I'm thinking of converting my car. I'd like to remove the gas pedal and cut out the floor on the driver side. I could speed-walk my way down the road in the likeness of Fred Flintstone. It would cut fuel costs tremendously and provide great exercise. (Admittedly, my wife has concerns about safety and resale value.)

Of course my commuting woes are minimal according to Midas. This year, the automotive-service king awarded David Givens the winner of "America's Longest Commute." Mr. Givens is a resident of Mariposa, CA (that's somewhat near Yosemite National Park). Since 1989 he has been making his weekday drive to San Jose (that's nowhere near Yosemite National Park). Commute time? Typically seven hours a day-a daily round trip of 372 miles.

Wouldn't Mr. Givens long for a telecommuting position? One would think so. In a recent Computerworld survey, 36% of the participants considered telecommuting "extremely important." Certainly technology advents in the past decade have made flexible work arrangements increasingly feasible, reasonable, and desirable for both employer and employee. There are now highly efficient and logical ways of remotely accomplishing some tasks individually and collaboratively.

For those occupations and occasions where tasks must be completed on-site, rising fuel prices make alternate forms transportation more appealing. According to the EPA, the top Fortune 500 industries that aggressively and consistently support telecommuting include Intel, Qualcomm, and Oracle. These companies, and others like them, meet specific criteria, such as a significant telecommuting program, variable work schedules, and transit pass subsidies. Similar types of benefits can be implemented in our region as well.

One advantage of a flexible work schedule for both on-site and off-site work is the opportunity for a power nap. Researchers for years have announced the invigorating benefits of a brief, afternoon "nappy time." A recent study at Flinders University in Australia concluded that the positive results of a brief period of light sleep in the early afternoon "could justify a rescheduling of the modern working day."

When was the last time you talked to someone that said: "I don't drink enough coffee, I exercise more than necessary, and I get far too much sleep." I see rising fuel costs as a potential catalyst for comprehensive change. Imagine if employees commuted by bicycle more frequently and early afternoon pick-me-up coffees were being substituted with power naps. I submit that our healthier workforce would be more effective on the job. On the other hand, you might find a few die-hards pedaling out of the coffee-shop parking lot yelling Yabba-Dabba-Do!

Tom Urbanowicz is the owner of DataDesignIT, helping businesses operate efficiently and communicate effectively. Tom can be reached at tom@datadesignit.com or at 530.513.1691.