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

I admit it: I'm deadline-driven. Deadlines keep me moving forward and on task. I respond exceedingly well to them. Meeting deadlines brings enormous satisfaction; not meeting them brings stress and self-loathing. Deadlines reign supreme; if something doesn't have a hard deadline attached - even informally - it gets placed at the bottom of the to-do list.

Being responsive to deadlines is obviously important professionally, but when one deadline follows close on the heels of another, there's little time to step back for a big-picture assessment. And despite the fact that I seem to be in a perpetual state of content creation, pointing to a fully booked calendar as evidence of a productive professional life doesn't quite cut it for prospective employers.

This was especially apparent when I was recently asked to forward my résumé to a client for a potential gig. Sure, I thought, no problem. Then I remembered that I switched from PC to Mac a few years ago, and the last time I saw my résumé had been before the change. I assumed, however, that I backed up the file along with the other important stuff, but - you guessed it - I couldn't find it. I was able to look through my email archive and locate a PDF version - from 2008. I literally broke into a sweat. A lot of projects have crossed my path since then.

This mess got me thinking about my post-project habits and how I might improve them. Here are a few ideas I've been kicking around:

• Ask for a quote from a particularly pleased client or colleague. Offer to draft a sample for the client to review and comment on.
  
  
• Participate in post-project discussions. When a client says, "This project generated $375,000 in new business," keep the quote and understand that you contributed to that result.
  
  
• Seek opportunities to branch out in your field so that you can gain more expertise, knowledge or certification.
  
  
• Remember to keep your information updated on your website, LinkedIn, Facebook or other online tool.
  
  
• Update your résumé on a regular basis. If you wait until it's finally asked for, you won't capture the details as well as if you were describing the project or outcome while still fresh.
  
  
• Share with the world your awards or commendations.
  
  
• Maintain a portfolio of your work samples.
  
  
• Write a brief summary after completing a project. Note what went well and what you might improve next time.

When project deadlines are rolling, it's easy to lose sight of the big picture. If you are anything like me, assigning a deadline to this part of the process might not be such a bad idea.

What's on your post-project checklist?

Photo Credit: dmachiavello

It's the most wonderful time of the year...back to school time! If you're a teacher like me, it's also the busiest time of year - lesson plans, building presentations,  making videos and rubrics, and anticipating all the new school year will hold. 

One of the things I love best about being a teacher in the 21st century is being able to leverage technology inside and outside the classroom to connect and collaborate. It's something I've had some great success with in the past couple of years, and I'm only continuing to build upon what I've learned. Currently I'm teaching classroom based, online and hybrid courses (the latter being a mix of online and classroom-based) at the post-secondary level. In addition, I am a partner in a successful new media consulting and production company, so I don't spend all day long in the classroom sitting at a desk. I must be mobile and I must be able to connect with my students when they need me.

The Right Tools for the Job

I have a laptop equipped with an Internet rocket stick, as well as an iPhone and an iPad. My students are encouraged to contact me outside of class time via email, Skype, Twitter, or Facebook - and they do. I promise them 24 hour turnaround on a response, and with about 70-100 students per term across all my courses, it's vital that I have access to these tools all the time so I don't end up with a backlog of questions. At any time I can link up a screen-sharing session on Skype to help a student with an issue. I can be notified on Twitter when someone has a question, or participate in a group chat with the class on Facebook.

I don't HAVE to be online and available 24/7, and I do shut it down. But as a teacher, I think being accessible to my students is vital. Often it's outside of class time when they will run into issues or have questions, and it's my job to be there to help. Using the right combination of hardware and software, I make my life easier by being able to connect and collaborate from wherever I am.

Connecting to Each Other

Not only do these tools enable students to connect with me, but they also facilitate connections with each other. For my classroom-based and hybrid courses, I always set up a closed Facebook group for each class at the start of each term. This is a space where students can connect with each other outside of class, via their computer, tablet or smartphone. They use the space to share relevant links and help each other out. Some teachers are reluctant to get on Facebook with their students. However, closed groups are a great way to collaborate with classes without having to be "friends" with students - so if that worries you, then set up a closed group. That way, you can connect on one level and your private photos remain private. Last term, my class Facebook group was so successful that my students asked me to turn it into an Alumni group after they graduated - and they are still connecting there!

