In previous decades, the normal workday involved a professional waking up early and commuting to an office. There they would log eight hours or more before going home for the day.
Today’s cloud-driven environment is changing all that. Workers can now respond to emails, work on projects, and even attend webinars from home. All this with any device that has an Internet connection.
This redefinition of the workday is also reshaping the daily schedule for many workers. Instead of leaping out of bed at the crack of dawn, a professional can still boost business performance and do the vast majority of early-morning work from the comfort of home. Or even from the comfort of his bed.
Work from Bed: A Historical Connection
The concept of working from bed is actually inspired by Winston Churchill, who notoriously spent his mornings working in bed. Churchill, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the 40s and 50s. Personal computing was decades from becoming a reality and the Internet was decades away from being mainstream. Yet Churchill found a way to check his email, dictate correspondence to his secretaries, and catch up on world news, all from the comfort of his bed.
For professionals who have a difficult time getting out of bed in the morning, Churchill’s schedule can inspire. Using a mobile device or laptop, almost everything that could be accomplished in an office can be done from a person’s own bedroom. Granted, this might not be the best option for a morning video chat with international clients, but if no face-to-face interaction is necessary, a professional may find this the best way to get work done before noon.
The Benefits of Working from Bed
Most professionals rush out of the house first thing in the morning, only to spend the better part of an hour battling traffic. If the commute is by car, often that hour is completely wasted, combined with another time-wasting commute at the end of the workday. By spending those early-morning hours working from home, a professional can wait until most of the traffic has cleared away to go into the office.
When a worker starts his day working on his own terms, he’ll likely be more productive throughout the day. He’ll also benefit from being able to check multiple items off his to-do list without the many distractions present in an office. He’ll arrive in the office feeling refreshed by the fact that he’s accomplished a great deal already.
Making It Work
If you really want to commit to the Churchill lifestyle, there are solutions available to make it easy. A good lap desk will be a lifesaver, especially if you use a laptop. If you prefer to stay in a horizontal position, this dozing desk is an inventive way to help you achieve that goal. Loft beds can also help you move from bed to desk by just climbing down a ladder. There’s also the option of putting your desk in your bedroom. This will allow you to put off your commute a little longer while still accomplishing your morning work goals.
Even if you don’t want to work from bed until 11 a.m., as Churchill did, there are benefits to sleeping with your tablet or laptop next to your bed. When your alarm goes off, instead of feeling forced to rush to the shower, you can allow your brain to slowly wake up by doing a few of the things you would have done immediately upon arriving in the office, such as checking email or catching up on the latest news specific to your industry.
Perhaps the best news of all is that by working from bed, you won’t be alone. In fact, a poll by a California company found that nearly half of all workers polled work from bed in some form. Whether it’s checking social media accounts or responding to emails, many professionals seem to be either starting or ending their days conducting work from bed.
Max Palmer
I'm Max, and I love helping businesses we work with expand their businesses online. Growth potential is what we strive for! I help with press, productivity and overall business needs for business owners.