The Roving Office: Working on the Go

Hi Pixies!

With so many people now working remotely, or working on the go, we decided it was high time to address how to keep your roving office organized.

You know who you are. In any given day you might be working from your house, your car or a train, a couple different coffee shops, a park bench and a bar- multi-tasking, meeting clients and prospective clients. You need to move seamlessly between these spaces and people, while catching up on work in between. So how do you do this and maintain your focus, all while making sure that everyone you interact with sees you as the consummate professional that you are? The answer is simple and really quite elegant.

You design your organizational space (i.e., your office on-the-go) with your Pixie Type in mind.

For anyone who has not been following us, but just ran across this blog, Pixie Types are based on your Myers-Briggs personality type. They define how you approach life and organizational solutions. We use them to help guide you into those solutions that will best suit your personality, style and the way that you feel most comfortable. For each of the four main types, there are a couple of subtypes that nuance this.

If you know what your Myers-Briggs type is then you can quickly find your Pixie Type. If you have not taken that test and have never taken the Pixie Quiz to find the right organizational strategy for you, we suggest you do so before reading any further.

Great, now everyone is on the same page and ready to enhance their roving office.

Classic Pixies Are Naturally Organized

Well, almost all of you. Chances are that some of you Classic Pixies are so organized that there isn’t much we can offer other than pointing you in the direction of a great new product that comes on the market. This is because Classics were born organized. You can guarantee that if a Classic took on a job that required remote work and moving from place to place, they did not start roving until everything was in place to facilitate the process. That said, for these Myers-Briggs ESTJ, ISTJ, ESFJ and ISFJs, there is an extra challenge that comes with this type of work- the lack of being able to control the space that you have to work from. So, to stay sane, we highly recommend that you utilize remote working places that you can assess ahead of time and reserve, so that you are comfortable arranging things just the way you need them in order to be effective. You might feel more comfortable working from chains and franchises because they are predictable. This will help you be at your peak. And, invest in a utilitarian briefcase that is easy to carry and fits your folders.

Fun Pixies Get It Done

If you are a Fun Pixie, on the other hand, you are a bit more lax when it comes to being super organized. You definitely get things done, but it is less important to you what the space you work in is like, or how your files are ordered in your briefcase. What might help you get and stay really organized, however, is adopting just a little bit of that magic that the Classic Pixies have. This doesn’t come naturally to Myers-Briggs types ESTP, ISTP, ESFP, and ISFPs. However, using your mobile device as your primary organizer can help you out a lot. Keep a to-do list and back it up with a calendar. Give yourself an extra 5 minutes between each meeting and check items off of that to-do list. Attach notes about your meetings into those calendar appointments and send follow up emails. If you make an appointment, immediately put it into your calendar. And, for the sake of your own sanity, only carry a slim portfolio that reduces the ability to fill it with extra paper that you probably won’t do anything with anyhow. Some of you Fun types can put sticky notes to great use. These handy little tools can help you keep track of the smaller to-dos that need to be done in between those big to-dos. These tips will help you appear organized and professional to everyone that you encounter.

Smart Pixies Are Changing the World

If you are a Smart Pixie you have a chance of successful organization if you can live by your planner and stick to it. In a work environment, it is important that you are able to meet goals and deadlines and keep things moving forward. Myers-Briggs types ENTJ, INTJ, ENTP, and INTPs are powerful and driven, but they are not always supremely organized. This can be remedied with a good personal assistant, whether real or virtual. That person or entity, if given access to your calendar, can make sure that you are prepared for, on time to, and follow up with every meeting. Carry a day planner that you can use to jot down notes and make sure that those notes get to your assistant. Something small that can fit in a purse or be slid into a pocket is probably best. That will help you be as mobile as possible.

Organic Pixies Are Genuine

Whether you need a routine, or are more spontaneous and can’t quite seem to follow a structured protocol, working on-the-go means that you need to feel good about where you are and who you meet during the day. To Myers-Briggs types ENFJ, INFJ, ENFP, and INFPs who are visionaries and idealists, working from bookstores, museums, architecturally significant buildings, or beautiful gardens might help you get more done than than being in most coffee houses or co-working spaces. If your work has other people relying on you, it is important to show up when you say you are and follow up on promises made. A planner will help, even if it is painful to use one, and like Fun Pixies, sticky notes and a notebook can be your best friend.