I often have guest speakers into my classes; experts from industry who come in to share their perspective on the course subject matter. Sometimes, my guest speakers aren't in my city, and my college definitely doesn't have the budget to fly people in - not to mention the people I bring in are often on the road themselves, so may need to connect to my classroom from their hotel room in Norway. This is where online meeting tools come in handy. I can start a meeting with the guest and we can see and hear each other clearly - it's like she's right there with us! Students can ask questions, concepts can be explained on a virtual whiteboard or via screen sharing, and everyone has a great experience.

Ultimately, when it comes to mobile collaboration with students, it's not about the tools - it's about connecting and sharing and learning. But having the right items in your technology toolkit can make your life as both a teacher and a student more rewarding. Give it a try, and let me know how it goes!

Photo Credit: C.C. Chapman

Are you a consultant who workshifts between your home office, the library resource center and the orthodontist waiting room? Afraid you might flub an important detail or miss a deadline because your day is consumed by work for 2 or more (distinctly different) clients? Then this article's for you.

Tips for managing concurrent client programs

1. Maintain separate writing tablets or Moleskines - Wherever it is you like to jot down meeting notes and to-do lists (many of us still prefer old-school paper), it helps to keep things for Client A separate from Client B. When you maintain separate hard copy "bibles," you prevent taking a bunch of notes about your financial management client in the middle of the notes reserved for your software start-up client.
   
   
2. Designate one color Post-it pad for each client - Lower your eyebrow, pal - colors are valid organizational criteria. I love little punches of color, even with mundane things like office supplies. Second, I like the way I can easily scan the frame of my monitor (my favorite stickum surface) for orange slips when I need a WordPress logon for Client A and for blue slips when I want the call-in numbers associated with Client B. As a visual learner, the color theme is processed more efficiently in my head than regular handwriting. 
   
   
3. Separate file folders in different colors - This might go without saying, but file folders can really help compartmentalize all the project trappings. I like to jot client phone numbers and email addresses on the outside of the folders - you never know when you might need to go Betamax because your system or cell phone is on the fritz!
   
   
4. Separate online calendars - I use Gmail calendars for personal appointments and, along with Tungle, for work-related meetings and due dates. While the central Gmail calendar keeps me in tune with each day's agenda, I use the "copy to [additional] calendar" function to single out appointments associated with individual clients. When needed, I can zip up an account of the time spent on calls or in meetings within each calendar as either backup to an invoice or as part of an assignment's progress report. There's no need to look things up and then manually create another document if a question arises. The calendar layout also helps add visual context to each client touchpoint (often triggering memories of billable time spent together).
   
   
5. Use the Pomodoro Technique to allocate time well - It's all too easy to let time slip away from you when engrossed in research for a project. Before you know it, it's 3:30 PM, and you still have tasks due for another client. Consider using the Pomodoro Technique to avoid sinking too much of your days' time into single tasks related to just one client.
   
   
6. Use Dropbox to centralize documents - Dropbox is a service I simply adore for its simplicity and ease of use. It allows me to work with clients and subcontractors to share files via the cloud for fast collaboration with version control. It's also a great way to deliver large finished projects without fussing over thumb drives or CDs.
   
   
7. Refer to your accounting software often - When you're running your own business, a couple of things can happen. You may enjoy the actual client work but despise the operations and administration side (avoidance is not a good management technique). Don't let your aversion to the "business" side of business keep you from looking at P&L statements. Quarterly tax payment mandatories aside, you should check things monthly to ensure that values are aligned: you're charging appropriately for your work , and remittance is being made in a timely fashion. If not, consider revisiting your terms and fee schedule for problematic or slow-to-pay clients. For me, Freshbooks makes this easy.

