also used my Google Reader app to skim through posts on my Droid.

Yes, I did put the wifi to good use--after my mom was moved to a regular medical ward. (She's now back home recovering.) And I discovered that the cafeteria serves a good breakfast, making me wonder if it might be a good place to hang out and get some work done in the future. That is, if I hadn't already decreed that my family should boycott hospitals for a while.

Where's the craziest place you've workshifted lately?

Photo Credit: nerissa's ring

I remember the days when I used be able to go to work early and stay late. I'd wake up naturally to the sun peeking into my room, jump in the shower and get ready for work. Now that I'm a full-time working mom, my mornings and evenings are a bit different. It's more like a Barnum & Bailey production with me as the ringmaster. Well, perhaps it's my son who is the ringmaster. Either way, it's certainly a circus and probably entertaining enough to be a new reality show on Bravo or TLC.

Our nanny doesn't arrive until 8 AM, so I can't head out the door and start my day any sooner. Then, I have to get out of the office early enough to relieve our nanny and try and spend some quality time with my son before his bedtime - no easy task with a hectic workload. During the first few months of leaving the office with time to do that, I found myself quietly grabbing my keys and walking the furthest route to the door in order to leave undetected. I didn't want the potential glares and grumbles from co-workers as I strolled out of the building at 4 PM. So I'd slink off and hear the run-down of my son's day, play until his bedtime, and then go back to work in my home office. So why did I feel like my walk to the car at 4 PM was something to be ashamed of? I was getting my work done; it just wasn't in the traditional 9-5 time period.

Let's get real here for a second here, though. Workshifting is a privilege and not a right. Of course there will be some people who abuse it. Heck, maybe even more than some. But that shouldn't ruin it for others, who truly care about their job and need more flexibility to create a proper work-life balance. There are far too many remote access and online meeting tools out there to be confined to your office building. When I tell people about my schedule and situation I usually get an expression of shock, envy, or both. But I keep saying to these people, working from home doesn't have to be reserved for online survey takers, ad clickers, or cold callers. It's just another option and tool that everyone should be able to have. Perhaps employers and organizations need to think less about the potential abuse and more about making life easier for their employees. I no longer look at my departure as a walk of shame, but rather something I've earned over time and am proud of doing.

What do you think holds companies back from allowing their employees to workshift?

Photo Credit: dcmetropeople

I am an avid workshifter - although I commute regularly to our headquarters in lovely Santa Barbara, I am based in our new and stylish downtown San Francisco office. I frequently need to meet people in a wide range of locations in and around the Bay Area - sometimes the airport, or Citrix Systems' Santa Clara office, or even from my home office mid-way on the peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose. As I travel, I am always on the lookout for places where I can arrange business meetings away from formal office environments - usually as a matter of convenience - saving time and enabling me to be more productive.

In doing so, I have observed how places around us are responding to the progressive increase in people workshifting. It is interesting to see how these changes are being reflected in everyday places people go and how space is being used differently. For instance, we are increasingly used to being able to connect to the Internet and work at airports, or in coffee shops and even book shops. Coffee shops are almost becoming a standard place for people to meet and work outside of their formal offices, particularly when people are working from home but don't want to necessarily invite business acquaintances into the privacy of their own homes. What is interesting is how other locations are now adjusting to enable people to meet and work.

For instance, one example is my local athletic center. As you can imagine, this has always been popular and is busy with people coming and going using the wide range of facilities that are offered - well-equipped gyms, tennis courts, pools, basketball, volleyball and badminton courts, a spa and café, to name but a few of the attractions. The center has recently started a remodeling project and, as part of this, is creating additional meeting places and enclaves from which one can work, provided with additional power outlets and free wifi.

Their membership includes using the central location, easy access (just off freeway 101), free parking, free wifi, and a pleasant environment in which to mix business and pleasure. Meet friends and business contacts in less formal surroundings, enjoy the facilities and get work done. There are even facilities provided where parents can leave their children under professional supervision while using the facilities for business or pleasure.

I have occasionally used the center as a place both to work or to meet contacts for business purposes and usually find that I am not alone. It is really becoming a blended facility - work, relax, play, meet, whatever - from early in the morning to late at night. As the traditional boundaries between work time and free time disappear, so the way we have previously used facilities is also starting to change to reflect this new reality, as evidenced by my local athletic center. It will be interesting to see how other places may change to reflect the new reality that is workshifting.

