workshifting

The 4 Pillars of Trust - Building Trust at Work

2012-02-01T12:00:53Z

This post is the second in our 3-part series called "Building Trust at Work", with Chris Brogan. Chris is president of Human Business Works, providing business, communications and emerging technology strategy for mid- to large-sized businesses. He blogs regularly at chrisbrogan.com.

Bestselling author Charles H. Green wrote the book on trust. His seminal work with David Maister, The Trusted Advisor, taught countless business professionals how to go beyond simply booking billable hours with clients to instead provide them much, much more. He, along with Andrea Howe, recently released The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook, which further explores the concept of how leaders in organizations work with trust. So who better to talk with about how to build trust at work than Charles? After all, trust is one of the core elements behind successful efforts to launch remote and distributed employee programs.

According to Green, there are 4 pillars of trust. Through his work in surveying many leaders and stakeholders from companies of varying sizes and industries, he's discovered that workshifting success takes credibility, reliability, intimacy and low self-orientation.

Credibility

Credibility makes sense without much explanation. If you aren't very credible (people won't take your word for things), then there's not enough trust to allow you to work on a project-centric basis. To repair credibility, simply make small commitments and keep them. If you miss a commitment, own up immediately, and then take extra steps to do even better.

Reliability

Reliability is also clearly important. If you're being counted on to do the work, do it. But the way we express reliability is another matter altogether. Sometimes, we feel that being responsive - answering email within a few minutes - is the same. It's not. That just means you're easily distracted from your important work.

Other times, leaders feel that "butts in chairs" is the only measure of reliability. That's equally as wrong. The goal here is to build up trust by delivering within certain parameters and by keeping that level of quality going. If credibility is about doing what you say you'll do, then reliability is about doing it in a way that people can count on.

Intimacy

Intimacy is a strange word when thinking about work relationships. In this case, it's a mix of being attentive to details (an intimate relationship with the work at hand) and to the needs of the people related to the project.

If your boss needs morning email briefs to feel comfortable, then intimacy would suggest that you know to help by sending these along without being asked. If you're working remotely, you miss some of the "hallway chatter," so your role is to know what's being said anyway through inquiries to team members. Though you need all 4 pillars according to Green, intimacy strikes me as being one of the most crucial.

Low Self-Orientation

Having low self-orientation is one of the areas where people could use more improvement. The idea is that one must be a team- and goal-oriented individual. If you're to be working remotely and with less supervision, doing your best work from afar with the needs of the company in mind will garner you the trust of your employer and teammates. By focusing on the success of the team and the project, you're demonstrating a strong level of trustworthiness that isn't easily faked - and that becomes gold to the leadership at hand.

The 4 pillars of trust, as Green laid them out, make a great deal of sense for people seeking to build a strong relationship between leadership, team members and remote workers. It's a powerful mix of metrics to consider. If you're worthy of high marks in all 4, you'll likely do well.

Check back next week for the 3rd part of our "Building Trust at Work" series.

Leadership Isn't About Control - Building Trust at Work

2012-01-25T13:00:00Z

Today we kick-off a 3-part series called "Building Trust at Work" with Chris Brogan. Chris is president of Human Business Works, providing business, communications and emerging technology strategy for mid- to large-sized businesses. He blogs regularly at chrisbrogan.com.

To better understand the dynamics of trust at work, I reached out to people who I believe have improved trust between leaders and employees. One such person was my friend Daniel Pink, bestselling author of many books, including the motivation-minded Drive and the powerful Free Agent Nation. In our conversation, Dan and I agreed that leadership isn't about control.

Leaders of any size organization must come to realize that the age of "measuring butts in chairs" is over for most companies. The new method is to measure via output and responsiveness. In both cases, the emphasis is no longer on controlling potential productivity pitfalls for employees (such as blocking access to the Internet) but, instead, on equipping and educating employees to encourage a high level of autonomous output.

It's a difficult shift. I've now run 3 distributed companies in a row, where my employees are scattered all over the place and working on their own timetables. There are days where even I have that nagging feeling of "Is anyone besides me even WORKING today?" But when I measure based on output, I don't have to worry about whether the person took a 3-hour coffee break. Deadlines are deadlines, and the employee is either able to successfully deliver work or not.

The shift, instead of causing anxiety, affords a certain level of excitement when you realize that leaders who learn how to measure production and output rather than hours clocked will succeed in this new business environment of constant flux. The opportunities are incredible, because this affords a great deal of flexibility in hiring (you can hire based on skill, not locale) plus a very viable perk (working from home or remotely is a highly sought-after benefit, which helps with retention).

But how do you earn trust? First, it's a two-way street. Employees have certain needs with regard to trusting their leadership.

If I'm going to work from home, you can't forget me. (This is a big fear of remote employees.)
If I'm working remotely, you have to realize that it might take a little while to respond. This doesn't always equal "slacking off." Sometimes it means "head down in the work."
If you're allowing me to go mobile, then help me by making any meetings or collaboration easy (with the right tools).

On the other side of the coin, if you're looking to build trust with your leadership, consider the following:

Be explicit about how and when you'll respond and when you'll be "heads down" in your work. When you work in person, visual cues speak loud enough. When you work remotely, silence feels like inactivity, but senseless chatter will waste everyone's time.
Never miss a deadline. If you're working remotely, you are being measured on delivery. Let no excuses get in between you and success.
Make it exceptionally easy for people to share and contribute to your work. If people are waiting on you, it gums up the works.

