Being able to work from home has become more welcomed in recent years, but remember, work still needs to be done. In an overview of top rated companies 51% offer flexible hours and a little over 17% allow employees to work remotely. People assume that if an employer allows you to office remotely that your are not managed, you can wake up anytime you please, respond to emails/calls at your convenience, and brush off tasks until you are ready to complete them….Ummmm, No. Let’s bring you back to reality. There are still parameters you need to stay within, such as, business hours traditionally still begin in the morning and end in the late afternoon or early evening. Certain companies expect to see you “clock in” at a particular time and monitor your activity throughout the day, because unfortunately there are people who take advantage of this benefit which brings us to another misconception that people who work remotely are lazy or are not really professionals. There are definitely professionals who have done well in maintaining a remote career, consultants, virtual assistants, and freelancers come mind; these people have generated a list of clientele who have specific needs and contract out the work.
Being given the choice to work from anywhere or having the flexibility to do so is not something one should underestimate when thinking about the demands of a job. Anytime I am out of my office, I am still in office mode, whether I am sitting by the window at a coffee shop, making sure I am connected to the hotel WiFi, or checking emails on my phone periodically, I don’t need anyone to think I am slacking off. I took the position I currently have and it is going to stay mine until I let it go. I will not give anyone reason to second guess my work ethic. I have a job and people pay me for my knowledge and skill set, so I am going to make sure those checks keep coming my way. You are entitled to have personal or vacation time, but when you are on company time…Sweetheart, you better get your coffee ready and have your brain fired up. Sometimes I joke with people about being lackadaisical with completing my tasks, yet the reality is, I know what’s expected of me and more importantly, I have expectations of myself.
For those of you who cannot fully function at home there are such things as Co-working spaces which are essentially shared work spaces that are affordable office space for those looking to escape the isolation of a home office or coffee shop. These shared work spaces offer a suite of office-like amenities such as hot-desks, private meeting rooms, kitchens, coffee and more. Or you can just opt for the free WiFi at Starbucks, you may have to prowl around for a power outlet though…Hence, why I have plans of opening a coffee shop geared towards people who need a relaxing space to work because the expansion of businesses and people operating beyond the office is only going to increase, I gotchu and I may even cook. How do you like your eggs? Need more coffee? Bailey’s Irish Cream with that?
And have you heard?! There are even some start-ups wanting to popularize unique private spaces for you to rest, “Sleep Pods”. Companies like Google and Samsung have already implemented such benefits. Yes, there are many resources for us to be successful outside of the traditional office. I mean, you can even earn advanced degrees from the comfort of your own kitchen table. Last week I took an exam in a space full of people in their business casual attire, I had my headphones on, the server delivered my breakfast croissant, and I noticed the person sitting next to me working on pivot tables with his headphones on. Oh what a world we live in.
Big companies and organizations are learning that employees need outlets and other resources to perform well. Here’s an interesting fact, the Grand Canyon gives their employees the option to live within the park by providing housing and they even have public schools for their children…inside the National Park. I learned their high school graduation ceremonies are held on one the of rims of the Canyon. Can you imagine how amazing those pictures are?
There is no such thing as “work when I want to”. You may be more effective at different times of the day but, you still have on interact full time with your responsibilities even if you are your own boss. Business owners and Entrepreneurs still need to oversee and manage productivity, review profits and losses, make changes, call meetings, organize, and delegate to stay in business. I know a husband and wife duo who seem to never sleep. They have a widely successful restaurant, breaking ground to open more establishments, attend their kids activities, go to the gym, spend time with relatives, give back to the community, meet with their business partners, train new employees, and still have date nights. I always see them working and achieving together. They are a legit power couple. I applaud them.
Even the main company I am currently with, the owners are still very hands on with the day to day activities. I communicate with one of them practically everyday. What this tells me is that if the owners are working, I need to be working too, not snuggled up under my covers avoiding adulthood. You should be operating when your customers or clients are operating. Companies have to meet quotas and if your are sitting home not helping to meet that, well then you should already be comfortable where you’re at.
You see that picture of me with a backpack, standing close to the edge even though I was told not to? I don’t listen, but that is beside the point…I am nowhere near an office but, guess what is in the bag? My laptop, an external hard drive, and a notebook. One thing I learned about myself and others who have the same goal-oriented mindset is that we never really shut ourselves off from working and the proof is in our results. My father is preparing retirement and he has been recently talking to me about not putting too much on my shoulders, Daddy, I hear you; I’ll slow down when I reach your bank roll, sir. (I am my Father’s Daughter but, he knows who he raised.) Whether it is logic, rationale, or creativity, the thoughts of a working mind are relative to productivity, growth, and success. Even with our personal relationships, look at the business aspects of it:
How well do we work together?
Is there integrity?
What is his/her drive compared to my own?
How can we help or benefit each other?
Do we keep open lines of communication?
What are our goals?
Can we depend on each other?
Is there support on both sides?
Are we good a conflict resolution?
Are we able to overcome adversities together?
Can we compromise?
(Refer back to Business Woman to Business Wife for more insight.)
All of you reading may not agree with this thought but, Everything is fundamentally business related. A business person will always be a busy person but, If you can organize yourself, then you have time for everything you need and want to have time for. How are you advancing personally and professionally? One plays on the other. Having the flexibility to work from anywhere can benefit your personal life but, it still has to balance.
I enjoy both being able to have an office to go to and having projects that allow me to be remote. If you have the tenacity to achieve without the confines of a physical office, you are able to meet expectations, you understand what has to be done, and you communicate effectively…then you have developed a skill and quality of creating the office in your mind. Kudos, you will continue to do well.