On a trip recently, I had the best of intentions. Sitting in my hotel room, I powered up my laptop. Oh, sure, the to-do list was packed with plenty of to-dos, but somehow I couldn’t get off the “GO” square.
You may have the same trouble trying to use someplace other than your regular office as a working environment, despite idyllic beach or comfortable home surroundings. So, what’s the trick?
TRANSITION
A manager of a large home-based workforce told us about a funny habit of one of his employees. In order to start his day, he gets dressed, gets in the car, drives around the block and comes home. Then he begins work. Whether its home or a hotel, you need to identify what makes your transition from off-time into work time. It could be a simple cup of coffee or reading industry headlines.
ENVIRONMENT
Identify your work area. When you're facing work from home/hotel, try to set up an area that gets you in that frame of mind. You may find a certain type chair or desk important or maybe you only require a photo of your spouse to set the mood (hmm...your spouse cues you to work?). Slipping on the bunny slippers or trying to work in a bathing suit surely sounds great, but everyone's unique. Some people can work effectively despite their dress, while some may be distracted by it.
PROCESS
Speaking of distractions, staying focused is tough. Distractions can increase in an off-site location or they can decrease. Again, these are not universal; you may find a person working next to you very helpful or you may find focus in solitude. But staying on-task has the same result for both in-house and remote workers: Fewer distractions means increased productivity, which ultimately means better pay.
RESULTS
Hopefully, you will schedule your day in quantifiable terms. To determine if working off-site is successful, you need to demonstrate measurable results. Plus, you will want to recognize your ‘stopping place’, or you may risk working through the afternoon limbo
contest!
# # # #
"I have never been so pleased to work with a group of
people. You all 
