The biggest problem with working for other people is flexibility – you’ll probably have none. Many authors like Malcolm Gladwell (author of Blink) and Jennifer Weiner (author of In Her Shoes) work for hours in coffee shops, restaurants, and other places away from the desk. Working in new environments is a great way to gain a new sense of motivation and ideas.

Whenever I didn’t want to study in college, I packed up my books and relocated to another place on campus. On the weekends, I’d head downtown to study. The shift toward inspiration was incredible. I was at least twice as productive despite the distractive atmosphere.

As crazy as it sounds, sometimes it’s easier to concentrate when you’re surrounded by distractions. These distractions are different than at the office or home; you can tune them out because you know that they’re distractions, and you know that they won’t influence your day or your responsibilities. At work, you start listening to peoples’ phone calls to know the latest information that you won’t otherwise gain. At home, you start thinking about what’s for dinner, what you’d rather do, what you need to clean, and how many cookies are left in the cookie jar. In random places, you also don’t get the interruptions unless it’s the waiter offering you a refill of coffee.

As the weather gets nicer, the lack of flexibility when you work for someone else becomes more obvious. A warm body with nothing to do often matters more to a boss than a happy, productive… and absent employee. But great ideas don’t usually come knocking on the office door.

Doing something well means that you like what you’re doing. Even if you’re fascinated by your line of work, though, motivation can wane. Passion can drop even faster. Unless you live to work (when you should work to live), consider the following ideas when you work for someone else or are thinking of hiring a staff:

1. Allow flexible hours. Some businesses have official open hours. As long as someone is around during those times, everyone else is free to come as he pleases. Employees tend to stay longer in places like this because they know they won’t likely find such flexibility again. The boss also knows that he can pay these people less; his flexible environment is in demand.

2. Let employees work from other places. An hour of e-mail and cell phone communication doesn’t need to be done in the office. Even a picnic table outside of the office creates a tempting environment to work.

3. Offer a get out of work early day. Most employees don’t get any time off from New Years until Memorial Day. With spring on its way, employees are going to get antsy to be outside; they won’t be as productive. Encourage them to work hard and leave a few hours early on a designated day. Does the phone really ring that much on a Friday afternoon anyway?

In the meantime, try to maintain that spring fever.