Today we have a guest post from Tony Schwartz. Tony is President and CEO of The Energy Project, a company that helps individuals and organizations fuel energy, engagement, focus and productivity by harnessing the science of high performance.

Tony's most recent book, Be Excellent At Anything: The Four Keys to Transforming the Way We Work and Live, was published in May 2010 and became an immediate New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. His previous book, The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy Not Time, co- authored with Jim Loehr, spent four months on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into 28 languages. 

Tony is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, and is one of HBR.org's most popular bloggers.

I was walking through the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose one day last week just before 6 pm, feeling a bit bleary after three consecutive weeks flying back and forth across the country to visit five different cities.

The question at hand was whether or not to attend a cocktail party being thrown by my corporate hosts. Then I spotted the spa. Impulsively, I walked in and asked if I might be able to book a massage. Minutes later, I was lying on a table, unbelievably happy to be there. When I walked out an hour later, I felt incredibly relaxed and rejuvenated.

It was a powerful reminder of a core principle we teach our clients: The greater the performance demand, the greater the need for intermittent renewal. It's just common sense. If you're spending down more energy than usual, you need to refuel yourself more than usual.

Of course, most of us do just the opposite. When we're facing a tough deadline, or a difficult set of demands, the default behavior is to hunker down, push the envelope, stay the course, burn the midnight oil. The clichés abound because the practice is so common.

If you spend any time traveling for business, the overwhelming likelihood is you struggle with delays, get to sleep late in your new city, wake up early, and pack your days with as many meetings as possible. If you take any time at all to relax, it's usually over dinner, and you're likely to eat too much and drink too much (especially if someone else is pouring).

My massage last week reminded me how vastly much better I feel -- and subsequently perform -- when I take time on the road to truly renew. Here are my six key strategies:

1. Do whatever it takes to get enough sleep. There is no more critical form of renewal, period. Only one out of every 40 people requires less than seven hours of sleep to feel fully rested, so the odds are that person isn't you.
   
   When I travel, I calculate how many hours I'm going to be able to sleep when I arrive, and if it's less than eight, I try to make up the difference on the plane. I always bring a mask and earplugs. If you struggle to fall asleep, try a non-narcotic sleeping aid, such as Melatonin. Even a prescription sleeping pill is fine occasionally.
   
   
2. Get at least 20 to 30 minutes of physical exercise in the morning, because if you don't do it then, you won't do it. (But don't do it at the expense of sleep.)
   
   You already know how healthy it is to exercise. It's also an incredibly reliable mood-enhancer. Choose a hotel with a good fitness facility, unless you're happy to exercise outside.
   
   A walk is a reasonable option, but you'll get more bang for your buck, and likely feel better if you do some sort of aerobic exercise. At the simplest level, that means raising your heart rate enough that you're truly exerting yourself.
   
   As a stopgap, bring a Dyna-Band, which you can learn to use in a few minutes and allows you to get a full-body workout in your room.
   
   
3. Never, ever take the key for the minibar. There's nothing good in it, trust me. If the minibar doesn't have a key, consider asking that it be removed from your room before you check in. So long as you have one available, you're more likely to eat or drink something you don't need.
   
   
4. Breathe between meetings. Obviously, you're always breathing, but I'm talking about something more deliberate. Take at least one full minute to breathe in through your nose to a count of three, expanding your abdomen, and then out through your mouth to a count of six.
   
   By extending your out breath, you get more renewal. It's possible to clear your bloodstream of cortisol -- the most insidious of the stress hormones -- in less than a minute by breathing this way. It's also a great way to clear your mind.
   
   
5. Call home. It's incredibly important to stay connected with the people you love - for you, and for them. It's also best to call when you're feeling reasonably relaxed and unrushed, because it will go better, and that will make you feel better.
   
   
6. Don't let airport delays get you down. They're unpredictable and inevitable. Always leave the day before your meetings, and be sure you have at least one backup flight. Travel with plenty of stuff to keep you happily and productively occupied on the plane, and if you're delayed.
   
