The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Remote Work After 5 Years of Experience
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Set a quitting time. Don't worry about starting your work day, that will happen by itself, but you need to put a good cap on the end of the work day, so you know when to walk away from work.
Have a place to work. I have a home office, but it could be a specific desk, room, or beach chair. Wherever it is, try to do your work there when family is around, that way they know you're working.
Leave your work laptop at your desk. Get a second laptop, tablet, etc that doesn't have work stuff on it if you're going to use electronic stuff around the family outside work hours.
And perhaps most importantly, take advantage of it! I have been able to watch my kids grow up in a way 99% of fathers can't dream of. I take them to dentist appointments, keep an eye on them once in a while when my wife needs to run an errand, and get to see the amazing lego creations they build right away - they don't have to wait till daddy gets home... My wife constantly drops comments like 'it's such a blessing that your job lets you be here for this', and it's true - I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Thanks for advice!
Your comment about having a second sets of personal devices for personal use reminded me of how given given I do all of my owned IT support that doing backups and having the data encrypted is really important if you're using device in public; lucky I've never had an issue, but I've know people that had a device stolen, stranger spill coffee on it, etc.; worth noting that a backup is worthless if you can't recover it.
Here is how to find a remote job.. find a remote FIRST company. Not a normal company you ask if you can work remote. Find a company that only hires remote people. Watching the companies that post on say weworkremotely.com and you will find something interesting.
That said, remote jobs do tend to have more competition. Since anyone can apply to any remote job, I suspect they get 20x the resumes of a local job (would love to hear for someone who has worked both sides of HR to confirm). So you can't just apply to 2 jobs and assume you will get 1 of them. It will take more work.
Our ad for a sysadmin got 100+ resumes, of which about 50 were trashable, and we had a dozen plus excellent candidates.
+1 for this. I worked remotely for a while for a company who I convinced it would be a good idea. It didn't work out well because I was the only remote employee and their culture and processes just weren't set up for it. I spent more time reminding people to dial me into meetings and convincing my bosses that I was actually working than doing my real job. If the company isn't already bought into having remote workers, being the pioneer is painful.
* Find a company that already relies on digital communication. Maybe they have a couple different offices, and employees communicate heavily over Slack. A company is unlikely to make this kind of change just for you, and I find it critical to working remotely with a team.
* Work for a number of years at a company and do a good job. Become a person they want to retain.
* Be an excellent communicator. Don't be the guy/gal who's hard to get ahold of because you're never logged into Slack, or because you check your email only once a day, or because you never answer your phone.
* Be upstanding, honest, and forthright. Be self-supervising. Be the person your manager doesn't have to think about, while still knowing you'll do an awesome job. Give them nothing to fear regarding whether you'll continue to do a great job without supervision.
* Be slightly underpaid for your market.
That last one probably isn't something to seek out, necessarily. But it's a good bit of leverage to use when trying to convince your manager that you should be allowed to work remotely. If you can convince them that letting you work remotely is free for them but a perk for you that's likely to keep you at the company, you've won.
Those few were very good at what they did for years consistently and well liked (responsible, pleasant, mature).
I consider whatever extra steps required (being nearly always available on IM, etc) for remote work is well worth it, because remote work offers so much benefits.
I used to think server/sysadmin was one job where you had to be there and that remote job was only for devs. But now with AWS and cloud computing, sysadmin for remote working is just as easy. Amazing how things change.
We used to do this via remote serial console 20+ years ago, then we moved to IPKVM, and now ipvkm over integrated IPMI controllers.
I've managed groups of sysadmins over the years, and the truly talented will outright refuse non-remote work. Since they can demand it.
Maybe I just haven't been blessed with working with crack team of sysadmins or a shop big enough to justify such investment.
Oh, and I used to work with Windows servers...
Sysadmin/Devops here. To confirm your point, I don't take any work that isn't fully remote, and I don't take any position for less than $100k/year USD (~15 years experience).
I always though this was a novel way of indicating to the kids whether he could be disturbed when doing remote working.
http://www.hanselman.com/blog/IsDaddyOnACallABusyLightPresen...
He seems eager to create additional work for himself to come up with a solution when there isn't really a problem. I wonder what else in life he is going to come up with an elaborate solution for (introducing many new potential points of failure) when the obvious solution has been in front of him the whole time. Would you really want to work with a guy like that? Would you want to pay him to solve problems for you?
Even if you don't work from home, keep work devices and personal devices separate. The closest I'll mix the two is logging into a public facing email portal if one is available. Want me to have official stuff on my smart phone? Then I need to be provided with one. Want me to take work home with me? Then I need a laptop.
