Recently while I was in a hotel room in Tusayan, Arizona, the sun was coming up around 8a. The family's asleep, internal clocks still set to Eastern Time.

So was mine, but I had been online for the better part of 3 hours.

As a writer, my work travels with me to wherever my laptop-in-tow sniffs out an Internet connection. That day, that was 5 miles from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

I emailed editors back East, scheduled some interviews for when we return, written a client blog and Facebook note about our adventures and reviewed the Nikon D3100 digital SLR that's chronicled almost every moment of our trip.

A fairly full morning from a quiet hotel room

My clients often wonder aloud why I "work" while on family getaways. They chide me, though their comments are offered as gentle, constructive advice about powering down. They're not suggesting I just turn off the laptop now, but that I disconnect in the greater sense - from work while away. Absorb the vacation, they say. Get into the moment.

Twenty-two years into workshifting, almost 20 years navigating that intersection where home-based entrepreneurship meets parenthood - and just as many years spent traveling with family and work in tow - I've discovered a thing or two about getting into the moment. I realized long ago it's a deeply personal thing, ingrained into each of our DNA.

Frankly, my moment comes before the first family member stirs in the morning. By the time they'll awaken today, I'll have logged more than 1,000 words of varying sorts - both billable and non-billable. They'll be none the wiser; my clients will feel, well, if not "lucky," then thankful that I delivered their project (even though I warned them before leaving home that I would NOT be working - and IF I happened to deliver work, then that would not be an invitation for them to open the floodgates to more requests or obligations).

Workationing is about managing expectations - of family, of clients, of yourself

I don't push the issue with the family, though as the children of an entrepreneur, my kids can connect the dots between work, paycheck and vacations. As for myself, I abide by the limit we seem to have worked out here: once the family is awake, the laptop soon closes, likely until we hunker down for the night. Then my time is my own again.

So working from the road means different things to different people. To me, it's about finding balance in life and work - and frankly, I love what I do. As a writer, I enjoy the writing and editing process. I find catharsis in creativity and release in the moment I hit Send to deliver a finished product. I feel blessed that freelancing affords me the chance - or shall I say, the freedom - to pursue my career from anywhere: a hotel room near the Grand Canyon, a lodge in the Ozark Mountains, or a cruise ship in the Caribbean.

As the family awakens, it's time to power down (the laptop, not my workshifting). I still have my BlackBerry; I still get work emails and correspondence in need of response. And I respond. My family won't chide me if I peek and reply here and there.

They're OK with that.

And so am I.

Photo Credit: chrissam42

During the long weekend when we celebrated American Independence Day, I came across an interesting report that made me start to wonder about the cost of people trying to realize the great American Dream. The report, summarized by Harry Bradford in the Huffington Post, notes that top level professionals now view the 40-hour work week as part time. Working less than this is widely recognized as career suicide, leading to less prestigious and less upwardly mobile career paths. Essentially people are working about 30% longer, so that 50 hours a week or more is now becoming the norm; yet for many, incomes have not kept pace.

Most of us recognize that the report is simply providing data in support of what we have been experiencing for a while - our approach to work-life and work-family balance has changed significantly over the last decade. The lines between work and personal time are fading and will almost certainly disappear. With the relentless consumerization of technology, the proliferation of mobile devices, and the rise of social business, we are effectively always connected, always on and always available, which translates to always being potentially 'at work' even if we are not physically in a formal office.

These trends should, however, be ringing alarm bells in that one has to question the extent to which this is sustainable and why management practices are so outdated. Contemporary research into the human brain shows that the worst kind of stress is the feeling that you have no control over the problem, that you are helpless. Dr. John Medina notes in his best-selling book, Brain Rules, that emotional stress has huge impacts across society, from children's ability to learn in school to employees' productivity at work. Could it be that we are working longer hours and yet becoming less productive because of associated stress-related causes? Does this reflect a lack of independence for Americans from a working practices perspective?

One way employers could help alleviate the stress of professionals working longer hours is to give them the flexibility to manage their working day as any time during their waking day. We all have a span of time available each day from the time we wake to the time we go to sleep. By allowing individuals to determine for themselves how they prioritize different tasks that need to get done in that period of time, stress can be reduced, people become more productive and a new form of sustainability introduced. If the Class of 2011 is to be able to realize their American dreams, something has got to change. Maybe it is time for a new form of American independence!

I sat down recently for coffee with a man who quickly informed me that he once hiked along the Great Wall in a pair of cowboy boots. I followed his gaze to his feet where two travel-worn boots were cooling beneath the table. I knew right then that this wasn't going to be any ordinary conversation.

