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?

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My current employer, MindFire Communications, is located approximately 165 miles from my home office in Chicago. That makes it easy for me to take frequent trips back to the mother ship for client meetings or to simply catch up with colleagues and seep up the office environment.

I look forward to these trips because it gives me an opportunity to connect with people in person. Usually I spend most of my days on the phone and writing emails, and I've found it reinvigorating to get out of my Workshifting haven and back on the streets.

This got me wondering whether there is a "magic distance" that makes Workshifting work.

I'm not sure, for example, if I would be as happy in my current arrangement if I lived somewhere where I wouldn't be able to hop in my car and drive to the office within a reasonable time frame.

In theory you should be able to successfully work remotely from any distance. That IS the point, after all. But in practice, don't most of you visit the headquarters office on a regular basis?

In my onion, face-to-face time in the office is important for a number of reasons:

• It allows me to give and receive updates on ongoing projects. 
• It lets me participate, in real-time, in the decision making process. 
• It gives me a chance to socialize and catch up with colleagues and clients. 
• It allows me to stay fully informed about what's going on in the office. 
• It gives me visibility with my supervisors and offers a chance to ask questions, express views, offer ideas, and give and receive feedback.

I find it comforting to know that I can be back in the office within 2-4 hours, if needed.

What do you think? Is there a magic Workshifting distance for you? Do you have to be able to drive to your headquarters? Or are you ok with only making office visits once a quarter or perhaps even 1-2 per year?

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Four months ago, my mother became the third member in my immediate family to become a Workshifter. As a consultant in the localization industry, she works with organizations outside the US, most of the time working out of her home office in Iowa.

As a new Workshifter, I thought it would be interesting to talk to her about her experiences so far.

Interview with a Workshifting Newbie

What have been the most challenging aspects of Workshifting for you?

One of the hardest things for me has been adjusting to the fact that I can't see people when I communicate with them. It's hard getting used to the lack of visual cues when you're talking. You have to rely completely on words - no facial gestures or body language. Since I work with many people who are not native English speakers, this is even more challenging. Online meeting tools have really helped me address this challenge.

The other thing that I've found challenging is that it can be hard to generate a sense of urgency - in terms of pace of work and priorities - when you're in the peace and quiet of your own home. At times it can be difficult to accommodate what might seem to be arbitrary deadlines when you're not surrounded by seething activity in an office.

What do you think people should know before they transition into the Workshifting world?

I think it's very important for new Workshifters to have a good grasp of their technology and networking tools. And if they don't have that understanding themselves, it's critical to have a reliable support team you can rely on. Things can turn ugly quickly if you cannot access networks or lose connectivity. Also, it's critical to have a fast and reliable VPN connection.

Another thing that's important to think about before you become a Workshifter is your office hours. How are you going to organize your workday? Are you going to keep fixed office hours or be flexible in how you structure the workweek? When are you going to start the day? Since I mainly work with Europeans, I usually start my day early, around 6:30 a.m. to accommodate the time difference. I think it's important to consciously set a schedule and stick to it. If you don't, your work will end up taking over your personal life.

Also, clarify with your employer how you will be reimbursed for office expenses, such as phone bills, Internet, office supplies and other things. It's important to establish a framework for those costs in advance.

What do you like most about Workshifting?

That's easy: not having to go the office on Monday morning or commuting when the weather is bad. Of course, conversely, you also don't have that Friday-afternoon-weekend feeling when you work remotely.

What has surprised you about working remotely?

One of the things that I find interesting is the bond that is formed with other Workshifters. I've found that I've developed very close relationships with other colleagues who work remotely - more so than those who work in the office. It's like a new alliance!

What are your favorite Workshifting tools?

One of the first things I do when I turn on my laptop in the morning is to log on to my IP telephony and video service provider. Although not everyone I work with has a webcam, I think it's important to communicate in real time with your colleagues.

Another thing I think every home office should have is a scanner. You will need to scan receipts for your expenses and provide your signature on documents along with many other things.

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

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

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

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

Holographic Workshifting

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

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

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

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

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

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When I tell people that I am a workshifter and I spend the majority of my time working out of my home, most people (at least the ones who've never done it) tell me that it seems so easy. Working from home is something many people wish for- but those who've never tried it don't realize that it comes with its own set of challenges and difficulties.

In my experience, there are the things to avoid in order to ensure success.

5 Pitfalls to Avoid when Working from Home

1. Don't make yourself available for personal tasks throughout the day. When your personal life and your professional life are tied so closely together it can be difficult to choose one over the other. Try and limit your personal chores during your business hours - otherwise you'll catch yourself doing laundry and tidying up instead of focusing on your work.
   