   I bring two or three books, so I have choices about what to read, depending on my mood. I also carry a journal, because I've found there is no better place to think reflectively, without interruption, than on a plane, or in a quiet corner in an airport. Quiet time alone is precious, so savor whatever you happen to get.

Reprinted with permission from HBR.org.

Want to learn more about increasing productivity? Watch this free webinar recording to hear Tony Schwartz talk about why the way we're working isn't working and share his 4 keys to transforming performance. You can also check out the Q&A from the webinar here.

Distractions are one of the most common reasons people think they can never workshift. They believe that when left to their own devices - working from a home office, coffee shop or wherever - they would be far too distracted by trivialities and would never be as productive as they are when working in an office environment.

While it's true that it takes some effort to be focused and productive when the boss isn't looking over your shoulder, I think that once people get into the groove of workshifting, they actually find they are more productive.

After 6 years of being a full-time workshifter, I can tell you that I am able to finish 8 hours' worth of work in just half the time. That's how laser-focused a quiet, remote space makes me, and it's not all work and no play that allows this. In fact, I need to embrace certain distractions as I work to be so successful. I call them "healthy" distractions - things that help me overcome creative blocks, work through problems or just take a much-needed brain break.

Social Networking Isn't a Distraction - It's a Creativity Booster

Some people are going to disagree with this, and that's okay. I've read tons of blog posts about how social networking is one of the biggest distractions to "real work" there is. Instead of getting actual work done, we're goofing off on Twitter, poking around Facebook and hanging out with our Google + friends. I myself have been guilty of these pastimes on occasion.

But I do think social networks can be a great creativity boost. When I'm working, I regularly have Twitter open in the background. The message stream flows by and I usually just ignore it. But sometimes, I need to stop working and think a bit. I could either sit and stare at my screen, waiting for my muse to strike - which rarely works - or I could flip over to Twitter, where I scan through posts and click a few links. I think about something completely different for a few minutes, and often that's just what I need to snap an idea into my head.

The people I follow on social networks serve as my inspiration. It works every time.

(Note: if you're worried about getting sucked into social networks - an easy thing to do - set a timer for 10 minutes when you take your inspiration breaks. This way you'll know when it's time to get back to work.)

(Don't) Step Away from the Sofa

The lure of the sofa - I remember this affliction back when I worked in an office. The 3 PM Snoozies, I called them. They'd creep up on you mid-afternoon, and it would be hard to keep your head up. All you could think about was a little 5-minute nap and how good it would feel. But of course, you couldn't be caught sleeping at your desk, so you would grab another cup of coffee and work through it.

Now that we're working from home, the sofa is right there. It seems so soft and warm. The cat looks so comfortable sleeping peacefully in your spot. But you know what? It's okay to take breaks. It's okay to give in to the 3 PM Snoozies once in a while. So go and lie down for a few; rest your eyes if you need to.

Sometimes a 15-minute power nap is all you need to reset yourself so you can be productive the rest of the day. Don't feel guilty about it - think of it as a productivity booster. Give yourself permission to take a mini-siesta if and when you need to. That's one of the perks of working from home - so use it!

Appreciation Is the Best Healthy Distraction of All

Sometimes, I'll stop working, sit back from my desk for a few minutes and just look around me. The dog rests peacefully at my feet. I am surrounded aby photos and reminders of my loved ones. I have my work environment set up exactly the way I want it. I can look online and see so many friends and colleagues that are doing amazing things. And I'm incredibly grateful that I have the ability to choose this lifestyle, grateful for all of the opportunities that it has afforded me. And I'm appreciative of the people and the technology that supports me in this choice.

So once in a while, just stop. Give a little thanks to the people and things around you that have allowed you your workshifting life. Gratitude really is one of the best distractions there is, don't you think?

What about you? Do you have healthy distractions that help you workshift better?