Alex Bajwa brings this down-to-earth sense of adventure to his law practice. Specializing in wills, estate planning and small business law, you might say he's a man with a plan and a unique way of navigating the world.

He's traveled widely- from bustling cities in China to the remote hills of Kashmir - with a cowboy hat atop his tall frame. But when he gets down to business, he keeps it local. In fact, he's been workshifting from a home office since graduating from law school. He's quick to point out that early workspace renditions were more multi-use rooms - his first was an "office with a bed," then came "the dog room" and finally his wife's "craft room" complete with pink velvet bolts of fabric.

Today Alex primarily works from a fully-fledged office in his house. He also maintains a virtual office, which provides him with a business mailing address, receptionist, access to conference rooms and other à la carte business services. With a penchant for working paperless, he scans important documents into his PC and securely stores them in the cloud. That way they are always available when he needs them, whether he's meeting with clients in their homes or drafting contracts at his home office.

Flexibility is essential to Alex, who has designed his firm from the ground up just the way he wants it to be, determining his specialization, work times and locations. He keeps his overhead low by eliminating expensive office space, paralegal staff and unnecessary paper file storage. Packing light, so to speak, gives him a competitive edge. His rates are generally about fifty percent lower than other attorneys in the area. According to Alex, "it's harder to justify getting a physical office today."

Remember, this is the man who hiked the Great Wall in cowboy boots.

He explains that right now, traditional office hours at a law firm would not suit him, mostly because the obligation to report to work between fixed times would take precedence over actual output. Instead, Alex - a man who has chosen his own path and what he wears on that path - has successfully established a work routine that enables him to be highly productive while maintaining his independence and flexibility.

His advice to anyone contemplating a similar arrangement: Set up a segregated home office from the get-go.

I enjoy talking with people - particularly workshifters - about their working lives, and I continue to be impressed by the variety of jobs, personalities and working styles that are naturally accommodated by workshifting. What seems to be consistently present in those who choose the workshifting path is a strong intuitive sense of how to get work done no matter where they are, cowboy boots and all.

What commonalities among workshifters have you noticed?

Photo Credit: awyatt

Have you ever dreamed of a cross-country trip? Taking your time to go from state to state, meeting people, seeing the sites and...working? That's right, working!

On May 15th my Mom and I began our cross-country trip from Santa Rosa, CA to Atlanta, GA, for a cousin's wedding and then we'll be continuing our adventure north to Boston, MA, for my brother's wedding. (That's more than 3,888 miles!) Armed with my laptop, a wireless card, an iPad, my cell phone, GoToMeeting and GoToMyPC, my plan is to workshift along the way, mixing business with pleasure! (Disclosure: I work for GoToMeeting and GoToMyPC.) 

While I imagine the sites and experiences will be incredible, the trip actually came about because my mom has a lung disease and can no longer fly. While that may be the reason we're taking the trip, it provided a great opportunity for me to combine my love of travel with my ability to work from anywhere.

Having been a full time teleworker the past four years, I'm accustom to the challenges (and advantages) of working outside the office. However those won't compare to what's in store while travelling over rivers, mountains and through the woods. With intermittent internet and phone access, I will need to adapt to a work environment that is in constant flux. My experience will no doubt teach me new skills and I hope it will give you some ideas too.

We have a general plan laid out with some stops in mind but other than that, we'd love your input on the best places to stay/see/eat - the more random the better! And who knows - your suggestion might just inspire an impromptu Meet & Tweet!

Here's a snapshot of our route. You can also view it (and its updates) here:

I'll also be vlogging the trip, my experiences and workshifting lessons on YouTube, sharing photos and snippets on Facebook and tweeting out tips.

Have you ever driven across country or taken on a big workshifting trip? I'd love your tips, suggestions and lessons learned! Leave them in the comments below or tweet them out using the hashtag #WSRhonda!

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

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

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.

Photo Credit: churchbrat

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

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

Flexibility Anxiety

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

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

How to Prepare for Becoming a Workshifter

7 Considerations for Setting Up a Home Office

Work/Life Balance When Work is Wherever You Are

The Greatest Benefit of Workshifting: The Life Shift

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

Take a deep breath. You are OK.

Photo Credit: Sterlic

I started working from home full-time a little over 2 years ago, when my partner and I decided to give up our downtown office in an effort to simplify and cut down on some expenses. It was a great decision, and we've never looked back. Our team of web developers, graphic designers, and video specialists all work remotely as well, and we find that it makes us all very agile and highly productive. We've had to work through the occasional communications glitch, but overall it's been the best thing for our company's growth and success.

