Long gone are the industrial-era, early 20th century days when men boarded trains and buses each morning to factories to work all day before reversing their journeys home for a few hours of rest and family life.

And yet, that basic premise had stuck with us until the pandemic hit, ushering us in our homes to work remotely. Until a few months ago, many of us still worked from 9 to 5 with long commutes to and from the office on either end.

Now, companies large and small are questioning what work life will look like moving forward. A few companies, notably Twitter, have now said that employees can permanently work from home.

Of course, not everyone can work from home. Our first responders, as well as people in many other professions, require working from a specific location. To those of you heading out the door to your job, we appreciate your hard work and dedication. And to those of you benefiting from others who work outside of their homes, be sure to thank them and tip or pay accordingly.

New Ideas for Working Outside the Office

Professionals are also rethinking what their workdays will look like in the months and years to come. Some see an opportunity to re-envision their hectic schedules, long commutes, and days spent in bustling offices.

For many professionals and business owners, the opportunity to work from home is a welcome change. Juggling family responsibilities, home care, and work is much easier when everything can happen in the same place.

For others, however, working from home feels less like an opportunity and more like a burden. It might be that they enjoy the company of coworkers and colleagues. It might be that workspaces provide structure that the home does not. Or it might simply be that they don’t want to stay home all of the time.

While understandable, I challenge those who prefer to not work from home to reframe their thinking. The beauty of working remotely is that it really gives workers the freedom to work from anywhere – home, a vacation spot, the local coffee shop, or, yes, even the office. Some use the term “Digital Nomad” to describe this work from anywhere lifestyle.

While right now, the safest spot to work is likely in your home, this change opens up the possibilities of flexible working arrangements that meet the needs of today’s workforce, including flexible schedules, locations, and working styles.

Embracing working from anywhere does not only benefit employees. It also benefits smart companies by fostering more engaged employees, greater overall productivity, better recruitment, and ultimately, more profitability.

Of course, entrepreneurs and small business owners have been visionaries in the realm of working from anywhere. Many of us lead companies out of our homes, while operating teams that live and work all over the globe.

If you want to succeed in working from anywhere, I’ve put together a few tips that effective business owners use to get the most out of their days, regardless of the setting.

Establish your top priorities.

What are 5 things you want to accomplish this quarter? These need not all be professional priorities – personal accomplishments count as well. Whatever they are, put them in writing.

By establishing your priorities now, you ensure time is set aside to do the activities that make your life meaningful as well as successful. It will also make it easier to stay focused on work, rather than letting yourself get caught up in a good book during work hours or prioritize your garden over your business.

Create structure to achieve goals.

Priorities are worthless without systems in place to enable you to reach them. Creating accountability is even more important if you are working from anywhere than when you’re in an office because it’s all too easy to fall off track. There are a few different ways to create accountability for yourself, and successful business owners find that a combination of these methods works better than one on its own.

The first system is scheduling your time, so you put the same amount of effort into your job as you would if you entered an office for a workday. If you want to get new leads, for example, commit time on your calendar to making sales calls each and every morning before you open your email or take up a new project. Similarly, block out time for checking in with clients, working on communications and marketing, and professional development. Set boundaries for yourself and the other people you live and work with so that your work time is respected.

Another system to help you achieve your priorities is an accountability partner. Building a relationship with an accountability partner – a mentor, coach, colleague, or business strategist you respect and trust – involves committing to check in and provide honest updates on your progress and performance (or lack thereof).

The last but not least system for achievement that I highly recommend is a mastermind group. Mastermind members share valuable strategies and advice, turn to one another for support, make meaningful connections and referrals, and even build business relationships when appropriate. My Silver Council Program and Mastermind Group is currently accepting new applicants, so if you’re interested, contact me.

Delegate what you can.

Now that you know how your time will be spent in the next few months to achieve your goals, anything that does not fit on your to do list is a good incentive to start delegating. It can take some getting used to, especially if you have the attitude that things are easier when you just do them yourself.

But delegating is a skill that, when mastered, frees up invaluable time. Building a team of experts around you will enable you to spend time doing what you do best, such as sales, marketing, or coaching. It will also afford you the flexibility to do the things you love outside of business. To set your team up for success, make sure they know your expectations and have the resources and tools necessary to meet them.

I am blessed to have one of the best teams that supports many of our clients as well as my own business. I have always strived to surround myself with the best, most highly skilled team possible. I am grateful for my team’s commitment to doing their best work to help me realize my vision.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I encourage the business owners and professionals I work with to explore finding ways to delegate in their businesses and their personal lives. When you spend the bulk of your time doing what you do best, and delegate the rest, your business will thrive and you’ll enjoy your work more while avoiding the burnout that is so easy to fall into.

Do you have trouble delegating the parts of your business that you struggle with? If so, contact me today to master the ability to do what you love and outsource the rest.

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Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work with each client to implement the strategies they’ve been missing that will enable them to break through barriers preventing them from the success they know they are capable of. Contact me today to find your future clients who just don’t know what they’re missing.