Photo Credit: tomsaint

Several years ago, I wrote about the role of impromptu telework after an ice storm shut down parts of North Carolina. For those caught without power, workshifting was an effective, albeit makeshift, solution to keep themselves productive when Mother Nature did her worst.

Visiting Los Angeles this week with my family, I discovered first-hand how traffic is a crab walk here at the best of times. Having heard our trouble, a friend who commutes daily from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills added that the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority would soon be shutting down 10 miles of Interstate 405 for 53 hours to tear down an overpass.

The closure, scheduled for July 16 and 17, is expected to affect a half-million drivers. Few believe officials' promises that it will be completed by Monday morning's rush hour. Many are anticipating traffic chaos that will dwarf the usual snarl.

Some are already preparing for what's being likened to as a Northeast pre-planned "snow day." Rumor has it many commuters with a choice are planning long weekend getaways and mini-vacations.

Think about the lost productivity.

Why not workshift instead?

Why not plan ahead, discuss the situation with employers, employees and coworkers, arrange to bring home work that can be done outside the corporate office, and avoid the snarl - and excuses - altogether?

Alternatively, find or create a telework center or temporary workspace where people can continue working without having to traverse the affected 10-mile zone. It could be an executive suite or idle space at a peer's location. Contact your attorney, accountant or other professional services firm to see if space may be available.

Then, assuming this impromptu telework "pilot project" or telework center experiment succeeds, explore expanding it into a regular telework program. All it takes for most will be a computer with Internet access, relatively comfortable workspaces and a mind open to new possibilities.

The company may benefit from increased productivity - in both good times and bad - beyond this one-time opportunity. Next time construction (or poor weather or an earthquake) shuts down an interstate or otherwise makes transportation impossible, people in unaffected areas can continue working.

As we were traversing the L.A. freeways this week, we were aghast at how long it took to drive even a short distance. It would seem L.A. and workshifting were made for each other - even without the impending chaos of a 10-mile closure of the 405.

Photo Credit: Bugsy Rocker

When I gave up my bricks and mortar office 5 years ago, I underwent a significant lifestyle change. No longer was I "heading into the office" every day. I was a free bird, able to flit around at my own pace, on my own schedule, where and with whom I wanted. It was blissful for a while, having all that freedom. However, I felt as if I was always ON... always dealing with work on some level or another - whether it was taking a client phone call at 9:30 at night, or replying to emails in bed on a Sunday morning. Everything I did, even when I was supposed to be having fun and relaxing, had a continuous undercurrent of work in the background. The result of this feeling of work pecking at me all the time was STRESS, and lots of it. Before I knew it, the bliss I'd felt at not being chained to an office gave way to the anxiety of not having boundaries between work and play.

I learned the hard way that there's a better way to work when your office is anywhere.

There's something to be said for 9 to 5.

Okay, well maybe not 9 to 5 exactly, because having totally regimented work hours would kind of defeat the purpose of having the freedom that workshifting allows. But, making a distinction between "I'm working now," and "I'm not working now," is definitely beneficial.

Your work schedule doesn't have to be consecutive. Maybe you want to work from 6am to 9am, then take a break till noon, then work again from noon to 2pm, nap till 4, and work again from 5 to 8. See, it's up to you. That's the beauty of this lifestyle. You get to set it up. But it's important that you set it up, every day. The best thing to do is put it in your calendar. Block off the chunks of time when you need to work, and something interesting will happen. In between you'll see gaps on your calendar. I call these gaps "Inches of Time." These inches are your own - time when you don't have work or other commitments. It's time just for you, to focus on a labor of love project, blogging, learning something new, reading, or just... doing nothing.

Make your schedule each day and stick to it (I sometimes use a timer to tell me when it's break time). You'll find that the routine of making a schedule makes you shut off when you need to.

Have a morning routine.

