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 recently heard about the tardy policy enforced at a friend's former workplace. If she was late to the office twice in one week, she was publicly shamed at a team meeting, where the rest of the group would be told, "Susy is ineligible for the weekly recognition award because she was late twice this week." (Name changed to protect the guilty.)

I disagree not only with using humiliation as a means of punishment/motivation (it borders on being grounds for a hostile workplace lawsuit) but also with the practice of marking tardies when it just doesn't matter. Grown-ups should have more important things to worry about than beating the clock.

Why stress out your workforce over something that doesn't affect your business?

Sure, when you do shifts, like in a factory or a hospital, you have to arrive on time to keep the organization running smoothly. In those cases, productivity - and people's lives - may be adversely affected by tardiness. The assembly line must be staffed and the night nurse relieved on time, or problems will arise, no question about it. But in an office environment, does it really make a difference if Susy sits at her desk from 8 to 5 exactly, instead of from 8:05 to 5:05?

I feel pretty lucky to work in a performance-based environment. No one polices me to make sure I'm at my computer (either at the office or at home) at any certain hour. Instead, I'm required to account for my workload, deliver projects on time, be available for meetings and collaboration and help our company attain its business goals by doing the best job I can. I'm treated like an adult, instead of like a school child.

I remember the days of skipping breakfast and running yellow (okay, red) lights to get to work on time. I don't think my employer benefited from my racing into work panting and sweating; the time I saved getting to work "on time" was usually wasted cooling down and regaining my composure before I could concentrate on my tasks. And I remember feeling embarrassed if I was late for some reason - often a reason that was beyond my control - which could bring down my morale for the rest of the day.

I'm much happier workshifting

Now, I start work when I'm ready to start work. Sometimes I start early in the morning, and sometimes I start a little later in the morning. Sometimes I start when I have a meeting to attend - and I don't mind hurrying to be on time if that's the case, because people are depending on me. Sometimes I work and attend meetings from home, and sometimes I work and attend meetings at the office. In either work environment, and no matter what time I start, I get the job done.

I end my workday when I've done the day's work, sometimes early and sometimes late. I probably work late more often as a workshifter, but I don't mind because it's my own choice to do so; I take pride in finishing my work and reaching my goals on my own terms.

By its very nature, workshifting has to be performance based. When your manager isn't physically present, you have to be trusted to do your work, and you are judged by your work alone. You don't win points just for showing up - you win respect by showing people what you can do.

It takes some maturity to manage your time by yourself, but then, workshifting is for grown-ups, isn't it?

Photo Credit: alamosbasement

As much as I love working from home, some days it can be a lonely existence. Back in my cubicle-dwelling days, if I was feeling stuck for inspiration, I could always get up, walk around, stretch my legs and meet someone at the coffee pot for a quick chat to get my head into a different space. There were lots of colleagues around to bounce ideas off of. I even worked at a high-tech firm once that had daily yoga classes - there's nothing like a good stretch to get the creative juices flowing again. 

In contrast, the home office isn't always the most inspiring place to be. We tend to hole up behind our computers for hours on end, lost in our own little digital world. And when we get stuck creatively, it can be a very frustrating place indeed. So what's a workshifter to do? Well, it turns out finding inspiration when you need it isn't so difficult. You just need to set yourself up for it. 

Surround Yourself

I think the number one way to stay inspired is to surround yourself with things you like. For me, it's color. I have colorful prints on my wall and images I love on my computer desktop. Even my office supplies are colorful - why buy boring silver paper clips when you can get fun multicolored ones? Whatever can brighten up your space helps. In those moments when you're looking for that creative spark, just sit back and look around at the things you love. You may get all the inspiration you need.

Listen to Music

Music is one of the most inspirational gifts we have. While many people like to work with a soundtrack in the background, I need mostly silence to work (especially for writing). However, when I'm feeling stuck creatively, there's nothing better than turning on some tunes. Sometimes I'll retreat to the sofa for a while with my headphones, or I'll just crank up iTunes at my desk. Keep a playlist handy of music that relaxes and motivates you - then you can always call on it when you need it. I also keep a guitar nearby, so if I'm feeling so inclined I can pick for a few minutes. Often that small musical interlude is all that's needed to rejuvenate my creative brain.

Reach Out

We're so lucky to have this wonderful online community at our fingertips! These people are our water cooler buddies - the ones we can reach out to whenever we want. Take a break, hop on Twitter and bounce some ideas around with people. If there's one thing Twitter people love to do, it's brainstorm. Even friends on Facebook are good for helping with ideas - and I find that, because my friends on Facebook tend to be people who are not in the same business I'm in, the ideas we spark are even more out of the box. Google + hangouts are also great for inspiration. Grab a circle of buddies and spend 10 minutes riffing on an idea - who knows where it will end up? When you're stuck, your community is a great place to turn to. Just remember, it works two ways - to be helped, you need to be helpful yourself - so return the favor while you're there!