Learning how to trust your employees with their work is a big and powerful opportunity to change (improve!) your business. Though not every role works well remotely, more positions succeed at workshifting than you'd imagine.

Check back next week for the 2nd part of our "Building Trust at Work" series.

Don't Fall to the Consumer Revolution, Lead it!

2012-01-18T00:04:49Z

Today we have a guest post from Brian Solis. Brian is a principal at Altimeter Group, a research-based advisory firm. Solis is globally recognized as one of the most prominent thought leaders and published authors in new media. A digital analyst, sociologist, and futurist, Solis has studied and influenced the effects of emerging media on business, marketing, publishing, and culture. Solis' latest book is titled, The End of Business As Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consumer Revolution. For more information, please visit www.briansolis.com.

In a post Occupy world, organizations everywhere should contemplate the themes that flooded the undercurrent for one of the greatest consumer uprisings in history. There's much to learn from the events that might have started in Wall Street to protest high unemployment and corporate greed, the prevailing tenets driving for new opportunities quickly spread to 2,773 Occupy communities in over 82 countries.

While the inspiration for the insurrection is diverse and deeply personal, one thing is clear, everyday people have had enough and collectively, the frustration and discontentment with the state of the economy, socioeconomic equality, and overall consumer disregard by business and government boiled over into a worldwide statement that screamed for action and transformation. We are witnessing the end of business as usual to say the least.

It's just a matter of time until, in its own way, the driving principles of Occupy take aim at your business or industry. To be honest, whether we realize it or not, the sentiment that contributes to disgruntlement is not new. Signs have been posted everywhere. And now with social media, these symptoms are avoidable only through old world customer service infrastructures or worse, process blindness. Business isn't changing because of social media, it's changing because consumer expectations are evolving. Either way, each play a part in heralding what I refer to as Digital Darwinism, an emerging phenomenon when technology and society evolve faster than the ability to adapt.

Listen. Learn. Engage. Adapt.

Today, no company is too big to fail nor too small to succeed. The outcome is driven by an organization's ability to adapt to market conditions and customer expectations. It's not a new concept. But what is new is the tremendous journey that organizations must embark upon to get there.

Most business models are rigid, focused on operations, efficiencies, growth opportunities and P&L. This view has worked well for decades. However, now in a new era of digital influence, connected customers, and customers in general, are clamoring to be heard and to become part of the business ecosystem. As a result, leaders must embrace new methodologies, technologies, and systems to engage stakeholders and work together to build a new framework that upgrades the dynamic for stakeholder engagement and collaboration and the resulting experience now and how it's reinforced over time.

This requires nothing less than the establishment of a dedicated taskforce with an exact mission of transformation. The primary charter is to establish a course for evolution by aligning stakeholders and decision makers around collaboration and decision-making initiatives. It's not an overnight process. What we are talking about is retrofitting or in some cases re-architecting the foundation to compete in the years to come.

This is done through a four-step rigor that begins internally to have an impact inside and outside the organization. And, as a champion for new possibilities, everything begins with you.

Listen - Use new media tools to listen beyond keywords and sentiment. Observe trends, insights, and opportunities to improve experiences.
Learn - Build a procedure, with roles and responsibilities, and a path around discovery and innovation. Translate activity into actionable insights and ensure that a two-way path connects business lines and functions back to the market through direct engagement or the improvement of products and services.
Engage - The state of businesses are no longer created, they're co-created through shared experiences. Stakeholders, including customers and employees, must realize that you're listening and learning. Engagement is the key to steering and shaping experiences through collaboration. Doing so invests the cultivation of a meaningful community and ultimately loyalty.
Adapt - Customers don't always know what they want. But, they do know what they don't want. Everything gleaned from steps one through three reveal everything about how an organization can adapt to earn relevance as part of its everyday business practice. Processes, systems, technology, it's all rooted in the ability to not just move and react to customer revolutions, but eventually lead them.

This is an opportunity to re-examine relationships with customers and employees to not only avert potential crises, but steer more positive engagement and experiences as part of standard business practices - a new "business as usual" if you will. It starts with listening and learning and culminates with engagement and adaptation.

This is why your role is more important then ever before. Everything you know and everything you're learning will help your business or organization mature, increase in relevance, and deliver more significant experiences. The end results are preference, increased loyalty and advocacy, and ultimately connectedness. It's how you demonstrate the opportunity and the path forward that count for everything. This is your time...

Be sure to tune into Brian's webinar with Citrix where he will discuss this and more on Wednesday, January 18th at 11 a.m. PST / 2 p.m. EST.

http://t.co/Sw4EqQTF

Mastering Self Discipline - How to Focus and Get the Work Done Amidst all the FUN Distractions

2012-01-13T14:01:34Z

Today we have a guest post from Dominique Molina. Dominique is President of the American Institute of Certified Tax Coaches, an organization of tax professionals who are trained to help their clients rescue thousands of dollars in wasted tax. In addition to her blogging and speaking engagements, Dominique provides CPA continuing education as a registered educator with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

Isn't working on your own fun? No boss breathing down your neck or micro managing your every move. You get the flexibility of working during your peak performance times, and taking breaks when you need them for say, surfing or kids' school activities.