Human beings are creatures of habit, just like the rest of the animal kingdom. So when you don't adopt good habits, you can easily get out of rhythm. If you just jump up every day and dive into whatever gets thrown at you (say, the emails in your inbox or a bad story on the news), it can spin you off in totally the wrong direction. That's why a morning routine is important. Here's the one I've been following with great success.

• 6:00am: Wake up. (I try to wake without an alarm as much as possible, letting my body tell me when it's had enough rest.) Drink coffee in bed and read (not the news, not Twitter, but an actual book).
• 6:30am: Check in on the web (read articles, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc. - NOT news or emails).
• 7:00am: Take the dog for a run (and me for a good walk).
• 8:00am: Have breakfast and coffee #2.
• 8:30am: Shower and get dressed.
• 9:00am: Check emails and get to work.

Now, I don't have kids to feed, dress or get to school in the morning, so I have a bit more flexibility in how I do things. You need to come up with what works for you. But some important things in my routine that set me up for the day are:

• I eat breakfast. ALWAYS.
  
  
• I get out with the dog. This is a new thing for me, as our dog was recently introduced to the wonders of off-leash dog parks. But the time I spend in nature every morning now really clears my mind and sets me up for a good day. Not to mention I'm now walking an hour a day. My pants are looser already!
  
  
• I read every morning, even if it's just for 1/2 an hour. This could be any book - business, fiction, non-fiction, self-help - but it's not the Internet, it's an actual book. That is time for me, every day, to enjoy something and get inspired by new ideas.

The point is, having a morning routine is critical to being more effective in all things. Think of your morning routine as the set-up for your day - the one thing in your day that you get to have total control over, because as we know the rest of our days can be anything but controlled sometimes.

Even when you workshift, routine is important. If you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed by all of the flexibility your days now afford, consider how you might start to rein that freedom in by settings some boundaries of time and activities.

Photo Credit: jailman

"I've developed a new philosophy... I only dread one day at a time." - Charlie Brown (Charles Schulz)

Up to 90% of all visits to the doctor are for stress-related symptoms and the major cause of stress is worry. We all know that worrying serves no purpose, but that doesn't make it easy to stop a worry habit. Here are 9 techniques for worry busting:

Swap worrying time for thinking time

Nuroscientists have proven that worry is worse than useless when it comes to resolving big problems--it is counterproductive. Worry impairs our reasoning abilities. If you have a big worry, think about it instead. Get into problem solving mode. It helps enormously to talk to someone else while problem solving rather than to try to do so in your thoughts alone.

Walk down the memory lane of your previous worries.

Can you remember what you were worried about this time last year? If you can actually remember them, which were worth the worry? Remember the old saying: "Today is the tomorrow that we worried about yesterday."

Brainstorm all your worries

Brainstorm all your worries, big and little. Now for each worry write down what you can do about it. Don't just sit there worrying--do something about it!

Accept the worry

Accept the worry when it is beyond your control.

Write your worries down

Write your worries down and ask a friend to read each one out loud. As they do so, ask them to role-play the worry. They should act as if they are you, and you play the devil's advocate to challenge each worry. The aim of the game is for you to have the final say as the devil's advocate. The purpose of this is to retrain your mind into positive, solution-led thinking.

Play with your worry voice

Play with your worry voice. Give the voice a character with a life.

For the sake of illustration, I like to call mine Dobby (after the negative little house-elf from Harry Potter). Now try having a conversation with Dobby, who might start off like this:

"But master, what if the Dark Lord comes tonight?" Hear Dobby's high-pitched, little whiny voice, see his big ears and his wringing hands. He's a bit ridiculous, isn't he? How would Harry Potter respond to Dobby?

How will you respond to your Dobby equivalent? Give him a bloomin' good kicking, that's how. Kick that Dobby voice NOW!

Turn the volume up and down

Turn the volume on the worry voice up and down, change the pitch of the voice, get it to sing. How about getting the voice to sing its lyrics to the tune of Kylie Minogue's "I Should Be So Lucky"? Once you've had a good old play, go back to the volume and turn it right down until you can't hear that worry voice at all!