Working on concurrently running programs for separate clients demands your different skills and talents - bring variety to your day (possibly one of the very reasons you went out on your own, eh?). With deliberate organization and careful planning, workshifters can be their own boss, achieve their ideal work/family balance and deliver top-notch results to clients.

How do you manage your client workload?

Photo Credit: ideali

Oh, Prague, how I love thee. Because relatively few houses and sites were destroyed in World War II, much of its old-world charm remains. The home of Kafka is very much the same as it was in the 14th Century. So much beauty. Old Town. The Charles Bridge. The Astronomical Clock. The Estates Theatre (where Mozart first performed Don Giovanni). Fantastically designed and well-kept buildings appear wherever you look.

But equally as fantastic as all of that, it is a great environment for digital nomads like us. Wi-Fi is prolific. The mobile networks are better than average for Eastern Europe. Most places don't care if you stick around for a while. There's one Starbucks (for those "Dammit, I need an iced coffee!" moments). And as an added bonus, pivo (beer) is cheaper than coffee is (most bars also have free Wi-Fi). I shot a little update from the streets of Old Town for you.

Soon after relocating to Minnesota, I began to pick up on a peculiar local phrase: Minnesota Nice. I noticed that it was sometimes complimentary and other times sarcastic. If a guy allowed you to merge in front of him on the freeway, it was an act of Minnesota Nice. If he, instead, cut you off on the freeway, it was also a manifestation of Minnesota Nice.

From an early age, we're instructed to be nice, play nice, act nice. But what is nice exactly? Being nice certainly isn't synonymous with being respectful, intelligent or cooperative. To be honest, nice seems disingenuous and superficial. As an adjective, it's really rather vague and unhelpful. Even the spelling of the word nice suggests that something cold lurks beneath the surface.

Let's look at nice in action.

Imagine you and a friend attend an art opening. Your friend knows the artist, and she's forever raving about her work. You think the art stinks - quite literally. Piles of trash are lined up along white gallery walls, but you say nothing. While sipping a coffee afterwards, you run into another friend. He asks how the opening was. You say casually, "It was nice." This could be interpreted as: "I'll fill you in later on the gory details," or "It looked like garbage but I don't trust my own judgment." In one icy, 4-letter word, you've played it safe. But as a result, you've lost an opportunity to participate in a thought-provoking discussion. And no one bats an eye at the garbage passing as art.

Minnesota Nice - or any form of nice - isn't all that useful in a team environment. Honesty is better, even if it causes some friction. Professionals should be able to have a respectful, honest conversation about work-related topics without making each other cry or shout.

Working as a team - in person or across distance - requires a few simple tactics.

1. Listen Up: Learn how to really hear what others are saying. Treat the person and the information with respect, even if you disagree. Brush up on your listening skills.
   
   
2. Speak Up: Practice ways to effectively articulate your perspective and ideas. Don't get defensive if people don't understand what you're saying. Just take a deep breath and find another way to get your message across.
   
   
3. See the Big Picture: Keep your shared goal top of mind in all of your interactions. Even the most disparate personalities have at least one thing in common - the project. Remember that.
   
   
4. Drop the Ego: Remember that others have something to contribute. Nice gets us nowhere, but a poorly placed ego gets us nowhere even faster. The fact that you are smart or creative is absolutely great for you, as well as your team, but don't forget other people are also talented. Don't allow your great ideas to stand in the way of progress; instead, use (and sometimes lose) them for the betterment of a project.
   
   
5. Be Encouraging: Build up the members of your team by encouraging and supporting them honestly and respectfully - don't treat them as competition or keep them at arm's length by being nice. The stronger each member of the team is, the stronger the overall team.
   
   
6. Learn from Others: Don't be threatened by someone else's strengths or expertise. Everyone is a teacher at some point. Seize the opportunity to learn and grow.
   
   
7. Celebrate Team Achievement: It's annoying when one person hogs the team's limelight. When a shared goal is met, remember that everyone made contributions to the team's success.