Have you ever tried workshifting at your local athletic club? What was your experience?

Photo Credit: redlionhoteldenver

"The most expensive thing you will ever own is your ego."

These wise words were spoken to me several years ago by one of my mentors. Workshifting doesn't exempt us from working with others and in many cases places a premium on our ability to build relationships in non-traditional work environments.

One of the biggest hurdles to working with others is ego. I have seen more than one business fail because the owners, employees, or customers had ego problems. Small things that could have been remedied with a little humility and perspective cost them everything. Here are four indicators of an unhealthy ego. Learning how to spot these things will save time, money, and most of all, relationships.

1. Me-monster - I borrowed this term from Brian Regan. If a person's ego is bloated, they will talk about themselves too much. We've all seen that guy that turns every conversation into a story about him. Healthy egos listen more than they talk. Go [here] to listen to Brian talk about me-monsters.
   
   
2. Resent other peoples' recognition - Unhealthy ego's hate it when others get the recognition it feels like it deserves. Resentment and hurt is felt instead of congratulations. Healthy egos do the right thing and don't care who gets the credit.
   
   
3. Unteachable - One of the first signs of a hazardous ego is when people stop learning. When you become unteachable you stop growing and think there is nothing new to learn. Learning is a sign of humility, which is a cornerstone of a properly aligned ego.
   
   
4. Critical of others - De-edifying and criticizing people instead of complementing and encouraging is a sure symptom. Tearing down of others happens because inflated egos like to judge people and their actions. Being secure in one's identity removes the need to compare yourself to others.

Successful workshifting is dependent on strong relationships among all the parties involved and great relationships hinge upon healthy egos. Have you dealt with any unhealthy egos in your organization? How did you remedy them?

Photo Credit: marioanima

First question: Did you get up this morning and say, "Yes, world, I'm so excited to check my inbox! Bring it on"?

Trick question! No one says this--no one sane anyway. Being a happy worker doesn't mean you love your job every second of the day; it doesn't mean you enjoy every task you're given. It simply means you're satisfied with your work and life balance, you are more productive than others, and you find fulfillment in your work.

QUIZ TIME! Are You a Happy Worker or a Sad (Disengaged) Worker?

Do you have enough time in the day to complete your "to-do" list?

• A) I have time to accomplish the main priorities because I have workplace flexibility and can leave the office setting to avoid distractions
• B) I don't even have time to write a "to-do" list

Work gets in the way of my personal life and home responsibilities?

• A) Never to sometimes
• B) Often to Always

Are you thinking about other job opportunities outside of your company?

• A) I'm content with my work and there are unique benefits of working for my company
• B) I want outta here.

RESULTS

Mostly A's - You are a happy worker (yay, you!). Please refer to the left column of the infographic to find out why you are engaged and more satisfied with your work than others. Then refer to the right column to see why you have it better ;)

Mostly B's - You are disengaged and need the solution of workshifting to pump you up. Please refer to the right column of the infographic to see why you're disengaged and how you relate to your peers. Then refer to the left column where you'll learn what you need to do in order to make your professional happiness soar. And finally, submit a 30- second video to win the chance to workshift for free! We will give you 10K, an iPad and a year of GoToMyPC so you can work on the move.

What's your verdict - happy or disengaged??

The tools that enable us to workshift are important, but it's the human aspects of workshifting that make it successful.

I recently switched from a company where workshifting is in their DNA, to a new company, where the value of workshifting is still being defined. I find myself having the same conversations we all had a few years ago. I'm talking about a Results-Only Work Environment; I'm touching on productivity improvements, employee moral and satisfaction, and so on.

Invariably, the "tools" conversation is pushed front and center. I reframe the conversation and tell people not to get romanced by the tools, and instead, focus on the desired behavior and outcome. Which, in my opinion, a successful outcome is one in which the employee, team member, staff, spouse, rodeo clown or whatever you want to call them, are blissfully happy and productive.

Anyone that has the freedom to work from anywhere understands exactly what I'm talking about. A typical day of workshifting is dramatically different than a day in the office. For example, as I'm writing this post I'm wearing my gym clothes, boiling some eggs, monitoring my community on Twitter and all while listening to the sounds of spring outside my window.