Halt the repetitive worry cycle

When your worries become almost mechanical, with a rhythm that goes on and on (when you're getting the same thoughts again and again), do something physical or just plain daft. Here are a few ideas:

• Run up and down the stairs.
  
  
• Snap an elastic band on your wrist--ouch!
  
  
• Sing the alphabet backwards in the style of Pavarotti.
  
  
• Touch your tongue to your nose, wiggle your ears, raise one eyebrow, try a handstand (best done at home rather than at work for this one). Just do something physical that requires some concentration. I bet you can't worry at the same time!

The possibilities are endless; the key is to get out of your own way!

Perform a worry autopsy

Write down what you are worried about in a notebook. What is the worst that could happen because of these worries?

• Think about how you would handle this worst-case scenario.
  
  
• Decide where you have control over this worry. What can you do to reduce the chances of this worry becoming a reality? Where can you take action?
  
  
• Look at the worrisome thoughts that you feel you can't take any action on. Which of these have you inflated or distorted? Which have little basis in reality?
  
  
• Write opposites or alternatives to the worrisome thoughts.
  
  
• Learn the alternatives by heart. Each time you catch yourself worrying replace the original worry with the new positive thought.

Photo Credit: Photo Plod

I've survived seven Minnesota winters. And during the many long, blustery winter months, I have had the pleasure and privilege of workshifting daily. That means I have not had to leave the house in the dark of the morning to coax my car to start. I have not had to feel the cold, stiff car seat beneath multiple layers of sensible winter clothing. And in the premature dark of winter evenings, I have not had to join the hoards of motorists on icy highways eager to return to the warmth of home.

But that doesn't mean I haven't known the joys of commuting in my pre-workshifting life.

Bus

There were winters on Chicago's lakefront that would knock one flat with the sheer force of an arctic blast, not unlike the Peppermint Patty commercials. With a bundled face pointed stoically in the direction of the lake, I set out every morning to catch my early express bus to my downtown office. When traffic was heavier than usual, the ride took 45 minutes. Rainy days meant no seat. In fact, I was lucky in any inclement weather to push my way through the door of the bus and inch my feet across the driver's "squeeze past or get off my bus" line. A good day was finding a clean seat with minimal etched graffiti and trying to read while jostling down the street, swaying with sharp corner turns, and steering clear of people's bags and briefcases as they moved down the aisle. And then there were days when the express bus was late or had gone past my stop 10 minutes early, leaving me at the mercy of the regular bus, which made stops on seemingly every city block.

Train

Sometimes I switched up the routine and grabbed the Red Line (part subway, part elevated train). The experience was similar to that of the bus, but the views were different. When we were underground, the view was confined to the people in the car; aboveground, the view was a blur of dizzying backyards, balconies, and second-floor offices. It wasn't a bad commute unless the train was overly crowded--or when it was hot, late in the evening, raining, cold, or an hour before/after a Cubs game--which was, of course, much of the time.

Bike

There were times, too, when I biked to work along the Southern California coast. The exercise was a perk, but without a shower before the workday, my commute stuck with me all day. I didn't have a private office at the time, so storing work clothes or even changing out of riding clothes posed a professional challenge.

Carpool

Right out of graduate school and before the days of busing downtown or biking down the coast, I was simply eager to join the workforce, regardless of the commute. One of my grad school buddies pulled a favor and got me a series of interviews at her company. My friend had a car and lived a block away from me. If I got the gig, she said, we could carpool together. On the day of my interviews, she picked me up at 7:30 AM. My first interview was scheduled for 9 AM. We hit the highway along with tens of thousands of other people and began a slow crawl into the belly of the suburbs. An hour later, we pulled into her company's parking lot.

Looking back, I realize that my early working life was sharply focused on my work commute and the associated stress it caused me - running late, not running at all or simply being uncomfortable. Getting home felt so good. Maybe that's why now being home all the time feels even better.