The hands doing the work shouldn't get in the way of the work itself. People don't always agree, and that's a very good thing. Different perspectives invite lively debate. We dig deeper, and along the way, we make important discoveries. We move forward - together.

How do you crack the nice?

Photo Credit: Drift Words

I love England. It may not be exotic, but it's one of my favorite countries in the world. And this year I've been lucky enough to spend about 3 months here on and off. Last year around this same time I did a post about workshifting while in England. I decided to shoot an update post with some tips, tricks and hacks to show you how to workshift here most effectively.


If you can't view the video below, you can watch it over on YouTube.

Got any tips about workshifting in England? I'd love to hear 'em in the comments.

Coworking spaces are popping up all over the place these days, in rural areas as well as town and city centers. If you're used to working at home alone, like me, you might wonder how on earth you could possibly work surrounded by people you don't know and who have no connection with your business.

Don't let doubts like these put you off, as coworking can both brighten up your usual routine and give you a supportive network - without requiring you to go to any events!

Here are some tips to help you acclimatize to coworking:

Check out the space - If you're lucky enough to have a choice of coworking spaces, check out each one (they often offer a free trial) for factors such as facilities, atmosphere, noise and levels of interaction. Choose the one most suited to your business requirements, personality and whether you simply want another place to work or to become part of a community.

Introduce yourself straightaway - As it can be awkward to do so later when you've been working alongside people for a while. Take in some snacks to hand round if you're a bit shy about doing this and not only will you get to meet everybody but youll be guaranteed instant popularity.

Take headphones - If you prefer working in silence you might be distracted at first by people moving around the space and talking on the phone or face to face. Bring in headphones so you can play your own music or one of the white noise apps; do try not to hum along!

Start with easy tasks - If you're worried about being distracted, at first just take along some routine work that doesn't require massive concentration. It's the ideal time to do that computer housekeeping you've been meaning to get round to, or research to keep up with your industry. You will adapt to being surrounded by activity and gradually be able to introduce jobs needing more application.

Learn the phone policy - Make sure you know the policy on dealing with phone calls and follow it. That may mean leaving the room to take a call or simply keeping your voice down. It shows consideration if you put your phone on the Meeting setting so that your colleagues don't have to listen repeatedly to your ring tone.

Chat a bit - Don't feel guilty about spending time chatting and view it instead as relationship building. You'll be amazed how much information and advice emerges from these casual exchanges and they can give you enough inspiration to last the rest of the week. And you never know who might be a potential partner - one of your coworkers might be actively looking for just your skills.

The great thing about coworking is that you can choose how much or how little you want to participate, and slot it into your routine where it fits best. Good luck in finding your own perfect balance for maximum happiness and efficiency, and I'd love to hear your own tips for acclimatizing.

Photo Credit: khawkins04

President Obama, the self-titled Teleworker-in-Chief, declared at a recent workplace flexibility forum that "work is what you do, not where you do it."

It's no wonder then that out of every possible work sector, the Federal Government takes the crown for workshifting. Although they don't have the most remote workers, their numbers have been growing the fastest, and to top it off, they have the highest participation rate among their employees.

The Feds have the Telework Enhancement Act to thank for this surprising growth. Passed back in December, the Act just had its first deadline recently: all government employees were to be told of their eligibility status for workshifting.

That's quite the step. Imagine if your employer told everyone who could workshift (around 45 percent of the total workforce) that that they could now do so? We'd likely see change just as fast as what the government is experiencing.

To make things easier for everybody, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently released a guide to teleworking. The 40 pages of light reading explain just what the agencies should do to fully implement workshifting policies of their own.

For everyone else, the guide is an excellent resource for what you can expect from a comprehensive workshifting policy. It covers all the bases, from explaining how to workshift regularly to describing the specifics of manager-employee agreements.

Since the government has already done the work for everyone, both current and prospective workshifters should take advantage of this manual the best they can. Here are a few quick tips from the guide.