While working on your own can be cost-effective and liberating, many people feel isolated and find it hard to focus. You may find yourself rushing down the hall to pop in a load of laundry which has piled up, or taking calls and meetings from everyone who thinks since you are home, you are available.

The other side of the spectrum may reveal that you are ALWAYS working. When I worked from home I found it virtually impossible to pass by my home office without stopping in "real quick" to send this email or finish that project. Suddenly I found my 40 hour work week taking 70 hours to complete; yet I was still only accomplishing 40 hours of work. Did I leave my discipline back in my corporate cubicle? I found myself constantly dreaming "if only I had more time. . ."

Since everyone has the same amount of "all the time there is" and we simply cannot have MORE time, the only solution is to more effectively use the time you do have. Choosing where to invest your time will help you get more done in less time, so that you feel you have more time to spend on the fun things. Here are 3 tips to making the most of your time so you can focus and get more done.

Tip 1: Track Your Use of Time - It is human nature to rationalize what we can't see. Tracking your time allows you to quickly see where you are losing precious minutes of each day and gives you the ability to spot the holes so you can use your time more wisely. For example, reviewing my time logs allowed me to see how much time I was wasting in traffic. Holding virtual meetings instead of physical ones created large pockets of "found time" for me to fill with something more meaningful.

Tip 2: Say NO! - When you choose to stop doing something, you free up time for something else. Identify the things that waste your time and don't help you complete your task list. Things like Facebook and online browsing hijack your time and evaporate it away into a vortex of oblivion. I find it helpful when I find myself wandering into this black hole of waste, to redirect my attention by saying to myself out loud, "NO, right now I am _____."

Tip #3: Put Your Important Things First - Consistent with the "80/20 Pareto Principal" most people waste about 80% of each day working on low level, low return activities. If this is you, consider what this pattern of behavior is costing you. You've got to plan your time for the highest value things first; otherwise they don't get done. This can be as simple as doing these tasks first thing in the morning before anything else.

It's up to you to take charge of how you invest your minutes and hours. But if you can master it using the above steps, it will feel like you CAN create more hours in a day.

Photo Credit: purplemattfish

6 Tablet Computer Productivity Tips

2011-12-28T18:02:16Z

Being a workshifter is a constant quest for productivity. Do more with as little as possible - at least, that was one of the reasons I used to justify buying a tablet computer earlier this year.

As such, I've been putting my iPad 2 to the test. My goal was to figure out if tablets could really replace laptops, as I certainly want them to. Carrying my tablet is so much more convenient, not to mention the ease of taking it through airport screening.

However, I've discovered the key to being productive with my tablet is contingent upon the amount of planning I do. Using a tablet for a long trip or heavy-duty work does take some forethought, so for those of you out there trying to go tablet only, here are some tips to consider:

Internet Access

Get both 3G and Wi-Fi on your tablet so that you can access the Internet from anywhere. The internet is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity.

File Access

Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to access a document when you need it. Apps like GoToMyPC give you the peace of mind of knowing you can grab a file when necessary. It's like cloud storage but better, because all of your files are right where you're used to finding them on your PC. It also means no more fumbling around for a thumb drive.

Charging

I know, this sounds so fundamental, but managing battery life has become an essential skill for workshifters. When you're unsure of your next electrical outlet, make sure your equipment is fully charged, and to help conserve power, separate tasks by the most appropriate device. Don't attempt tablet-level jobs on your phone and vice versa.

Keyboard

Typing on a flat screen takes some getting used to, and I'm not sure I've completely perfected it. Short messages are no worries, but longer messages, well, are a little weird. If you're like me, then do what I did and get a cover for your tablet that has a built-in Bluetooth keyboard. It makes typing very convenient.

Tablet Covers

Speaking of convenient, having the ability to angle your tablet screen is very helpful. It's probably because we're used to having the screen angled on our laptops. Whether it's a smart cover or something else, having a cover to give that little angle makes a difference.

Apps

What discussion about tablets would be complete without mentioning apps? These days there's an app for everything. On one hand, that's a good thing for productivity. On the other, it means we have to resist the urge to download a bunch of apps we'll never use. Here's a post to help you manage your workshifting lifestyle.

Got any tips or resources to improve tablet productivity?

Photo Credit: C.C. Chapman

Resolve to Rewire, Part I: 4 Tips for Wired Wellness

2011-12-27T19:05:03Z

Today we have a guest post from Camille Preston, PhD. Camille is the founder and CEO of AIM Leadership, one of the country's premier organizational and leadership development firms. She is a pioneer in the field of Virtual Effectiveness and the author of Rewired: How to Work Smarter, Live Better, and Be Purposefully Productive in an Overwired World. For more information, please visit www.aimleadership.com.

Workshifters enjoy great advantages over our office counterparts, but even we can get caught up in an "overwired" lifestyle. Overwired means moving at lightning speed - all day, every day - with our plates piled high and little time to pause, reflect and focus properly. Wouldn't it be great to work with better purpose and clarity? With renewed vigor and focus? Wouldn't it be great to rewire ourselves so that we work smarter, live better and be more productive in the New Year?

