Getting the job done has never been more fun.
Work for many people is changing, and you have to admit that
it's like a silent revolution occurring for many of us who do
our job on computers and the Internet. It's not just a trend;
more and more people are working freelance or simply getting
things done at the home office. The Internet has given us the
power to do our work in our own space, still connected to others
of importance, all while saving much time and many resources
that were still necessary a decade ago.
I'm a creative writer working for an Internet company. I can
write my articles and stories on my laptop computer no matter
where I am, then send them as files via my email or messenger
service. My parents are both academics working at universities
in the local area. The funny thing is, and the incredible power
of freedom that they've unwittingly (or not?) achieved, is that
they hardly ever go into their offices at the schools. They get
everything done in the comfortable space of their home.
This has so many positive repercussions when looking at the
changing paradigm of the modern-day workforce. First of all, it
is empowering many people in that they can do their work by
their own volition. No one is standing next to them in the
office spouting off small-talk about the weekend or telling them
what they should be doing, so they can get on with the job at
hand with limited distraction. My parents are both workaholics
so it also means they can just get up and work whenever they
feel like it; there isn't any restriction brought about by the
old issue of transport. This has huge implications. How much
time is wasted in a day commuting to and from your place of
employment? Consider the amount of fossil fuels that are saved,
and consequently the environmental benefits of not having to
travel everyday. The amount of time available to do actual work
increases massively as I'm sure you know some people who spend
whole hours travelling to and from their jobs.
Some would argue that one could feel isolated if they worked at
home alone. The truth is however, you are more connected than
ever. My father has three-way work conferences on webcams using
voice-over IP. You can see and hear your colleagues, as well as
having the option of writing messages to them in both email and
messenger services. Sharing information is easy as you can send
files and links to websites with a click of a button.
As I said before, the issue of time is greatly affected by no
longer having to travel. It goes further than this. Fifty years
ago our grandparents had to clock-in at the beginning and end of
the day. Not anymore. Say you have to work a standard 8 hour
day. It's up to you how you construct your schedule. This means
that you can go to the gym in the morning, and pick up the kids
after school without any questions being asked. You get to work
out your routine so that the proper amount of time for work gets
completed, but within your preferred time periods. The result of
this newfound freedom is happiness, and we all know a happy
worker is a productive and creative worker.
Freelance work from home is now becoming a more prominent type
of job structure in our society. You can be your own boss. This
was unheard of a century ago for anyone but the millionaires.
The hierarchy of the age-old company dissolves for you as you
specialise in an area of expertise which companies and
individuals require to achieve their success. Working from home
means you can save a lot of capital that used to be deemed
necessary when running a business. I'm talking about rental fees
for office space, not to mention office equipment.
The Internet is taking the idea of workplace to a new level. If
you're on the road, in a foreign country, or at the park, you
can still get things done. Laptops have long-lasting batteries,
and new wireless broadband Internet services connect you to the
World Wide Web whenever you are in the proximity of a 'hotspot'.
It would have been astonishing to be able to do work at the
beach and have the means to send it to your employer or
customer. Oh, how the working life is changing! This means life
in general is evolving as work is such an important element for
human survival and achievement. Are you tired of your old
dead-end job? Get creative with your thinking and join the new
generation of people who don't just work to live. Live to work.