What was your best (or worst) commute?

Photo Credit: keith011764

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

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

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

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

What do you think makes a successful workshifter?

Photo Credit: Scoobymoo

I said goodbye to traditional office life some 17 months ago, yet still struggle with defining my workday. Whether open-door, closed-door or cubicle-bound, office life offers a stability and consistency that come with scheduled work hours and responsibilities.

Upon entry into the Workshifting realm, the before, during and after work all become one. And, as is the case for many workshifters, your load will effectively increase if you become responsible for your own IT, marketing and the like.

How You Start and End Your Day Influences What Happens In-between

So, now, productivity not only becomes more challenging, it becomes more integral to successfully reaching any destination along the workshifting highway. Here are some ideas I am tinkering with, in order to move into the HOV lane of productivity.

Create a morning routine which invokes a positive flow of energy and ideas through the remainder of your day.

In physical terms, this ritual could involve a swim, a walk with the sunrise or a cup of freshly-brewed coffee. Sometimes, just having your coffee in a different place and checking your personal email or reading a few edifying articles will prepare your mind for the work that is ahead!

Mentally, the activity should calm you while at the same time awaken your brain to remain open to a flow of ideas throughout the day. Life coach and author, Wendi Blum, suggests that you start your day with a gratitude list - i.e., on a positive note. Or, perhaps, set the intention for what you would like to/need to accomplish on that day. Different from mere calendaring or goal-setting, setting the intention implies a connection and commitmment to the task at hand and the possession of the talent/skills/discipline needed to achieve!

Remember that the key to the morning "routine" may be keeping it exactly the same each day, or switching it up sometimes depending on what type of flow of thoughts/creativity/ energy you seek!

Create an evening ritual which encapsulates the positive aspects of your day and sets you up for success tomorrow.

As workshifters, it can feel as though our 'work'day never ends! Therefore, it's that much more imperative that we create a physical and/or mental separation to transition from work to relaxation. Whether it is an evening social activity or walk outside - find a way clear the clutter of the day.

Stop, ask your mind/heart/soul to receive the wisdom and knowledge you need to fuel the next day's tasks. These requests of yourself act like the automatic "Windows updates" your computer performs at night, readying it with the latest tools it needs to work at optimum levels.

What are your morning routines and evening rituals that make you most productive?

Photo Credit: outdoorPDK

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of articles, books, blogs, and Websites filled with advice about how to manage remote workers (or telecommuters, or workshifters, or distributed teams--we tend to use these terms interchangeably, even though we know there are subtle distinctions among them).

However, most of that advice amounts to broad generalizations or "bumper-sticker"-like slogans that are well-meant but rather shallow: "Pay attention to your staff's personal life," "Measure what they produce, not how much time they spend," "Hold regular conference calls," "Check in with your subordinates on a regular basis."

While those slogans do point in the right direction, they tend to be stated as universal truths even though the real world is full of complexity and varying contexts. Worse, they don't begin to deal with why and how companies choose to embrace workforce mobility. And an organization's motivations and experiences make a huge difference in what works and what doesn't.

In our latest research (full report here), we identify and discuss five major things that leading organizations do to make workshifting work for them--and for their employees:

1. They do it strategically. That is, the workshifting program is formal, explicit, and sponsored by senior management. Everyone knows why the program has been launched and what specific business outcomes it is intended to help achieve.
   
   
2. The organization and its members learn to work differently over time. In most respects employees continue to do the same basic work even though they are in different places. However, "going mobile" requires some fundamental changes in how they get that work done. And distributed work essentially forces organizations to measure and reward work outcomes instead of just monitoring employees' activities through "management by walking around."
   
   
3. Training is a central part of the program. And the training programs include both managers of remote workers and the remote individual contributors themselves.
   
   
4. The effective deployment and use of collaboration technologies is central to making distributed work "work." And we are not referring just to the basics like email, conference calling, and instant messages. Successful organizations today make a wide variety of collaboration tools available to their distributed workforce.
   
