Chris Ward
I wrote Out of Office as I had many people asking me how I managed to live the life I do – productive, fairly successful, not stuck in an office all day, competing in sporting events – but still also having time for nights out with my wife and homeworking and fun time with our 4 kids.
I achieve it by not sitting at the same desk for 40 hours of every single week of every single year. When I don’t feel I am being productive I get up and go and do something completely different – cycling, picking up kids from school etc – and then I return to work when the feeling of ‘flow’ returns – when I feel fully engaged with work and I can get it done twice as fast as when I’m not and being distracted by Facebook and Twitter….
I achieve much of this working in coffee shops with my laptop, away from the distraction of the office. I discovered that over great coffee, Harry Potter and Moshi Monsters were born, Obama’s first presidential speech was composed, and many websites such as craigslist and Foursquare.com were built. It is where political revolutions and artistic movements have started.
My book explains that you can learn from the biggest names and smartest thinkers on how to escape that rat race feeling, to enjoy a more successful and rewarding ‘Out of Office’ life.
You learn how to join the many successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, students, artists, freelancers and flexitime workers already switching on their ‘Out of Office’ and working remotely.
Grab your laptop, order a drink, ask for the Wi-Fi password and with the book, you make something great happen.
What does mobilising your life mean?
Working life isn't nine to five any more.
An Out Of Office week is…
… Getting things done in the window seat, not the corner office, travelling outward bound, not deskbound, sharing your work, not showing your face, doing something rewarding and not just being rewarded and following your passions by escaping the trappings of office.
‘Out Of Office’ people spend time, more than money, Do more not buy more, invest emotionally more than financially, are more popular than ‘liked’, valued more than ccʼd, sharing their moments more than their status.
They ride a bike, not the subway, do it today, not tomorrow, do the inviting not the responding, love their good life, career, friends, food and the smell of great coffee...
It’s for the people that love working and playing ‘Out Of Office’ for longer than a two-week holiday. The work where you like and achieve your dreams generation
Increasingly, we're expected to be available on email and mobile during evenings and over weekends. Everyone is happier (and consequently more productive) when this flexibility is extended in the other direction and remote working is allowed.
The office can be a good place to share ideas and resources but turning up every day to sit at the same desk, with the same view of the same filing cabinet and the same dodgy cup of coffee, can be very demotivating
Please tell us about developing the Out of Office framework.
I developed the ‘Out Of Office’ framework - working where I like so that I can achieve more productivity and creativity at work and lifetime ambitions and bucket list activities. I have founded and sold companies for multi-millions to cycling the whole of the 100th Le Tour de France route. I wrote the book to provide a very personal and honest experience and hopefully a life-changing inspirational read and motivation for achieving those New Year's resolutions.
Why do people mostly find your book inspirational?
This ‘Out Of Office Diary’ helps you
Evolve…
From working full-time in an office to working wherever is the best location for your well-being, productivity and creativity.
Play more…
By knowing how to stop working and do something else when you have completed your work but still have lots of hours left before the end of the day.
Be happy…
By unlocking your motivation to do the things you always dreamed of, and probably never thought possible.
You can be…
More Productive
Working without the interruptions of the office, and with the white noise of a vibrant coffee shop, results in you being 50% more productive. Also meaning you create many more hours for yourself.
More Creative
Everyone has customers of some type in their work – be it the general public or one client. Your customers are not in your office – they are in coffee shops. Working alongside your customers is the perfect environment to create the best ideas for them. Many massively successful businesses have been started in coffee shops – from Moshi Monsters to Instagram. Even President Obama’s inauguration speech was written in a Starbucks.
More successful
The combination of the above, plus the cost savings from leasing less office space and paying for less commuter costs, results in your business doing better than it would be in a traditional set-up.
Who is the book aimed at?
My book is for start-ups, business leaders, working mothers, students, executives and entrepreneurs - everyone who wants to change the way they work to change their whole life...
It will make people whose days are now filled being too busy or too bored - to even remember what they wanted to achieve when they were starting their career or what activities they want to tick off their bucket list before they kick it - think about how they live their life.
All bosses need to know how to manage a flexible workforce, employees to be the best team player, and everyone to work less hours and achieve more work, stop killing time and wasting energy and become more productive, creative and successful - all by 5 O’clock Friday.
Why is happiness so intermingled with work?
There is only way you can go from sinking feeling to floating on air by 5pm Friday. You need look no further than question the one and only activity that currently kills your most time and wastes your most energy.
Something that school taught you what to think about and nobody has ever thought to question it since, even though everything about it has changed since you were at school…WORK.
Change the way you work and THEN, ONLY THEN, will you have the time and energy to change anything and everything in your life.
Want to give ‘Out Of Office’ working a go - It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can simply try it for one day a week to start with and see how it works out. Try this conversation with the boss - “Lets both just give it a try for a day a week to start with. It might not work for me or you, or it might actually just make me happier and you more successful.”
Please can you tell us a bit about your background.
I am an entrepreneur, activist, adventurer and author. The BBC happened to call me “The boss who works in coffee shops” and that seems to have stuck.
This is my website
http://workwhereyoulike.com
Previously, I advised the world's biggest charities, brands and organisations and was Creative Director at Comic Relief,.
I realised though that I wanted to do more with my life than sit in an office for forty hours a week. I wanted to spend more homework time and playtime time with my four children and see what I could achieve with my body rather than just my brain – so I raced in ten international marathons, 3 of the hardest mountain bike races and cycled the whole of Le Tour de France route, while helping the kids achieve good grades at their state school.
What is next for you?
I was recently part of the winning team of a UK Government Cabinet pitch to take over the running of the UK’s biggest volunteering organisation Do-it.org.uk – so this year is about increasing the number of people volunteering in the UK. But - I’m also racing over the Alps twice – once on ski’s and once on a mountain bike. We also have our eldest daughter setting off for University and lots of play dates and homework to sort out!