Yes, it would. This year, I am urging all of my clients to make one big resolution: to rewire their overwired lives. In my new book, Rewired: How to Work Smarter, Live Better and Be Purposefully Productive in an Overwired World, I explain what's got us so overwired, why we must unwire and then how to rewire. Here are 4 tips to get started on rewiring for wellness:

1. Stop running full out. Start recharging regularly

In order to rewire ourselves, we first have to stop the madness of going full tilt 24/7 so that we can unwire and recharge ourselves on a regular basis. The good news is that we don't have to go on a retreat; we can unwire in small but meaningful ways throughout the day:

Start your day unwired. Have coffee before checking your smartphone or email.
Before diving into your email and phone calls, take 5 minutes to review your schedule, look at the day and think things through.
Have phone-free lunches. Do you really need to be available?
Take a walk at lunch rather than surf the web as you eat at your desk.
Unplug for 10 minutes or so every hour. Get up from your desk, stretch, walk around, step outside, etc. And leave your phone behind.

A few minutes here and there may not sound like a lot, but it all adds up. You will be amazed at the impact even these short periods of unwired time have on your rejuvenation.

2. Stop letting technology use you. Start using technology

Because the wired world is always at our fingertips, we have conditioned ourselves to always be available to it. We can sometimes feel like technology is using us, instead of the other way around. But the great thing about technology is that we can use it to our advantage. The 2 most common complaints I hear from my clients are email overload and smartphone overexposure. Let's tackle email first:

It's your inbox -- take control of it!
Before opening anything, scroll through and delete all non-essential messages.
Use your spam filter!
Get off all those email lists. Unsubscribe and don't sign up in the first place.
Create a separate email address just for junk mail, RSS feeds, newsletters, etc.
Establish a clear protocol with clients and colleagues about when to cc so you don't get unnecessary emails.
Train yourself not to respond every time you see the new email icon. Better yet, turn off that function. Even better, pick 2 or 3 times a day when you will open, read and respond to emails.

The smartphone is a bit trickier, as for many workshifters it is the only phone we own. You can't very well just turn it off or ignore it. But you can:

Be liberal with caller ID.
Let calls go to voicemail.
Let callers know what your office hours are and when you will return calls.

By using technology properly, we can prevent it from using us.

3. Stop shifting clutter. Start organizing and simplifying

Clutter is distracting - really distracting. In fact, researchers at Princeton's Neuroscience Institute reported last March that clutter actually inhibits the brain's ability to focus and process information because it vies for our energy and attention. Just like when computers slow down when too many programs are open, we slow down when we have too much stuff demanding our attention. This is critical for workshifters! So, to think and perform better, get rid of the clutter and get organized:

Take a look at your office or work area. Is it well organized or cluttered? Can you find what you need?
Develop a system where you touch a paper or email only once. Throw out or file papers you don't need.
Organize your supplies and files so you can find them.

Something draining or distracting you? Hide it or get rid of it. You want to create an energizing environment that helps you stay productive and focused, not distracted with clutter.

4. Stop worrying about work-life balance. Start doing more of what energizes you and less of what depletes you

Work-life balance is a tricky thing, especially for workshifters, where work and life occupy the same physical space. Instead of worrying about achieving work-life balance (whatever that is!), we should focus instead on doing the things we love and being with the people who energize us, avoiding the things that deplete us in the process.

Of course, there will always be things we don't want to do but have to, and there will always be people with whom we must interact, whether we want to or not. But try to think of your time as precious (it is!) and, as much as possible, be critical and judicious with the things and people who take up your time and attention:

Who are the people who are draining your time and attention?
If you have to deal with them, how can you do so on your own terms?
What are the commitments you do not enjoy and that you could give up?
Who do you love to be with? Who brings out the best in you?
What do you love to do?

As much as possible, fill your life with the people and things that fulfill you, engage you and inspire you. Choose them, and you'll never worry about work-life balance again.

Resolving to rewire means making small but significant changes that can add up to profound productivity and personal fulfillment. Little tweaks here and there, consistently employed, can lead to big results.

Photo Credit: jaxxon

The Workshifting Work/Life Balance Dilemma: Stay Late or "Go Home"

2011-12-19T20:21:20Z

The Harvard Business Review never ceases to speak my language, reveal my deepest and darkest professional secrets and remind me that I am not alone. In a recent HBR blog post "Should You Stay Late or Go Home?" Ron Ashkenas reported that more and more employees are working longer "since there's always more to do than there is time to do it - [we've] gotten into the pattern of expanding [our] workday." But that was not the most surprising finding in the HBR article.

I'd always suspected it, been warned about it, but never knew how to avert it - getting locked into longer hours:

"But once you begin expanding your work hours on a regular basis, working 'normal' hours starts to look like slacking off. In other words, if you establish a pattern of staying late, your extended hours become the new normal."

Akin to a gateway drug, I'd say - when did an excellent work ethic and honorable commitment become a purgatory of excessive expectations? Being punished for working hard, for working late and, dare I say, for enjoying both when the task calls for it (at least not when forced nor expected to) is uncalled for.

I've never been a clock-watcher, neither as an employee nor as a manager. I've often felt that the clock is counterproductive. "9 to 5" is a great song and an even better movie, but as a set work shift, it's a precipice from which productivity falls far and hard, never to be recovered.

Workshifting is not only a luxury but also a necessity for many who've discovered the key to sustained productivity and expansive creativity. At the same time, workshifters are prone to over-extended hours regardless of by whom they're set. Balance is a fallacy when your "office" is 5 steps from your living room and accessible from anywhere in the house at any hour (thanks to our friend, Mr. Wi-Fi). "Going home" gets you literally nowhere when you're already there working.

