Is Working Remotely for You?
Leaps in communications have now given people more freedom to pursue their careers in creative ways. Working remotely has been gaining popularity in recent years because several jobs and industries just recently became accessible through the internet.
According to Forbes, 50% of the US population considers working remotely as their standard operating mode. Because of this trend, it’s no surprise that you’re considering a remote job yourself. Don’t worry. Here are a few things that you need to know about working remotely.
Is it for you?
To start off, you have to understand that working remotely is not for everyone. The isolation, the freedom, and even the serenity may be ideal for some, but they can also be detrimental for others. Be honest with yourself and decide whether you really do want this.
Working Remotely VS Working From Home
Any job that one does outside an office can be considered remote work. While working remotely means all your work is done away from the office, working from home is often just a part of the increasingly popular flexible schedule offerings that many companies have. You can work from home for a couple of days but you’ll eventually have to report back to the office.
Benefits
Working remotely means you don’t have to dress a certain way, or at all, when doing your work. It means you don’t have to struggle with the daily commute. Just these two things add up to a ton of money and time savings. If you’re working from your home, food will also be cheaper.
Since walking to your computer takes a lot less time than getting from your home to the office, you can also maximize your rest and start work with a fresher mind.
You control every aspect of your workspace. You can surround yourself with others in a coffee shop, or you can work in silence at home. You can even start working even before you get up from bed (but maybe don’t do that).
Downsides
Working remotely often means working alone. You may revel in the sweetness of serenity at first but you will eventually long for the casual office conversations you used to have. You’ll miss the lunches and those team-building weekends. Messaging apps can only do so much to facilitate human interaction. And although you can technical assessment spend time with people outside work, office social interaction is necessary in strengthening connections and raising productivity.
A lot of things will distract you. Since remote work is rarely supervised minutely, you’ll have plenty of freedom to get distracted. Accessing your social media notifications can be a slippery slope that may end up costing you hours.
Although it is not guaranteed that you will be doing less physical activity, your step count will definitely take a hit if you stop leaving the house.
Take it to the next level
If you’re convinced working remotely is right for you. Take it to the next level with the following tips:
- Get good-quality equipment. Your computer, monitor, peripherals, and your headphones are essential to your work. Don’t skimp out when getting these.
- Get a stable internet connection. Like with the equipment measured above, working remotely leaves you dependent on the quality of your connection. Slow internet speeds can also cost your work speed.
If you want to take your work anywhere, you may want to consider getting satellite internet access. Together with a durable laptop, you can work from anywhere you can imagine.
- Back up your files. Use cloud storage to save your backups so you can access them from any device. Do this regularly to keep your files secure as well.
Working remotely is rewarding but it is not for everyone. Hopefully, this article helps you if you do decide to try it out.
