North Shorts Musings by Mike Lubow
Every weekday morning, all across the North Shore, career-oriented men and women head out to their jobs. They may be young hotshots climbing the corporate ladder, mid-life pros at their peak or seasoned old-timers who shudder at the idea of retirement.
They’re a diverse mix of well-employed talent, opening their laptops, recharging their smartphones, logging on, tapping in, then tapping on keyboards as they fire up the engine of American business for another day.
And where do many of these people park their busy butts on most mornings? An office building in the city miles from home after a lengthy train ride? Nope. That’s old-time thinking caused by old-time movies or maybe by remembering where your dad worked.
They’re at a nearby North Shore coffee emporium. You can almost smell the espresso in the air as you read these words. (In fact, you might actually be smelling the espresso because you’re reading this in your own favorite coffee spot.)
The automatic assumption that daily business is conducted in an office is not automatic any more. Many of us don’t go to work in corporate beehives. Not in the elevator towers of the Loop. Not even in suburban office campuses. But we do go to work.
Increasing numbers of gainfully employed earners are sensibly encouraged to work from home. Often that means making your home office a Wi-Fi-friendly coffee hangout as you enjoy productivity without a time-consuming commute.
This trend has been called “working without walls.” Well, there are always walls wherever you work. But in the age of digital connectivity, many have a big menu hanging on them listing the brew of the day.