Chapter8: HowtoWorkFasterinaRemoteTeam 84 says Jason Fried, the founder of Basecamp and co-author of bestselling book Remote:NoOfficeRequired.Oneanswerisaplace,locationorroom,suchasthe porchorthecoffeeshop;anotherisamovingobject,suchasaplaneortrain; andanotherisatime,reallyearlyinthemorningorontheweekends. “You almost never hear someone say ‘the office,’ but businesses are spending all this money on this place called the office and they’re making people go to it all the time. Yet people don’t do work in the office.” “It’s like the front door of the office is like a Cuisinart and you walk in andyourdayisshreddedtobits.”-JasonFried,Basecamp Fried,whodeliveredthesewordsonstageatTEDxMidwest2010,sayshe’sbeen asking people this productivity question for about 10 years. Theoffice, he says, is where “work moments” happen, not work days. “It’s like the front door of the office is like a Cuisinart and you walk in and your day is shreddedtobitsbecauseyouhave15minuteshere,and30minutesthereand then something else happens and you’re pulled off your work … and then it’s lunch.” Take those distractions away, and you can be a lot more productive. “People need to be able to be away from the distractions of the workplace to actually work and get things done,” says Zapier Managing Editor Melanie Pinola, who pointed metoFried’s talk. “When I first started telecommuting, I found myself finishing my tasks much earlier than I had previously and ended up taking on more responsibilities…from home, because I just worked better in this environment.” Aside from the ability to dictate their schedule, the ability to control their environmentisalsoamainfactorformanyremoteworkers’productivity. “Having a quiet day at home to write means I get work done way faster,” says JimmyDaly,aTucson,Ariz.-basedcontentmarketer. Workingfromhomeallowsyoutoquicklychangeyoursurroundings,too. That’sanupsideZapier’sGuayhasfound.“Standwhileyouworkorsit.Kneelat atable if that feels right for a bit. Sit back on the couch to edit or walk around the house with a draft to read over. Use speakers for music if you want…or haveperfectsilence.”