Recently, I was told that only a certain type of person could workshift. Apparently, you had to work on the Internet and be a consultant or a freelancer in order to get work done remotely.
While working for yourself does make workshifting easier, this doesn’t mean that someone with traditional hours who goes to a traditional office can’t do it as well.
Stop and think about all the tasks you have to do this week. Write them all down if that makes it easier. Now, review this list. How many of the tasks are done on a computer or paper? Almost every job has tasks that fall into one of these two categories.
Any of those tasks could be done while workshifting.
If you need certain programs or resources for your work, you may need to talk to your IT department first about setting up a virtual private network (VPN) or a remote access solution like GoToMyPC on your machine. But, once these hurdles are crossed, you are on your way.
For the tasks that involve paper, you don’t have to be at your desk or computer at all. Carry your papers with you when you workshift for a change of scenery and a healthy dose of mental positivity.
People seem to think that workshifting is an all-or-nothing approach to working, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Taking a single day each week or even an afternoon to work anywhere but the office can give you both a productivity boost and a sanity-saving break.
Working in an office doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice being able to workshift. It just means you might have to be a little more creative with how you make it happen.
I’d love to hear from those out there who are finding the balance between the two worlds.
(AP Photo)
