This is a guest post by Phil Montero, of The Anywhere Office.
One of the most amazing things about technology today is the great mobility it provides us. Smartphones, tablets, netbooks, and laptops let us work anywhere we want. We grab our data, email, and calendars from the cloud (or synced on our devices) and we can be productive anywhere anytime – but are you truly taking advantage of being unchained from your workspace?
It’s so easy to be a creature of habit. How often do you find yourself in a rut, always working from the same place? I have a great home office and work from their most days plugging away at my laptop and making calls (Skype video and phone). However the days when I work from somewhere else I find are often filled with some of my biggest break throughs or bring life to new ideas.
It doesn’t take a huge change. Today, for example, I made a small shift – taking the laptop out back looking out over the pond. I find the change in view/sound almost instantly transforming my creativity and helping expand my thinking. The beauty of having a mobile office is just that, making it mobile.
Depending on your what your daily workflow is like – you might need to actually book this time into your schedule (ie Wed 12 – 2 work from the coffee shop) but changing your work environment periodically is so powerful it’s worth doing.
And don’t think you need to lug all your tech with you – you don’t. Drive to the beach and with your cell phone to make or return calls without any computer. Use a flip camera, voice recorder, or smartphone to record ideas or content for your blog or website.
Sit in the park with a notebook and a pen and give yourself some real planning or reflecting time.
It’l get you around different people, thinking differently, inspiring who knows what kind of “out of the box” thinking and fresh perspectives.
Get out of your normal workspace, become a little location independent – wherever it is and go work somewhere different. Maybe it’s the coffee shop, the library, or our somewhere outdoors. Try a coworking space or even a friend or colleagues house – but just do it!
Try it once a week for a month and see what impact it has on your workstyle.
Where do you like to work, to be inspired…? Share your ideas and comments below!
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Excellent Post! Absolutely right about mixing it up sometimes.. Personally i started mixing up my weekly routines and it helps alot mentally! Thoughtful!
Hasan
With technology these days, you can acutely come out of your corporate or standard office, and do your work basically anywhere, by changing your environment, it can freshen you up, and also help with your productivity. As a change once in a while is good for you.
Phil, that’s so true. Changing it up is a great way to shift your thinking and come up with unexpected creative breakthroughs. I quite like going to Starbucks with just a Moleskine and a pen, especially after spending too many hours at the home office desk.
Gotta love those Moleskin’s……! But, I have to say, my iPad has firmly replaced it now…
Shame… But, true.
C
Ah yes, I’m still working on getting the iPad into the budget. It should be within the next couple months. But I still like being able to sketch out diagrams, not sure quite how that would work on iPad. We’ll see
Hi Mike
iPad2 is just released in the Philippines… So, you’re all set, my man!
Join us….!!! You know you want to.
C
I’m taking on iPhone and iPad development as my next big challenge, so yes, I’ll be getting an iPad within the next month or so. Just have to get the cash position back up a bit after paying 6 months advance rent.
The is creativity in the outdoors! I make it a duty to spend most of my days working out of the house! The fresh air, the people you see, the scenery all act as a great stimulus to come up with new ideas on how to improve your productivity and eventually your online proceedings. Its my goal to manage everything I own via my mobile and so far so good!
Martinsays:Great post!
Hi Martin
Awesome to see you here, buddy.
Fresh air does a LOT for the entrepreneurial mindset. I love hitting beach resorts. I play hard all day long, snorkeling and jet-skiing, and then get the iPad out in the evening and brainstorm by the ocean, with a cold beer next to me.
Just awesome. Thanks for commenting, bud.
C
Switching it up your mobile locations is an awesome trick. My personal favorite is pen and paper surrounded by nature. Camping with a pen and paper is really inspirational.
Although, as I have been slowly moving all my biz activities to ‘the cloud’ and with smartphones pretty much these days having the capability to run it all from there, it does worry me about also being able to unplug from all this information.
I couldnt agree more, Milt – but I guess you knew that already…
Its been a while since we’ve seen you here. I hope you have been well, and that business is doing well for you.
The ‘unplugging’ side of virtual business, I think, comes down to the entrepreneur and what their goals are in life. Some people enjoy being connected all the time, others want more time away from ‘the office’, and tend to switch off a little more regularly… Its a personal preference thing.
One thing is for sure, though – its easier to work anywhere in the world TODAY, than its ever been – and it’ll be even easier in the next 5 years. Bring it on, I say!
Keep rockin’.
C