Clear and usable policies

A teleworking policy should be written simply with familiar words, so staff across every department can easily understand it. The policy should also explain the steps to implement workshifting, the responsibilities of those involved and the day-to-day operations themselves.

Eligibility and participation

Instead of suggesting a generic one-size-fits-all category for who is eligible to workshift, managers should base their decision on employee performance - and refuse poor performers.

Training

A training website has been provided by OPM to help both employees and managers understand the new practice. And fortunately, Telework 101 is open for everyone to use.

Agreement

Make the agreement renewable, and include items such as the work schedule the employee will follow, responsibilities, information security and equipment needed. A signed agreement should be mandatory.

Good communication

Managers and employees should have an actual face-to-face discussion before starting a workshifting arrangement to settle each other's expectations. And while workshifting, both managers and employees must keep each other informed of any progress or changes. Also, workshifters should not be excluded from discussions simply because they are not physically in the office.

The manual is quite long, but don't let that stop you from using it. Even the most experienced workshifter might learn something new. And if you've come across any other helpful guides to workshifting that you think can help others, be sure to include them down below in the comments.

Workshifting is not always a solo act. In many cases, you work as part of a team of people who are in geographically diverse locations. And sometimes, you're in charge of those teams. Managing people can be challenging at the best of times, but when you can't be in the same room with them you face even bigger obstacles. Misunderstandings arise much easier when you can't look someone in the eye, and it can be much more difficult to track individual progress.

Here are some things I've learned about managing when your team is located in multiple locations. 

Be Flexible with Schedules

One of the things that people like best about workshifting is that they have the opportunity to set their own hours. Some people are morning people, some work best in the afternoons, and some are night owls. Giving your team the flexibility to choose their ideal work hours can be a really effective perk. It allows people to work at the times that work best for them, but ultimately it allows them to be more productive. And it works well for me as a leader, too. If I have a team member that likes to work late at night, and I'm a morning person, then I know that deliverables will be in my inbox when I get to my desk in the morning. Of course, being flexible with schedules works both ways. If I DO occasionally need someone to be available for a morning client meeting, then planning that in advance ensures it can happen. The important thing is to discuss schedules in advance, so all parties know what to expect. And if things change, then nobody is thrown off completely.

It's All in the Details

The biggest issue with working remotely is that you have to rely on remote forms of communication. In an office environment, you can just call someone into your office, have a quick chat, and send them off with their tasks. But in the workshifting world, these conversations have to happen over email, instant message, or the phone. By removing the physical presence from the equation, there's a risk that tone and sentiment can be lost, and the finer details can get confused or overlooked.

There are a few ways to combat this. First, try to find ways to connect face to face when you can. Video chat is becoming more accessible for people, so using video chat or setting up a virtual meeting for your team can be a great way to connect with people face to face when you need to. And always follow up these conversations with an email to the team that captures the highlights of what needs to be done. Then, keep the lines of communication open - literally; be available via chat or phone so that team members can contact you right away if they need clarification or have a question.

Use Collaboration Tools

It's wonderful that we have so many tools available to us now to help us communicate and collaborate remotely. I can't stress enough how important file sharing and collaboration tools are for running effective teams. Email was once our only choice for file sharing, and it was wildly ineffective. File attachments were too large to email. Version control was nearly impossible. Things went missing and much time and money were wasted.

These days, tools like Google Docs and Google Calendar are brilliant ways to share information among teams and maintain current versions of information that everyone can contribute to. Dropbox is a wonderful method to share larger files like videos or graphics without bogging down people's emails. These tools also allow you, as a manager, to track peoples' progress in real time, without "bugging" them for updates continuously, because you can access the most current versions of whatever is being worked on. Using collaborative tools will save huge amounts of time and help your team be more creative on the fly. And we could all use less email, right?

These are just a few ways to help you run projects more smoothly in the workshifting world. What it really comes down to is communication. Be clear in your instructions, flexible in your scheduling, and communicate well, and you will have a happy and productive remote team.

Photo Credit: C.C. Chapman