   
2. Don't overeat. This one might sound odd, but TRUST ME when I say this: having a fridge full of food while working at home is not a good combination. It's just too tempting to walk a few feet into the kitchen and taking a few bites of last night's leftovers or grabbing a cookie from the cookie jar. Try and avoid the "snack trap" and if that's not possible, limit the amount of food you stack in the fridge.
   
   
3. Don't isolate yourself. It can be easy to have little to no contact with the outside world when you're working from home all day. Make it a point to get out of your office - grab lunch with friends, go to networking events, etc.
   
   
4. Don't buy cheap office furniture. Your office is where you are going to spend the vast majority of your time. It's worth the investment!
   
   
5. Avoid not being taken seriously by friends or family. Often times friends or family don't understand the workshifting concept. Avoid situations that may frustrate you by explaining your situation and telling them that although you don't commute to work every day you're still very much working!

Workshifting can be challenging. But if you consciously make yourself aware of these common hurdles, you can address them before they become real issues.

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My husband and I recently moved into a new apartment here in Chicago. One of the main reasons we selected the new place was because it has an office - an actual separate room, with a window, lots of light and most importantly a door (that closes!). This is a big change for me - my office in our old place was in our living room, nestled between our love seat and the TV.

Needless to say I was pretty excited about having my own separate work space. Despite this, the move itself was a bit daunting. Moving is stressful enough, and when you work from home you have to deal with an office move as well. Here are a few things that helped me minimize disruption to my work life:

10 Tips for Moving a Home Office

1. Clean out those file cabinets - in the weeks leading up to our move I de-cluttered my filing cabinets. Many of the files I had saved were no longer relevant to current projects or were now in a digital format. Moving is a great opportunity to "clean house," keeping only what you truly need.
   
   
2. Try to stay organized - moving can make you feel disoriented and frazzled. Try and stay organized by labeling boxes and approaching things systematically instead of throwing everything into a box at the very last minute.
   
   
3. Give yourself enough time to pack - I started packing a good 2 weeks before our actual move date - this made it seem less overwhelming and stressful. Also, label your boxes so you know exactly what is in each box if you need to get to it quickly.
   
   
4. Have a plan - this is a bit of a no-brainer, but a list of what needs to be done and who will do it will help you stay sane throughout the process. Also, make sure you don't agree to any important deadlines on or around your move date.
   
   
5. Internet - Make sure you contact your new Internet (and phone) provider a few weeks before your move so you can schedule a service appointment to get up and running. That way everything will be ready for you when you move in. I was a bit behind on this one and didn't end up getting Internet until a few days after we moved in.
   
   
6. Inform others about your new address - I've always found that informing people of your new address is one of the most cumbersome steps of moving. In addition to colleagues, clients, family and friends, be sure to change your address with the USPS and update all your online accounts.
   
   
7. Measure your desk - measure your desk to make sure it will fit into your new office. That will help prevent a big headache down the road.
   
   
8. Find the original boxes - I still had the original boxes for my printer and speakers. Moving this type of electronic equipment in its original box will help prevent any damages.
   
   
9. Know what you need to get up and running and pack all of those things in one box. That will help you get back on your feet quickly.
   
   
10. Make unpacking your office a priority - it's no fun trying to work in an office that's a disaster zone. Once you've got the big things out of the way, make unpacking your office a priority.

What about you guys? Have any of you moved recently? What helped you stay sane?

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I think one of the biggest challenges every workshifter goes through when they transition from an office to a remote working environment is the feeling that you have lost access. Access to project updates. Access to people. And perhaps most critical to the workday - access to immediate answers.

This was a challenge for me when I started working remotely. There were many days when I felt like my productivity came to a grinding halt because I was missing some tiny (or not so tiny) nugget of information that made it impossible for me to finish what I was working on.

Looking back at it now I realize that in most instances I could have probably just figured it out myself and continued on. But more often than not I was still in that mental state where I felt like I needed to walk over to my colleague's desk and get an immediate answer to the "problem."

I think that one of the biggest things I've learned as a workshifter is the ability to work independently and take projects as far as possible without additional input.

When you're in the office it's tempting to just rely on other people to help you complete that thought and figure out the next steps. As a workshifter you mostly rely on technology to communicate with the mothership. Whether it's emails, phone calls or video chats, chances are that you're not always going to get an immediate response. Sooner or later, instead of waiting for the return phone call or email, you find a way to adapt to the new environment.

I believe this type of independent work ethic is a valuable quality in any employee - whether they work in an office or not. If you've found this to be a challenge in your working environment, perhaps consider mimicking a workshifting setting to help encourage your employees or team members to start taking this further themselves, instead of immediately demand answers.

What do you guys think? Does workshifting breed an independent workforce?

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Part of the workshifting arrangement at MindFire is that we all meet in person once a month for a client brainstorming session and to catch up on other details. I always look forward to these meetings because it gives me a chance to connect with everyone in person and catch up.