   
5. Success depends on planning thoughtfully and implementing aggressively. It's an old idea, but an important one: plan the work, and work the plan. Distributed work programs aren't just about redesigning facilities and letting people move about the country; they almost always include significant organizational and cultural change, and must be treated as such.

Big Insights

Phil Montero of The Anywhere Office told us:

Too many organizations stumble into flexible work on an ad-hoc basis, and then adapt to it only when they realize that it's happening. Successful organizations make sure their managers are trained in how to lead remote employees and take a deliberate approach and strategy.

Kate North, Vice President of Global Business Development for e-work.com, an online training program firm, made a similar point:

Today, the primary driver for many organizations adopting mobility strategies is cost reduction driven by a shrinking real estate portfolio. And as the implementation team launches, if they have not done their homework and properly prepared their mid-level managers on how to successfully lead a distributed team, their program could hit a wall.

In the past, managers picked up a tremendous amount of "visual queuing" when their teams were office-based. They were able to "see," quickly and subconsciously, how their team was doing, what they were working on, and who was connecting with whom. When visual queuing is no longer available, a manager can feel quite vulnerable and frustrated.

In addition, if individual employees sense that their manager has not cultivated these skills and doesn't feel secure, they too may resist a mobility program--especially in today's economy. On the flip side, when a manager has honed the necessary skills and continually demonstrates best practices, employees will begin to thrive in the virtual workplace by developing their own skills; and, needless to say, their engagement and productivity will soar.

Workshifting Requires Redesigning Work Processes and Management Practices

We also identified five specific ways that successful workshifting employers transform they way they get work done:

1. Going paperless. People can be much more mobile when they don't have to access paper documents that are by definition stored in only one location. The real magic of centrally stored digital information is that once it's online it can be accessed and processed from almost anywhere.
   
   
2. Supplying workshifters with the mobile technologies they need. One government agency we studied no longer has any desktop computers. Everything is portable, although all laptops have physical security devices and are assigned to individual employees. This degree of technology mobility increases the likelihood that people will work wherever they are--because they can.
   
   
3. Making time to practice new tools such as job-specific software applications. The winners give their employees time to learn how to use new collaborative technologies well before they are expected to integrate them into their work style.
   
   
4. Ensuring that workshifters are "contactable" (i.e., published times when they are available to peers and managers). When people work in a single central location everyone assumes that if they can see you, you are available to talk. When people are remote they must set aside specific blocks of time for calls and other real-time collaborative activities. One remote manager called these times his "open-door hours."
   
   
5. Teach workshifters personal discipline, including knowing when to "unplug." Gil Gordon (one of the thought leaders we interviewed) is famous for promoting the value of getting offline. Burnout can become endemic among remote workers unless they learn how to disconnect regularly.

This research has been both enlightening and confirming. We've been tracking distributed work and workforce mobility for many years. We've helped clients write telecommuting policies; we've built the business case for flexible work programs; we've designed, implemented, and evaluated pilot projects and training programs.

We have always been major advocates for flexible work. Yet interviewing other thought leaders and experienced practitioners over the past several months has re-energized us and strengthened our belief in the "rightness" of flexible work.

In the end, it all comes down to an abstract but critically important aspect of organizational culture: trust. Trust the organization and its people to do what they're asked to do: hire people to accomplish a specific task; measure and manage them on the basis of results; and don't worry about controlling where and when they do their work.

Photo Credit: Round Indigo Rock

After having run out of gas, I had a thought on the side of a lonely highway in Utah during our Rise of the Cubicle Farmer road trip and it made me think about how sometimes we may push too hard, too fast.  Sometimes the best decision might be to rest and regroup and start fresh instead of pushing it to no end, particularly when you miscalculate when the end may be.  This could be the end of a project launch, business idea, etc.  Here's a video I took while on the side of the road.

Do you take time to refuel?