Today, this is my office:
The grounds at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum & Educational Center in Piggott, Arkansas.
Trust me, I’m aware that I am beyond fortunate. Today, more and more Americans are offered (or have selected) the option of working for themselves, or at the very least working remotely for an employer from the place of their choosing: backyards, libraries, coffee shops and beaches are now our offices, workspaces and conference rooms.
Of course, there will never be a day when the entire nation works in this manner, because there will always be jobs that demand a physical presence. And, thankfully, there are just as many Americans who thrive on and excel at “tethered” jobs, from flying aircraft to preparing meals and from delivering mail to operating multimillion dollar pieces of equipment.
The quote above is becoming an anthem for today’s evolving workforce.
Despite the fact that the work of the nation will never be entirely unplugged, it turns out that excellent work can be accomplished when the when, where and how are flexible. While more and more employers are catching on, it turns out that a good many workplaces could be far more flexible if they would consider being open-minded on the subject.
According to Citrix, there are a countless benefits:
Odesk, the global marketplace for remote workers, has an incredible number of resources (and a blog) devoted to Digital Nomads and the tagline “Live Life Free.” It’s a riveting concept, although it can take a very specific type of personality. Here’s a sampling of interesting recent posts:
- Perspectives On The Future Of Work: working with Millenials, the quest for work-life balance, tips to help freelancers stay organized.
- Via International Business Times: For Digital Nomads, Work Is No Longer A Place And Live Is One Big Adventure
As for me, I’m happiest (and do my best work) when my toes are in the sunshine. Is it possible every day (or for every worker)? No, and I don’t forget it for a minute. However, my favorite executive coach Tim Keck has assessed my personality, strengths, weaknesses and work habits, and he tells me that I have built for myself the environment that is most conducive for doing great work… and I didn’t even realize that I was working toward it.
Are you in an untethered job, or aiming to get there soon? Do tell.