I know it sounds idyllic, and it is. Now, my typical day in the office is great, but different. I need to physically see and be around the people I work with. It's very important to maintain a personal connection that simply can't be derived via digital tools. It's the in-person relationship building that makes me appreciate workshifting that much more.

So next time you're staring down the "tools" conversation, bring it back full circle and focus on the behavior and desired outcome, the rest will work itself out.

Photo Credit: InfusionSoft

Yes, you read that title correctly and no it isn't just title-bait to get you to click on this post. Have you ever wanted the freedom to just let go of work? Of the office? Of the 9-5 grind? A chance to restore work-life balance into your life. If you had the chance to do that, what would you do? Where would you go? Who would you see?

We've written extensively about work-life balance and hear stories every day from our community about the inability to take time away from work because of project responsibilities, financial concerns and sometimes just a lack of time to even plan a getaway.

We've heard you yelling from the rooftops and are coming to the rescue. If you didn't hear, earlier this week GoToMyPC launched their GoToMyPC for iPad app and we wanted to find a way to celebrate. Since the teams who worked so hard on this project, and are responsible for keeping the lights on around here, are already heads down back on new projects, we want to celebrate with YOU!

We're giving away $10,000, an iPad and a one-year subscription to GoToMyPC. What if we told you it only took 30-seconds to potentially win all of that and all you had to do was tell us what you would do if you had the freedom to let go. Sounds impossible, right? Wrong. Here are the contest details:

ENTER: Film a 30-second video sharing your "Freedom to Let Go" story, then post it on the GoToMyPC Facebook Page by 11:59 PM (EST) on March 18, 2011. It's that simple.

HOPE: We will pick three finalists and announce them on March 23. Then it's up to you and your friends to pick the winner.

CELEBRATE: All 3 finalists will receive an iPad. On April 1st, the video with the most votes by the public will win the freedom to let go with the grand prize of $10,000, an iPad and a one-year subscription to GoToMyPC.

If you can't see the video below, you can check it out here:

What are you doing still reading this post?!? Get your camera out and tell your story!

PS: Camera shy? We understand! Get creative and tell your story using puppets, drawings, animation, stand in's, your pets! We just need to see your story on video.

I remember when running an errand at lunch or taking a midday yoga class was considered a smart, efficient use of my workday time. Of course, that was when I worked in an office at HQ and had a designated (read: mandated) break in the middle of the day.

Then I started workshifting, and this type of acceptable-interruption-for-the-sake-of-efficiency issued forth an unexpected pang of guilt. Since when did an occasional lunch with a friend, walk with the dog or workout become shameful? This made me uneasy. I started skulking. My reaction was definitely worth further examination.

When you break it down, a brisk walk with the dog, working out, lunchtime camaraderie -- these are all healthy components of a normal day. So what about them inspired guilt, or any negative response whatsoever? I was - at that time - still a novice workshifter (without a smart phone, I might add). While I had taken great pains to draw boundaries for other people - family, neighbors, friends - I hadn't yet emotionally drawn boundaries for myself with my new working life.

Instead, I placed myself on a permanent stage and wondered why I was sweating beneath the hot spotlights. The stage in this case was my home. If I wasn't actually working in my new workspace-at-home, then I was obviously being lazy and unproductive. I'm not wired to be unproductive. I'm not sure who is, actually.

And because workshifting was a new concept within my immediate family and on my block, I was heavy-handed about the need to Respect My Workspace. If I was at home, I could be working at any given moment. But I think that I misinterpreted this external message as: When I am at home, I should be working at any given moment.

Then, with the sheer power of my brain, I transformed my curious neighbors into harsh critics who stood poised behind their curtains watching my every move. If I ran an errand at lunch, would they assume that I was ditching work? (Was I ditching work?) If I walked the dog in the afternoon, would they assume I wasn't pulling my weight? (Wasn't I?) If I, God forbid, had a lunch date with a friend, would they think I was lazy? (Was I no longer a friend of hard work?)

Oy, I made those early days of workshifting unnecessarily challenging.

Workshifter or otherwise, there are a hundred little things that we negotiate during a workday -- errands, the gym, dental exams, personal phone calls. Just like our cubicle counterparts, it's perfectly acceptable that we workshifters weave these non-work threads into the fabric of a workday and even benefit from them in the form of renewed energy, reduced stress and increased productivity.

It's not called the working life for nothing.