There's only one problem with being home-based. A good proportion of my work now takes place within the same physical space as my leisure time, and that can create some conflicts. It's all too easy to just "hop on the computer" for a few minutes, and suddenly find myself caught up in various work tasks, when I'm supposed to be relaxing with my family or sleeping. I don't know how many times my husband has said to me "Are you STILL on that computer?" at 11pm, as I do "just one more thing" before going to bed.

Working from home can easily throw off the work/life balance. I've learned the hard way that it's critical to maintain a balance between downtime and work time, or all sorts of disastrous things can happen. Here are a few of the things I've managed to figure out to help strike and keep my work/life balance.

Lift and Separate

For the longest time, my office was in one corner of our basement rec room. This caused two problems. One, I'd get frustrated when my husband would come home from work and want to turn on the TV to play video games or watch a movie, interrupting my flow (I can't work as effectively with background distractions). Two, even after I shut off the computer for the day, it was too physically close to my "living" space. I would be trying to wind down by relaxing in front of the TV, and my office would be doing all it could to lure me back. I'd find reasons to go back and do that "one more thing", and before I knew it, it would be 11pm and another so-called relaxing evening would be shot.

I've now rectified this by moving my office upstairs to a separate room (which was already being used as a computer room). My husband and I are still in the process of turning this space into a functioning office for both of us, but just by moving my work into a room that I can physically leave at the end of the day has helped immensely. I can literally close the door and walk away, and I've reclaimed the rest of my house as living space again. My home is my office, but my office is no longer my home.

The Big Wind Down

When we work in an office, we leave for the day, go home, or out with friends. Most of the time, we have a good 4 or 5 hours to unwind from the day, have a change of physical surroundings, and get in a good headspace to have a restful night, so we can be refreshed for the morning. When we work from home, we tend to move directly from the office to our beds, and then wonder why we can't get to sleep. We skip over the normal wind-down process because the commute to our bed is only a few steps. I was having real problems with sleep a few months back. I would go to bed and my mind would be racing with all the things I had to do. Nothing I did could help me calm down. Then finally, my wise husband reminded me that I still needed that wind down time I'd had when I was working in an office.

Don't shut off the computer and just go to bed. Spend some time, even an hour, unwinding after you finish your work. Watch some TV, read a (non-business) book, meditate, do yoga, or have a non work- related chat with your spouse or a friend. Giving yourself that bit of time every day will help you clear your mind, rest better, and be more fresh to take on the challenges of the next day.

Working from home is great. But keeping the balance is definitely a challenge. How do you balance work and life when they occur in the same space?

Photo Credit: sarako

It's never a good time to take a vacation. There's always a reason to wait until next month, next quarter, next year... Eventually, you have to just jump in and decide, okay, it's time to take a break or do something a little bit different.

The problem for me is, making a trek to anywhere that requires a passport means I definitely want to go for more than 1 or 2 weeks, and ideally it would be for more like 3-4 weeks. But who can afford to be completely away from the office for that long?

So, about a month ago I casually mentioned to my co-worker at Citrix Online that I would love to workshift from charming cafés while cycling through the European countryside. The next thing I knew, she, my manager and I were planning the trip!

Using GoToMeeting and GoToMyPC, I can work from anywhere (I've done it many a time when traveling home for the holidays or visiting friends), so why not workshift while doing some of the other things I enjoy? I love cycling, and I've been dreaming of another trip to Europe since last I went in May of 2004.

Now, I'm in Germany with my partner, Carlos, a brand new tandem bicycle, three changes of clothes, an iPad, an iPhone, a couple of cameras, GoToMeeting and Citrix Receiver. The journey will be 6 weeks total: 3 weeks on the bike and workshifting, 1 week working at the Citrix Synergy event in Berlin, Germany, and 1 1/2 weeks of pure vacation in Spain. (Yep, going for a complete "unplugged" experience in Spain - though I do have peace of mind knowing I can easily check in if needed!)

The adventure has begun and I am already meeting and connecting with people from all over the world - which is a large part of what this trip is about for me. In fact I've already worked with one of my Danish colleagues at his home in Slangerup. I had breakfast with him and his family one morning, raced with him in a bicycle criterium that afternoon, and later we worked together from his kitchen table - what a great way to spend the day and evening.

I'm excited to see how this experience takes shape and looking forward to learning new tricks for being totally mobile, both while traveling and working. I hope you'll follow along as I learn and share - and I hope you'll share any advice you have for me as well!

There are a lot of ways you can check in with me from my web site, Kelley Checks In, to all my social sites including Twitter and Facebook.