Walk Away

There's no point in beating your head against the wall if the inspiration just isn't coming. Sometimes it's best to just walk away for a while and leave the lonely home office. Do some errands. Take a walk. Call your mom for a chat or have some coffee together. The world will not end if you take a few hours to yourself, so do something to give yourself that change of scenery. Before you know it, the ideas will start to flow.

Sometimes, our cup of inspiration runneth over; other times, coming up with a good idea seems impossible. If you're working on your own, it's easy to become stuck without others around to help keep your creative energy flowing.

What about you? How do you recharge when you're low on inspiration?

Photo Credit: ECKO Design Group

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.

I was looking over the study "The State of Telework in the U.S." and noticed a very interesting statistic:

The study found no correlation between cities with the most congestion or longest commute times and number of workshifters.

One of the common arguments for telework is saving gas and the carbon footprint. That's not to say those benefits don't occur but the benefits of telework extend far beyond gas money. So for organizations looking at their telework options, there are more opportunities to consider.

And, what exactly are those different benefits, you ask? Well, the Families and Work Institute (FWI) in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) have created a national initiative called When Work Works, to bring research about flexible work to the business world.

The site includes a guide of best practices from the recipients of the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. It also includes tips and tools for companies and human resources professionals such as:

• Toolkit for Hourly Employees with Flexible Work Arrangements
• The Supervisors' Guide to Flexibility 
• Employer Guide to Getting Started with Flexible Work

...and many more. In searching around the site, I found tremendous resources to use in developing a telework program and a few best practices I hadn't thought of before. It's a great way to think beyond the obvious when it comes to talking about telework and weighing the costs versus benefits.

Telework is one of those subjects where most people can immediately see there are benefits. That's not usually the hard sell. It's trying to get our arms around how much of a benefit and when the benefit will be realized that's more of a challenge.

The research coming out of When Work Works can help us figure out how to put quantitative metrics around the benefits of telework. In order for telework to have long-term success in the workplace, calculating a tangible return on investment is essential.

Photo Credit: Citrix Online

It was only about 10 years ago that the concept of working from home was foreign to me. At the time I was working for a large, international high-tech firm, I still wasn't able to go mobile. We had to jump through a lot of hoops to access our email from anywhere but our office, and we certainly didn't have the simple ability to log in to our work network from afar. That kind of "special" access was reserved only for the higher-ups in the company. 

So, unless it was something you could do without needing access to the company network, working from home was rarely an option. Not only that but you felt kind of funny even broaching the subject for fear that your boss would think it an excuse to slack off for a day or two.

Times sure have changed. These days it seems that workshifting has almost become ubiquitous. Or has it?

The Boss Who Doesn't Get It

I once worked for a consulting firm where the boss was dead set against remote working - it simply wasn't part of the company culture. I was working part-time as a contractor, and at first they expected that I'd be in the office at set times every week. I assured them that was not only impossible, given my other client commitments, but also totally unnecessary. I told them I would be able to accomplish everything they'd tasked me to do in the timeframe they needed completely from my home office. I explained that if I wasn't physically in the office, then it would actually save them effort and money - they wouldn't have to find me a work space in their already overcrowded office, and I wouldn't be using any of their resources: no computer, no additional software licenses, no supplies. Even their coffee would be safe!

It took some time and a bit of work on the technical side to open up their network to me, but the boss finally agreed to let me do it. And ultimately, it worked out great. So much so that now several of their employees work remotely from time to time. Sometimes it takes setting the example for workplace culture and attitudes to change, so if you're in an environment where working from home is still frowned upon, then maybe it's time to help your boss see the light!

The Client Who Doesn't Get It

When my partner and I first started our business 7 years ago, we immediately ran out and got an office space. We figured that in order to seem "legit," we needed a place in a good location with a sign and parking spots. While that may be true for some businesses, it wasn't really necessary for us, since we were selling services (web design and video production). We kept the space for 2 years before we decided it was an extra expense that simply wasn't needed. We realized we could fulfill all of our obligations to our clients by working in a virtual office. Our video editors and web developers were also very happy to work from home.

At first I was really concerned that by not having an office we'd somehow be a less legitimate business - that our clients would not take us seriously. But as time went on, I realized people were growing more accepting of companies who don't keep physical offices. In fact, they see us as "lean and mean" - less overhead lets us keep our prices reasonable and our service efficient and fast. Don't worry too much about how clients might perceive you if you operate a virtual office - they may well see it as an advantage.

Times really are a-changing when it comes to remote work. As workshifters, it's up to us to lead by example to educate and inform those who still don't get that workshifting is a productive, efficient and cost-effective way to do business.

Photo Credit: bellowsa

Way back in 2006, CBS News aired a special on "Working 24/7." Interestingly enough, it was revisited in 2009 and then again recently in 2011. The news special highlighted the fact that "signs of our addiction to work are everywhere... The Digital Revolution means cell phones, wireless Internet and handheld computers like the BlackBerry allow us to work anywhere, anytime, 24/7."

I wondered, looking back - how many organizations or individuals embraced workshifting back in 2006? As it turned out, the Best Buy Corporation had been a pioneer of the "Results Only Work Environment" even further back, in 2002 - allowing certain functional employees to work wherever and whenever as long as their jobs got done.