Askenas has some sound advice on this matter for workshifters and traditional employees alike:

"Reflect on your goals - both professional and personal. Think through the aspirations you have for your career and your life. What do you want to achieve? What are the priorities? What gives you fulfillment? It's remarkable how many people wander through their careers without a sense of 'true north' to guide their decisions. As a result they lack criteria for determining whether to invest more time in work."

It all comes to down to this: be the CEO of your own career, learn yourself and lobby for the systems and methods that work best for you.

"Remember that if you don't take conscious control of your own work hours, the work hours [and others' perceptions thereof] can easily take control of you."

Are your hours expanding while your productivity wanes?

Photo Credit: cwaunion

The Anatomy of a List

2011-12-14T16:33:10Z

I was the type of kid who got lost looking up a word in the dictionary. Twenty minutes after flipping the cover open, I would find myself deeply concentrating on some random page, reading entry after entry. I wouldn't even be in the right letter for the word I'd set out to look up.

Without a plan, I can get a little sidetracked, especially as a workshifter. That's probably why I'm compulsive about making lists - travel packing lists, itineraries, strategically grouped errand lists and, of course, the venerable daily task list.

Everyone has a made a list at some point. Even my non-diary-keeping, at-times-scatterbrained, ever-forgetful husband will jot down a to-do list once in a while. He's also open to accepting a to-do list from me written on his behalf (truth be told, it's entirely for my benefit), which makes up for the days/weeks/months that pass without so much as a grocery list.

I, however, keep a daily task list that often gets slightly revised, if not completely overhauled, by midday.

Opposites attract, as they say.

Regardless of what's on a task list or how frequently we keep one, we can all agree that it feels good when an item is crossed off. No matter how significant or trivial the task, our brains simply recognize an accomplishment.

We can also all agree that we experience varying levels of disappointment when we fail to get something done. Despite my devotion to planning, failure to tick an item off my list before the day's end happens to me all the time. And when I have to copy over the same tiresome tasks and projects from one day's to-do list to the next, I can feel my shoulders slump, along with my enthusiasm for the task itself.

Self-Sabotage

I readily admit that my lists aren't always reasonable. I have high expectations. It's either that or I have a keen desire to sabotage my own momentum and success. [Note to self: Add "Research therapists" to tomorrow's list.]

Lately I've experimented with an abbreviated list on the weekend. I only include items that I know I can (and actually want to) accomplish. This list is noticeably shorter than my usual fare.

There's nothing particularly grand on these lists. They are very basic. What's important is I get the satisfaction of accomplishing everything I set out to do.

Brass Tacks

I have been known to include some strange items on my lists. Back in grad school, one of my roommates caught a glimpse of something on my list that I have yet to live down. I'll leave the specifics of it to your imagination.

My lists themselves take on a variety of formats. Projects and ideas are born in a Moleskine desk diary and then expanded in notebooks or on a chalkboard. I'm especially old school when it comes to lists.

I've come to believe that lists shouldn't just be about what must get done; they should also serve as a reminder or space holder for what is valuable to an individual. For me, that's often "Take a walk," "Yoga," "Read" and sometimes the indulgent, restorative "Take a nap." I don't want the day to get away from me without taking time to engage in these recalibrating activities.

A word of caution about lists: what's meaningful to you might be downright threatening to someone else. A few months after our wedding, my husband found a post-it note on the floor of our car. It read: "Poison Chris." Being named Chris, this immediately caught his attention and he began to worry. Later that day, he warily handed the note to me and asked if there was anything we needed to talk about. I said, "Yes, actually there is. My Christmas list. I'd like Santa to bring me a bottle of perfume. You know, Poison."

What makes or breaks your list?

Photo Credit: paloetic

Schedule a "Meeting Day" to Reduce Disruptions

2011-12-12T17:56:02Z

When I first gave up my office environment for the life of a digital nomad, one of the earliest things I noticed was how flexible my time had become. I loved my newfound freedom! However, I soon discovered that I didn't seem to be getting quite as much accomplished as I had when I was confined to a relatively controlled office environment. Fortunately, I realized my error fairly quickly. I had given up not only my office but also the structure it provided - including the structure of a regular schedule.

But all was not lost. By making one simple adjustment, I was able to get my schedule back under control and my productivity back on track.

The issue I had was that I wasn't setting my weekly schedule up for success. As much as we need to find time to meet with clients and prospects, we also need time to focus on getting deliverables out the door. My mistake was that I was scheduling meetings in a haphazard manner - as someone would request a meeting, I would fit it in wherever I saw a space on my calendar. As a result, I would find myself having to rush out to meetings almost every day of the week!

Meetings are a disruption. If you are trying to focus on work and then have to dive into a meeting, it takes you out of your flow, and it is really hard to get back to it once the meeting is adjourned. So, I started to slot days in my schedule just for meetings.

Now, when I set up meetings, I try to set a few in the same day, my Meeting Day. Regardless of whether the meetings are taking place virtually or in person, having them all together means I can just focus on the meetings that day. I know I am not going to be super productive on anything else on those days, but that is okay - I have another day in the week set aside for just focused work time, so I don't worry!