Photo Credit: dukespapa

We've all seen the headlines. Gas prices are rising again. Which means we're all trying to figure out ways to consolidate our driving trips or possibly avoid them all together. Let me toss out one way businesses can help the situation: give employees a workshifting day. If you're a business owner who's been thinking about offering telework or an employee who's been looking for a reason to mention it, here's your chance.

Citrix Online has an infographic they launched last year titled "The Dollars and Sense of Workshifting" that accompanied an eBook. It contains a number of useful statistics regarding the return on investment for saying "yes" to a workshifting arrangement. You can download a copy of the report here.

For example, did you know that allowing people to work from home half of the time would save a person $362 annually on gas? By offering a workshifting day, businesses can virtually give employees more money...without spending a dime. Of course, there are many other benefits to workshifting like increased employee morale, reduced emissions, etc. But with the rising cost of fuel staring us in the face right now... it's important to view workshifting relative to rising gas prices.

Here are 6 pointers to get you started:

1. Discuss with employees what kind of tasks they can effectively complete at home.
   
   
2. Make sure employees have the proper equipment.
   
   
3. Agree upon what projects need to be completed and by when. Hold people accountable for results.
   
   
4. Encourage employees to contact their manager with questions. Just because they are working from home doesn't mean communication stops!
   
   
5. Recognize employees for their successes. Workshifting isn't always easy.
   
   
6. Keep a list of best practices so you can continue to improve your telework arrangements.

Some of the best ideas in business are started because of tough situations. They begin informally and, as time progresses, that are integrated into corporate culture. If you're waiting for a perfect moment, let me tell you...it might never happen.

Give it a try. And, share your experience in the comments. We're all in this together.

Photo Credit: bitzcelt

The capacity to see the "big picture" is an essential skill for any emerging or existing leader, and the ability to connect concepts and see beyond immediate constraints the keystone to both professional and personal success. Having spent the past year of my life transitioning to a more flexible schedule and workshifting culture, never before had I been more challenged to juggle multiple tasks, schedules and both client and personal demands. My world certainly "shifted" - of that I am certain! Transitioning from the tunnel vision of my former full-time career to the open windows of the workshifitng world, I have been constantly challenged to find alternative ways of approaching almost every opportunity and responsibility placed before me.

And, since workshifters are essentially CEOs of their own career path, many of the same big picture skills which apply to the CEO of a large organization apply to us, as well.

1. Expand Your Focus: while you will want to singularly focus on any one responsibility or client's needs at a time, expanding your focus to encompass clients, opportunities and approaches that you may not have before nor otherwise considered is a wise skill to possess. Seek parallels to your current strengths in any new projects which present themselves - although you may not have done anything similar before, there could be strong parallels in what it takes to accomplish this seemingly new situation to many of the things you have done successfully in the past! After all, I told myself -isn't one of the best parts of being a workshifter the ultimate flexibility of choice?
   
   
2. Cross-Pollinate: Trust me when I tell you that working on one project will inevitably and undeniably boost your skills in another. Share your strengths with yourself, if you will! As a project manager, writer and business woman, I am never ceased to be amazed at how one project will inspire me to write on a particular topic, how project management has helped me focus my writing, how interacting with clients reminds me about skills I forget I have and helps me discover new skills I want to grow...I could go on and on, infinitely, as to the cross-pollination that occurs if you are both open to it and aware of it. Increasing big picture skills means starting with yourself; if you cannot visualize beyond your immediate scope for your own tasks, you will stand no chance at helping clients or other businesses accomplish the same.
   
   
3. Bundle Your Expertise: Your expertise makes you who and what you are. Experts are always desired and required, but try not to limit your area of focus; if it becomes too small, you may never visualize the larger picture before you - not to mention the corresponding opportunities associated with it. And, much like Amazon wants you to do when it tells you, "If you like this, you may also like...," complement your own skills with either your own [smaller] expertise in another area or the expertise of someone you know to produce a really high quality solution that could not be achieved singularly!
   
   
4. Step OFF the Canvas: We cannot see the picture we are painting if we are standing right in the middle of the canvas as it is being painted. To the same end, we can never clearly see our options in their totality until we step away from the immediate situation/project/challenge and view it with a fresher and more expanded perspective.

Of one thing I am sure: the more expansive your thinking and open your mind is to new and alternative options, the greater chances you have of achieving success.

How do you translate your skills into BIG picture thinking?

Photo Credit: krossbow