Not surprisingly, the empirical results of this experiment were significant and identical to the benefits any workshifter today would express, verbatim. Those Best Buy employees who were part of the experiment attested to:

• Working Harder - to whom much is given, much is expected and these employees did not disappoint. Their work ethic strengthened, not only putting in a greater number of hours outside of the traditional office but with greater reliability and enthusiasm.
  
  
• Feeling Happier - despite spending even more hours on actual work, the bottom line was that these employees were the CEOs of their own schedule and could work when their internal time clocks dictated their personal best time.

So, several years after the Best Buy experiment, we may not be at 100% workshifting saturation yet, but surely with such positive results, all employers and organizations alike will eventually realize that work effort is not tied linearly to office hours and that a little flexibility goes a long way toward the bottom line.

Aren't we lucky that we are already among the enlightened?

Photo Credit: mag3737

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.

Some of the most popular pages on my website are the home office series, created from photos and text sent to me by readers about where they work at home. I'm now onto my third page and only one brave workshifter has sent me a photo of his workspace in all its workaday glory, complete with cluttered desks and piles of paper.

The reply I usually get when I ask for a photo is "Not till I've tidied up!" When once I suggested an 'authentic' picture would be refreshing, the response was "You must be joking, I've got a professional image to maintain!"

Creating the pages has made me realize that not only are workshifters avidly curious about where and how others work, we also tend to be sensitive about portraying our own as anything other than beautifully organized.

Since starting the pages I've also discovered other sites that showcase real home offices as well as some featuring aspirational and impossibly glamorous ones! I suppose these are the equivalent of sitting in your own rather scruffy living room while leafing through glossy magazine pictures of immaculate interiors.

It's good to pick up ideas and see what's possible, but I've stopped posting these pictures quite as frequently on my Facebook page. With their sleek desks, new Macs, minimalist accessories and lack of teetering piles of paper, they may be wonderful viewing, but the last thing I want to do is give the impression that a perfect home office is necessary for successful workshifting. It may not even be desirable.

Fortunately I've been introduced to the wonderful Pinterest, which allows me to indulge my vice by pinning my favorite pictures on to my own board and browsing other people's.

Photo Credit: mbiebusch

Technology has enabled the average workshifter to do what he or she does. If not for high-speed Internet, mobile devices and 24/7 electronic communications, many of us would not be living the digital nomad lifestyle that we love.

But it isn't all about tech all the time. As much as we cherish the electronic gadgets that allow us to work from anywhere, the non-tech tools we use are often just as important. Even the most technology-savvy workshifter needs a few low-tech devices in order to make working from wherever a truly pleasant experience.

Water Bottle

I cannot stress enough the importance of drinking enough water throughout the day. Most of us walk through life in a semi-dehydrated state, as we simply don't drink enough water. And when you're working on your own, it's easy to get caught up in a cycle that doesn't allow for hydration. (And no, coffee and water are not the same thing!)

It's a known fact that dehydration can contribute to sluggishness, lack of energy and loss of concentration. The simplest low-tech solution to the hydration conundrum is of course one that makes it as easy as possible to consume more water. Start by purchasing yourself a good quality, BPA-free water bottle. Fill it when you sit down to work and then refill it every time it gets empty. You'll have to take more bathroom breaks (it's okay to take breaks!) but you'll avoid that 3 PM sluggishness and feel great all day.

Accordion File

No matter how paper-less you try to be, there is always going to be a certain amount that needs to be dealt with. Lots of us still receive tons of paper receipts - not everyone is on electronic billing quite yet. Even with a slower pace, the paper will pile up.

The number one way to eliminate this stress is to file the papers when you get them. And for me, the best low-tech solution is an accordion file. It's compact, so it doesn't take up room in a small office. You can also get really small ones that fit in a purse or briefcase, so you can keep your papers organized on the road, too. Head out to your local office supply store and get yourself an accordion file today - never lose a piece of paper again!

Comfy Clothes

One of my favorite things about working from home is that I get to wear comfy clothes. I was not born to wear dresses and high heels every day - that is a fact. Many elements of my wardrobe today consist of yoga pants, pajama bottoms, t-shirts and hoodies. I make a point of buying these items when they are on sale and stocking my drawers full of soft, fluffy, stretchy clothes. You'll work better if you're comfortable, I promise. So keep an eye on those sales flyers and buy yourself some comfy new work clothes!

Ambiance

The best thing about working from home is that you have complete control over your work environment. You can hang what you want on the wall, set your desk however you like and, best of all, surround yourself with things that make you happy and relaxed.

For me, it's often candles, light incense or aromatherapy oil. I make a point of always having these on hand, and I pull them out when I need a bit of "ahhh" in my office. Even the act of lighting a few candles can take your mind off the stressful project you're working on and into a place of peace. Your home office should be a calm and productive sanctuary - so always keep some tools on hand that allow you to create that environment.

These are the ideal non-tech tools that enable my stress-free, comfortable and healthy workshifting life. What about you? Do you have some non-tech essentials in your toolkit?

Photo Credit: sherlock77