Additionally, you can use that extra time between meetings to run errands - especially the ones you have been putting off. You are out and about anyway, so you might as well get to the bank while you're at it!

This is just one simple change that you can make today that will change your productivity in a huge way. Set yourself meeting days and stick to them. When someone asks when you are available, try to slot them in on your meeting day. Then, on the days when you need to focus, you can shut off the world around you and just get stuff done.

Photo Credit: nicholasjon

Will Workshifting Become Commonplace?

2011-12-01T19:33:38Z

Slowly but surely, a seismic shift is taking place in the way that we work. We are far more enlightened and aware of exactly what is possible, and we are beginning to question what working for a living actually imposes on us, our family and our private lives. We understand that we need to work to generate money that enables us to pay the mortgage, but increasingly we are looking for ways that do not place so many logistical challenges on us. This growing trend can be described in one word - workshifting.

While it's difficult to get real figures on just how many people workshift and who can already be classified as working from somewhere else other than their traditional "office", the respected analyst Forrester Research went so far as to estimate that up to half of the workforce could be teleworking by the year 2016. This is a good cause for optimism among those of us who crave more freedom and choice in how we work.

Workshifting doesn't necessarily dictate that you need to work from home; it could also mean working from hotel rooms, airport lounges, Internet cafés and other remote locations, wherever your work might take you.

Fundamentally, we will be casting away the chains that have up until now held us prisoner within the traditional "cubicle nation," and we can begin to use the wonders of technology and advanced communications to enable us to do our work well and still have time to play!

We've seen in recent years how more and more employees consider their home to be their primary place of work. Will there be a wholesale adoption of teleworking by 2016 as Forrester suggests?

With the fast broadband, multiple Wi-Fi hotspots and the growing use of cloud computing, why on earth aren't we seeing a wholesale exodus or even a stampede toward workshifting? From the perspectives of both employee and employer, there's so much to be gained. Eliminating the operational costs of offices leads to a healthier bottom line. Surely, in this age of economic downturn, companies should be jumping at the chance to implement such a significant cost-cutting measure.

However, old habits die hard and organizations are used to relying on a management hierarchy that dictates physical oversight. In short, does our management culture actually "trust" wholesale workshifting, or will the boss keep an eye on us to ensure that we're doing what we're supposed to be doing?

The trend is interesting, and while it seems clear that it's getting up a full head of steam, it's likely that it will take some time to fully emerge as traditional cultures and perspectives slowly but surely fade into the distant past. In my opinion, the workshifting culture can't come soon enough!

Photo Credit: C.C. Chapman

3 Healthy Workshifting Habits

2011-11-28T13:00:00Z

Becoming a workshifter often means a significant lifestyle change. You go from spending 2 hours a day commuting to suddenly having that time back. Where once you had a cafeteria to serve you fresh, hot meals for lunch, you now have to make do with your own refrigerator and stove. Your cubicle mates have now become your IM chat buddies.

As much as switching to the workshifting lifestyle can make us more productive, it doesn't come without some risks. It is easy to fall into the trap of not taking enough breaks, not eating properly or not staying social. It doesn't have to be this way. With a few adjustments, we can develop some simple habits that will help ensure our work-from-anywhere experience keeps to a healthy track.

Fuel up with food

When we work in an office, we are surrounded by people who take lunch breaks. We often will gather with our colleagues in the lunchroom and break open our lunch bags together. If we work in a larger office, we will head to the cafeteria. Either way, there are others around to motivate us to take breaks and eat. It is a social affair.

However, when we workshift, we are often alone at lunchtime. And when we are alone, we sometimes will just keep right on working. Before we know it, it's 3 PM and suddenly we snap out of our work zone and realize we are starving. That's when the bad decisions happen. Instead of heading to the kitchen to make a good lunch, we reach for the leftover Halloween candy or another cup of coffee.

Food is your fuel. It is essential, if you are going to stay in peak working condition, that you eat. So always have healthy food on hand. Have pre-made soups, chopped veggies, lunch meat and whole-grain bread in stock so when lunch hour hits, you can make something healthy fast. And set an alarm on your phone or computer to go off at lunch time so you remember to take a break.

Use your time

The minute you start workshifting, you suddenly have more time. Often, up to a couple of hours of former commuting time per day is now wide open. And, the first time a blizzard hits on a weekday, you will appreciate working from home even more. So what are you doing with that time? Maybe you are going to work an extra 2 hours Monday to Thursday so you can take Fridays off, if the boss is up for that. Perhaps you will start doing a yoga program for 1 hour a day. Maybe now is the time to start that blog!

Whatever you decide, appreciate the time that has been given back to you now that you don't have to commute anymore. Do something meaningful with it.

Fight loneliness

Workshifting is a wonderfully quiet and peaceful way to work. But sometimes it can get kind of lonely. You sort of miss those casual chit-chats with Donna from accounting. You sometimes wish you could do the lunchroom thing again. If you're feeling a bit lonely in your cozy home office, there are some things you can do.

Make a monthly coffee or lunch date with your colleagues and go hang out with them in person. That face-to-face contact, even if you email or talk on the phone every day, is important. And if you are in a different city from your team, then just take yourself to the coffee shop once in a while. Often just being around other people while you're working is enough.

Social networks are also a great way to fight workshifting loneliness. I highly recommend Twitter as a way to take a break and say hello. There are thousands of "Donnas from accounting" on Twitter that are happy to share a brief chat anytime.