As a result of a pretty crazy August, I've spent a good chunk of my days working out of the office to meet with clients and connect with coworkers on specific projects. While it's great to be part of the office hustle and bustle, I noticed that I was a lot more sensitive to distractions that I knew wouldn't have bothered me as much during my office days. That got me wondering: Does workshifting ruin our ability to ever work in an office environment again?

Although I've only been working remotely for a little more than two years, I've definitely noticed that I'm becoming hyper-sensitive when I work in the office. As part of my job I spend a lot of time writing, and I tend to usually do that in total silence when I'm working from home. The chit-chatting, phone conversations, music and other noises that occur on an ongoing basis in the office totally throw me through a loop and make it very challenging for me to focus on getting work done.

In addition to that you've got the disruptions to your work "flow" that occur when co-workers drop by to chat or ask questions. (I'm just as guilty of doing this to others, too). While office visits are a great way to catch up and get a read of where everyone's head is at, I find it nearly impossible to really dig in to a lengthy project and get it done.

Ultimately, I think this is a testament to one of the major benefits of workshifting, which is the ability to be a lot more productive than in an office environment. What do you guys think? Are there others out there who have had similar issues?

Photo Credit: AJ Leon

I believe one of the most important character traits of a successful workshifter is self-discipline. While working remotely obviously gives us all a great deal of freedom and flexibility, it's up to us to put ourselves on a leash - figuratively, of course - in order to actually get things done and succeed.

Without adequate levels of self-discipline, it's likely your work and business will suffer. Here are some of the standards that I've set to condition myself and maintain the discipline that's needed on a daily basis when you're working outside of an office.

• Set working hours and stick to them. Whether it's 7 a.m., 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., make a commitment to start working at the same time every day and do not budge from this under any circumstances. This will help your colleagues and clients know when to contact you.
  
  
• Make yourself available to your colleagues and clients using chat and instant messenger tools, like Skype, Google Talk or MSN Messenger. By signing in you are signaling that you are "in the office," thereby holding yourself accountable. This tactic will also help prevent you from falling into the habit of hitting snooze and sleeping those extra 30 minutes.
  
  
• Set aside blocks of time every day to perform tasks that may not be related to specific work projects - for example, spend 15 minutes in the morning and late afternoon updating your Twitter account or surfing Facebook . Or, dedicate the last 30 minutes before you shut down your computer to checking the mail or paying bills.  Setting aside these blocks of time to allow yourself to perform these tasks will help you condition your brain to stay focused throughout the rest of the day.
  
  
• Spend some time at the end of your workday to prioritize the activities that need to be addressed the following day.  This will help you mentally prepare for what's ahead and give you an immediate starting point on the next day.
  
  
• Record your time to determine what you've accomplished throughout the day. I do this anyway, since I have to complete a timesheet, and I've found that this gives me a sense of achievement, or, a kick in the rear if I haven't been as productive as I should have been. If you don't work in an environment where you record your time, I highly recommend doing this on your own.
  
  
• Finally, don't get discouraged when you're having one of those days where you feel like you have the attention span of a lightning bolt. It happens to everyone - whether you work in an office or not.
  

What about you? Do you struggle with self-discipline from time to time? If so, what do you do to overcome it?

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Guilt is a funny thing. It's amazing how quickly that nagging voice can kick in, leading us to question our actions or feel that we have fallen short of some kind of accepted standard. Workshifting comes with its own set of guilty feelings.

First off, there's that little thing of the commute. My husband and I live in Chicago, a city that is renowned for its gridlocked highways and nightmarish commutes. While most days I have a commute of about 1.5 seconds - the time it takes me to walk from our bedroom to my office - my husband spends anywhere from an hour and a half to more than two hours commuting from our home just north of the city to his office out in the suburbs.

On most days I get up later than him and still start my work day a good 45-60 minutes before he even reaches his desk. While I jokingly tell people that he's commuting "for the both of us," there's not a day that goes by when I'm not marred with guilt about our huge discrepancies in commuting time.

Working from home can also lead to a pretty interesting mix of feelings of guilt. On the one hand, I often feel guilty about focusing exclusively on work when there are things to be done around the house. On the other hand, if I'm doing laundry or running errands, I often feel guilty about not working. 

I still find it hard to step away from my desk during the work day - even if it's for something like running to the bank or picking up milk. I know this probably doesn't make much sense. After all, I'm not taking advantage of the very things that attracts so many people to Workshifting. I guess there's just something about the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday that is so ingrained in my system.

Finally, I also often feel guilty when I feel I'm not working "hard" enough. This is especially the case when my workload is low. There's just something about sitting alone, without deadlines and pressing projects that makes me feel extremely uncomfortable and almost "worthless." It's completely different than when you're in an office and everyone around you is having a slow day.

I wonder if these things will change the longer I work outside of a traditional office environment. What about you guys? Do you share similar feelings of guilt?


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