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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo Credit: musicamang

I live in Santa Barbara, but my new office is in Boston. This means I need to fly - a lot. "Frequent Flyer" is not a badge I ever wanted to earn, but here I am, 6-foot-3, trying to fold myself into a coach seat I'm pretty sure was meant for a toddler.

Let's take a step back to when I booked my first trip for this job. As I paid for my ticket online, I was offered all kinds of funny things: 4 more inches of legroom for a bazillion dollars, boarding on a blue carpet instead of a red carpet, more miles, more checked bags and so on. I didn't opt for any of the perks.

Since that day, I've flown to the East Coast about 7 times over an 8-week period, and, well, a funny thing started to happen. I really began caring about that stupid blue carpet and the extra legroom. I became one of those people that hovers around that blue carpet like it was Mecca. 

This is when it gets really good. There are all sorts of hidden perks you don't know about until you fly a lot. Now, my boarding passes always say "Zone 1 Boarding," no matter where I'm sitting on the plane. This is great because I know I'll have a place for my luggage. But wait, there's more!

Mysteriously, I became a "Premier Flyer," which means I can walk on the cool, blue carpet - booyah suckers! As if that isn't cool enough, I'm also automatically seated in an exit row when one's available. I proudly utter the words, "Yes, I'll help rip this door off the plane in the unlikely event of a water landing."

If you can possibly contain your excitement, there's even more! I've noticed on my last couple of flights that I'm the lucky guy with no one sitting next to me. Can you believe it? What I've figured out is that my rate of flying triggers a little algorithm that says, "Hey, this dude is Premier Man. Let's show him some love!"

I'm on a plane as I'm writing this post, and that little algorithm is my best friend right now. What other cool perks have you discovered that I have to look forward to?

Photo Credit: davipt

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.

While video conferencing technology isn't exactly considered "new" technology, it has long been considered a potentially revolutionary solution for healthcare.

Why? Not only does it mean that patients can receive real-time access to specialists in metropolitan hospitals regardless of their location, but it also dramatically improves the way that GPs and clinicians share information and train staff across multiple practices.

Not only have the latest developments, such as the availability of high-definition group video conferencing, meant that this technology is now far more accessible, affordable and compelling for healthcare organizations, but the Australian government's decision to provide doctors monetary incentives for videoconferencing is sure to drive uptake. Check out the full article that appeared in The Australian here.

The great thing about this initiative is that it's a mandate. Introduced in July of this year, the new plan supplies doctors with a $6,000 incentive payment the first time they introduce a patient to a city specialist through a videoconference - just a part of the government's $620 million telehealth program.

What does this mean for Australians? For those living in regional areas, it means greater access to healthcare, which is really important for such a geographically dispersed country as ours. Video conferencing technology gives clinicians and patients in rural and remote areas real-time access to the specialist advice normally only found at city hospitals, and patients no longer have to travel long distances to consult city-based medical specialists; instead, they can receive the same level of care from the comfort of their own home.

One of the areas where video technology will have the greatest impact is in the care of young children, who may find a hospital environment stressful. It will also be useful for doctors working in rural practices or nursing homes. These government incentives will help regional GPs afford the necessary equipment and train their staff to provide these video consultations.

While it's too early to evaluate the success of the program, given that some specialists still do not use computers, it's definitely a huge step in the right direction. With the availability of proven, easy-to-use technology, more healthcare organizations will adopt desktop video conferencing, making consultations far more beneficial and cost-effective while encouraging specialists to adopt electronic communications with GPs.

One customer that has already reaped the benefits of video conferencing is Medibank Health Solutions, a division of Australia's largest integrated provider of private health insurance and health solutions. The organization has been using Citrix GoToMeeting with HDFaces, a high-definition group video conferencing solution to connect disparate remote staff for better collaboration and training.

In this short video, Dave Buckmaster, the technology manager for Medibank, describes how they're trialing the technology with its clients to improve their services.

Watch this space as we see more healthcare organizations enjoy the benefits of video collaboration!

While I am a frequent workshifter, I am not a very mobile one. I may work in different rooms in my house during the day, but when I work from home, I tend to stay home. That's where my kids and my stuff are, and I don't have to dress up.

Because I mostly workshift from home, I've never felt the need for a mobile work device like a smartphone or tablet. I still have a plain old clamshell cell phone.

But next month I am stepping outside of my comfort zone. I'm going to a conference. In Cleveland. Which means I'll have to travel. Which means I'll have to take notes. And which means I'll have to mingle with strangers who'll wonder, "Why doesn't this woman have a smartphone?"

Of course, I'll have my laptop with me to use on the plane and at the hotel, but I don't want to lug it with me to every session.

So I'm considering my options:

1. Buy a smartphone - goodbye clamshell, hello data plan charges. But I'll be better connected to work, and I'll look cool.
2. Buy a tablet - it's easier to watch movies and read on a larger screen. And I'll look cool.
3. Buy a netbook - like a tablet, but easier typing. I could leave the laptop home. But a netbook would be slightly less mobile and slightly less cool.
4. Borrow one of the above - and risk losing a friend when I break it.
5. Remain a luddite* - stick to pen and paper and be proud of my unique handwriting.

*Ludd·ite: A person who shuns modern technology and yet pretends to be cool.

Any recommendations?

Photo Credit: yamagatacamille

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.

This week my company, Citrix Online, launched HDFaces, which is high-definition group video conferencing, integrated simply with GoToMeeting. We've done everything possible to bring a telepresence-like experience to everyone. But it's not all about the technology, I could talk all day about HDFaces, that's not the point of this post. The point of this post is to discuss inhibitors to video usage and how we move past these to change the way we work for the better. How can you leverage video to be more effective? What behavioral changes are needed when shifting to video?

First, you have to pay attention again. I know, it sounds awful right? You mean I can't multitask on conferencing calls? I would argue that this is actually a positive thing. The problem with conference calls is that people invite everyone they can with the assumption that people can tune out if it's not relevant. With video, we're forced to think about who we invite to our meetings. This should be a positive for any organization. Less time spent in irrelevant meetings.

Secondly, commitments seem less meaningful at a distance. Any good salesperson knows that a handshake in person is worth 10 times as many commitments via email. Humans are social beings and make decisions based on trust. Video enables us to build trust from a distance. Whether a coaching conversation with a boss, a client meeting or a project team meeting, people make more honest commitments when they can see each other.

I've always talked about how online meetings reduce travel. It's still the #1 reason anyone chooses an online meeting solution. But video conferencing calls ALL travel into question. Over the past year, I've cancelled travel for board meetings, client visits and conferences and replaced them with video conferencing.

Historically, technology has also inhibited the adoption of video conferencing. Telepresence has been reserved for the few within enterprises, while consumer solutions like Skype leave much to be desired in terms of quality, usability and group collaboration features.

Expectations are high for video conferencing in the coming year. I can tell you personally that the use of video has changed the way I work. I've added personal connections to all business interactions, made stronger commitments and eliminated useless travel. To take a line from our new TV campaign: "Simple, high definition group video conferencing will change the way you work and possibly a whole lot more..."

Photo Credit: Citrix Online

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.

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