Overall, workshifting is a great way to work. By following these tips, you can ensure that it remains a positive and healthy experience!

Photo Credit: C.C. Chapman

Has Telework Growth Slowed?

2011-11-16T20:22:21Z

The latest research from the Telework Research Network indicates that while telework is growing, it's not increasing at the pace we might have expected. According to 2009 U.S. Census data, 61 percent more employees considered home their primary place of work versus 2005. But that number translates to only 2.3 percent of the total workforce.

When compared with a recent report from WorldatWork, which indicates that the overall number of teleworkers declined between 2008 and 2010, a trend emerges. The frequency of telework has increased, meaning fewer workshifters are doing more flexible work.

Here at Workshifting, we were curious to test this trend, so we decided to post our own independent poll on the subject. The results of our completely unofficial Facebook survey are below:

Interestingly enough, there's some alignment with the trend. Fewer people are workshifting, but those who are have seen an increased workload. This poses some thought-provoking questions:

Do people really want to workshift?
Maybe as attractive as telework sounds, it's not for everyone.

Have companies been able to quantify the costs and benefits?
There are some obvious advantages to telework, but if businesses haven't been able to attach a dollar sign to them, then workshifting may still be considered a "nice to have" versus a "cost-effective solution".

Are enough tools and resources available to support the workshifting lifestyle?
Working remotely is certainly not as easy as it looks. Or, do we have too many tools and not enough time to sort through them all?

Have businesses figured out how to manage people they can't see?
This might sound crazy, but a huge component of telework is holding employees accountable for results instead of time worked. Is it possible the only people workshifting are the ones who can hold themselves accountable when businesses can not?

While this blog focuses on the positives of telework, it is essential to look at both sides of the spectrum. Adding workshifting to your workplace can bring valuable and tangible benefits, but if done incorrectly, it can have the opposite result.

Identifying the keys to successful workshifting is crucial, because it creates a proven, effective solution for businesses and determines issues ahead of time that can block an effective implementation.

What do you see as the key components to a successful telework program?

Workshifting Through Disability While Traveling

2011-11-14T02:58:08Z

When I write about my workshifting lifestyle, there are so many strands to discuss. I, like all other workshifters, have multiple reasons for pursuing remote work, including a checklist of needs for it to run smoothly. When you are disabled, using a cool electric wheelchair and requiring full-time care assistance along with a raft of other requirements, things get a whole lot more complicated. To illustrate this, I want to share with you my recent workshifting trip from my hometown of London to New York City.

I run a blog, an online disability magazine, disability webinars and soon disability e-courses. My business is all online, which has allowed me to enhance my health, lifestyle and creativity. Does this sound familiar to you?

New York City has been somewhere I wanted to return to since I visited at the age of 9 in 1993. However, I've not been able to due to my old job and other planned vacations. But then 2 friends suggested we could go at the end of September. At first I had concerns about money and work obligations - then it dawned on me that the trip would create amazing content (inspirational and informational) for my community. Also, because my work is online, I could still honor my responsibilities, such as running a webinar on employing personal care assistants, while enjoying this amazing city.

As you can imagine, travel is quite complex when you have a physical disability. I had to arrange for someone who would travel with me and assist with my personal care and other daily tasks I cannot do alone. I had to notify the airline about my wheelchair, ensure the hotel was accessible (no steps to the building or the shower!) and rent equipment (such as a hoist/patient lift). Transport was another barrier, and multiple online resources were utilized to ensure we could get around the city. You can watch a short video of how this all went here.

I cannot arch my back or neck due to the titanium rods on my spine holding me upright. This means I cannot use my laptop on my lap, only on a desk or table. In terms of accessing my work, I just need a good Internet connection. Many of the cafés offered free Wi-Fi, and their buildings had good access for wheelchairs. Sometimes I had difficulty parking my wheelchair in a comfortable position (for example, when I cannot get my knees underneath a table, it makes typing very difficult because of the reach required). I also used my smartphone a lot for emails, Twitter and Facebook. Overall, I was able to easily accomplish the day-to-day work tasks.

On one afternoon of our trip, I had to run a scheduled webinar. The hotel room provided Wi-Fi (although this did cost $15 for 24 hours) and quiet surroundings. I had prepared my presentation before flying, so everything was in hand. The only snag was that the Wi-Fi kept dropping when a new webpage was accessed. Fortunately, GoToWebinar worked like a dream and the connection behaved. It was the best webinar yet. On the theme of disabled people living independently, I co-presented with my 2 disabled mates, giving the attendees 3 hosts for the price of 1 live from New York City. Attendees came from Canada, Australia and the UK.

Imagine learning how to improve your life from someone in the same situation, but while they are living their own dreams. Everything really is possible guys!

In my next post, I will explain the progress in providing access to public buildings along with the need for employers to recognize the potential of workshifting for disabled workers. With some investment, innovation and flexibility, disabled people can add great value to society and the economy.

Photo Credit: musicamang

What Is Your Workshifting Work Worth?

2011-11-10T19:18:30Z

Workshifters come in many varieties, and the 2 flavors with which I am most familiar are the freelance contractor and the full-time employee who works from home.

