What Changes Would You Make to Your Work Schedule?

This week’s question of the week is courtesy of Ashley Acker who twittered yesterday, “Study on changing workforce found that 49% would prefer to change their work schedule if they could. What changes would you make?”

If you are not familiar with Ashley or her business Work Style Design, she, too understands that the way we work today is not working for many people.  She, as I am, is a fan of being treated like and adult at work and basing your schedule and your rewards on results, not filling a chair in an cube/office.  And she helps companies use workplace flexibility as a competitive advantage, especially in the area of attracting and retaining quality hires.

To read more about the study click the link above or here.  I have been extremely lucky to have workplace flexibility much of my career and I am not interested in changing my current work schedule.   After all, I own my own business and have ultimate flexibility.  I get to decide what to spend my time on and when.  However, ultimately flexibility doesn’t mean I always get to do what I want, when I want.  I was recently asked to do an interview in NYC.   Unfortunately I cannot come to NYC on that day because it doesn’t work for my daughter’s school schedule.  I would really like to do the interview.  It could be great for my business and this blog.  I would really like to meet the woman who wants to interview me (she is a kindred spirit in the workplace flexibility world).  But it just won’t work out…this time.

Finally since I mentioned Twitter at the top of this blog and as it’s where many of my ideas for this blog now come from, I am going to digress.  I know people think it’s 6 million+ users talking about what kind of sandwich they’re making for lunch…but it’s not…Twitter is my CNN feed on my computer.  The differences between it and the CNN feed on your TV are:  1) I get to choose who I want to contribute to my CNN feed, 2) It is actually a faster way to find out breaking news – it was the first source to report the Hudson river plane crash, 3) It is not “dumbed down” there are many extremely smart people on twitter sharing information and learning from each other.  And I happen to feel the need to continually grow and learn as a person, Twitter helps me do that.  4) You get access to people you have admired and respected and would not have had access to otherwise.

Case in point Edward Boches is the Chief Creative Officer at  Mullen Advertising…a forward-thinking ad agency that was extremely successful as I was starting my career.  For an advertising agency to not be based in NYC, to be small and to still be very cutting edge, and well respected was quite a feat in the 80′s and 90′s.  Mullen was all those things and more.  Yesterday, I had a nice interaction with Edward on twitter after reading his article in AdWeek on why he twitters and weighing in with my own thoughts.  I would have loved to have had access to him when I was up and coming in the media world.  Now I can, and so can any 20-something who is up and coming in the advertising world.

So that is my diatribe on Twitter.

Yeah, I know this post was convoluted…but hey, “free coffee” ain’t always really free.  Once again this week if you answer the question of the week either here, or reply @leanneclc on twitter or post on the Career Life Connection facebook fan page you can win your choice of a coffee gift card…I’m looking forward to learning more from you and the conversation!