Want Flextime? Write a Business Proposal

That 9-to-5 workday seems so rigid. Especially now that people have laptops, smart phones, iPads, and other tools to do their job at anytime of the day. So why do companies insist you work in the office during that eight-hour stretch?

Well, they shouldn’t. And more and more companies have loosened the rules a bit to allow workers to spend part of the day at home. But how do you convince your employer, who doesn’t currently have many flextime options, to allow you to work from home, at least part of the day? CNNMoney’s Anne Fisher says build a business proposal.

First, make the case that working flexible hours won’t damage your productivity — and may even improve it.