In either case, your time is your money. The hours you attach to any given task or project have a value - the time you could be spending on another task. In other words, the opportunity cost of doing Project A is equal to the financial compensation lost for not doing Project B or to the intrinsic benefits sacrificed by not just taking time for yourself. From this perspective, it's easy for workshifters to understand what our time and efforts are worth.

It's not so easy for employers and clients, however. In fact, they are on the opposite side of this 2-way mirror. This is particularly true in the case of employers, who may view workshifters as commodities. What's in it for them to allow this employee to workshift - how much will it cost them? What flexibility does the workshifter have (that these employers do not), and how much does that devalue what the workshifter is really worth? Call it workshifter discrimination, if you will.

To allow an employee the flexibility to workshift, possibly at the exclusion of other employees (assuming telework is not regularly allowed at this company), there has got to be:

Strong justification
Inherent trust
Positive tangible or intangible returns/results

Businesses are not charities, after all.

So what's a workshifter to do about not only proving worth but also maintaining flexibility? For me, the key is building a case for the value of my work - full-time, part-time or anything in-between. But how do I build such a case?

Be prepared

Know not only the absolute value of your contributions but also their relative strength when compared against anyone in a full-time, 9-to-5 position. Could they do what you do regardless of their schedule?

Be your own judge, jury and legal counsel

Look at the facts. What have you been able to accomplish that others have been given the same opportunity to do, yet failed in their attempts?

Know your limits and own them

Recognize the value you place on both your output and your flexibility. Perhaps you do not need to be paid more, but you are not willing to accept less either. If you reach an impasse with your employer, be very sure that you're willing to walk and take the value of your skills with you.

What is your workshifting work worth?

Photo Credit: treehouse1977

Are You a Workshifting Newbie?

2011-11-08T19:05:18Z

It's no secret that working remotely is becoming increasingly popular. Millions of people are now teleworking, and that number continues to grow. Working from home is known to boost employee morale and increase productivity. In addition, fewer commuters means fewer cars on the road, which has a significant environmental impact. It also allows us more flexibility to manage work and family commitments, helping us to achieve a better work-life balance. The good word on workshifting is spreading, and that trend will only continue.

If you're new to remote working, you may be wondering how to make the shift. It's not always as simple as just packing up your laptop and wandering home - there are a few things you need to consider to smoothly transition into working remotely. So before you walk the kids to the bus stop and then come home to don your bunny slippers and get to work, try some of these tips:

Connecting to the Office

By far the thing that interferes the most when people want to work from home is inadequate technology. So do some groundwork beforehand to ensure that you really can just turn on your computer and work from home when the time comes.

First, consider how you're going to access your work files and systems remotely. Do you have the ability to access your email outside the office? What about any intranet sites or work-specific software? Sometimes companies make web-based tools available for employees, and in those cases, just talk with the IT team to find out how to access the software. Always test out your web tools from home ahead of time so you can be sure you can get access (depending on the tool, the IT team may need to set up a new account for your remote access).

Sometimes, web-based tools aren't an option, but you still need remote access to your company's computer network. Many companies will use a technology called VPN (Virtual Private Network) to enable remote workers to securely access the company network using just a small piece of software installed on the home computer. Once you are connected, you'll be able to use your tools and even view, open and save your files. This all needs to be set up by the IT department ahead of time, so if you need to use VPN, it's important to talk to them and get the instructions. (I can't stress enough how important it is to get on friendly terms with the IT department if you're a workshifter. Treat them well and be grateful, and they'll always be happy to help!)

Moving Files Around

Back in the olden days, if we were going to work from home, we'd pack some file folders with paperwork into our briefcase and take it home. In this digital world with most of our files on our computers, "packing up" can mean saving the files you need on a USB stick or emailing them to yourself before you leave the office. Like the briefcase scenario, it's important to make sure you grab ALL the files you're going to need (or think you're going to need). And unfortunately, the time will inevitably come when the very file you need will be the one you don't have. I think all of the best workshifters have had a workday ruined by not having the right files.

It doesn't have to be this way! Set yourself up with a cloud-based file sharing system, and you'll never be without your files again. Cloud systems work by sharing folders securely across computers, so you can have a folder connecting both of your computers - just drop files into the folder at work and retrieve them from the same folder at home. You can even share files and folders with your colleagues so you all have access. I recommend Dropbox for personal use, as the free basic account gives you 2GB (plenty of storage for all your documents), and ShareFile for professional use, because it allows for more advanced and secure syncing.

Consider Your Mobile Options

One of the best things about workshifting is that it allows us to have more flexibility in our schedules. We can be home for our kids before and after school, and we can pop out to run an errand midday. But despite how much work-life balance this allows for, the boss still needs to be able to reach us if we aren't at our desks.

If you're going to get serious about working remotely, then I think having a reliable and functional mobile device is key. I don't just mean a plain old cell phone but rather a smartphone or a tablet. Choose your weapon (BlackBerry, iPhone/iPad, Android or another type of device), but make sure it allows you to access email, chat tools, and ideally your files (Dropbox and ShareFile let you access files on mobile devices, too). That way, when you're standing at the bus stop or in line at the grocery store, you can keep up on what's happening during the work day and deal immediately with any issues. Plus, you can wander down to the coffee shop with your work in tow for a change of scenery and not lose a minute of productivity!

These are just a few ideas for making the transition to remote work easier. I'd love to hear your tips, so please share them in the comments!

Photo Credit: ilike