I do not mix company and personal devices to reduce liability to myself and reduce risk to the company (I do my best to avoid getting viruses, but it would be hubris to think I'm immune to such).
I'd just close the door to my office put my headphones on (either with or without music) and get to work. Having the kids there was never an issue for me and it was nice being able to eat lunch with the kids some days.
Don't give up on working from home. Look up coworking space near your home. Or ask around to borrow a cubicle or a desk from a firm nearby.
I am trying to help my wife as I can but work needs to be done first, unless goes for life.
I get to be home throughout the day as much as I want to be, I can be home in a moment's notice. But more importantly I can concentrate or take a phone call without the crashes, cries, and screams. I couldn't get ANYTHING done from home if I tried. Maybe when they're older/in school. Until then it's $800/mo well spent.
I wouldn't trade my current situation for an office job, it's the best setup I've ever had and the whole family is a lot happier since I switched to this- but it would be a different ballgame if I was home like you. I couldn't do it, I'd go crazy.
The key for me has been that I actually have a Regus office I go to, not just a space in the house- mostly because my kids are too young to get that dad's working.
My office is a 10 minute bike ride or 3 by car so I come home for lunch, take the kids to mid-day mid-week swim lessons, and basically have no problems with making appointments anymore. I run home frequently if the wife has an appointment, or sometimes just to clear my head and hang out.
I never bring my laptop home and I'm home before its dark now. Usually by 16:30, if I need to have a long day I'm in the office by 04:30 or 05:00. I go to bed a little early the night before and I add the hours to the beginning of my day and make sure I get home before dinner.
Most mornings I get to see the boys, help get them ready, make breakfast and hang out for a bit before I'm in the office. I also get to the gym at least 4 days a week and have lost 30 pounds in the last year while probably ACTUALLY working more hours per week.
I don't think I could ever go back to working like how I used to. I would leave the house at 05:30 to commute downtown. Get to the office by 6:15ish, and no matter what I did I couldn't seem to get out of the office before 17:00- meaning I got home between 18:00 and 19:00 depending on awful Seattle traffic.
I loved the people I worked with at my last company and I do miss seeing them every day, we still get lunches occasionally (I have to go to them, naturally) but I could never go back to a 'normal' office routine.
They are available worldwide, with typically many locations in major metropolitan areas. The Internet is reliably good. Even small things like internationally-compatible AC wall plugs are a nice touch.
I can't say what it's like to rent a real office there, but for a backup for hotel Internet or just a place to get a change of scenery while away from home, they're great. I have the business world gold card, and it's not too expensive, especially compared to a coworking space located in just one city.
Coworking spaces local to a city are nice, but can vary wildly in cost, and sometimes require convincing the team to let you work there on short notice (walk-ins aren't particularly welcome, unless you carefully explain you have experience at coworking places).
One other nice thing about the Regus locations I've been to in big cities: there's usually some really nice views out their windows. This has been true in Boston, Auckland, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Tokyo - it's surprisingly inspiring!
Edit: and gosh do I realize this reads like I'm a shill for them. I'm not. It just seems like $60 per month - the cost of Internet in the USA - to get an office in any major city in the world is a good deal. But that's because I'm traveling a lot right now, too, so YMMV.
My current setup is just south of downtown Seattle. At first $850/mo for about 120 square feet with a window seems expensive until you look into the other options. Building out a space for 1 person is crazy, a 'less nice' space isn't good for having visitors and all require you to obtain your own telco and Internet. None of the other places had shared spaces and bookable conference rooms. Lastly, having the receptionists is REALLY helpful, at minimum if you have packages you don't want sitting on your doorstep.
There's also something to be said about walking in to an office every day that's just _nice_. Even older spaces that haven't been renovated yet are still classy (and not in a Donald Trump way) and nice. The brand new ones like mine are significantly better than a lot of corporate HQs I've been to.
I'm moving to Portland in a few months and the first thing I did was pull up the Regus office map and start calling- my experience has been fantastic.
The real downsides for me are: 1. The occasional loneliness 2. difficulty in casual collaboration with colleagues 3. the "work hangover" where after finishing work, I don't have adequate physical separation from it (like leaving the office gives you), and sometimes I can waste time after work is over before being able to spin up on something else.
The upsides are: 1. Music when I want it, silence when I don't. 2. Cheaper food costs, healthier meals 3. no commute costs 4. more overall time to indulge in hobbies/side projects 5. tax benefit of maintaining a home office. 6. save on dry cleaning, clothing costs 7. can run errands during the day, and always have the 2-5pm block of time while normal companies are still open, and I am free.
Otherwise I just live my life. I usually sign off around 5 and take my dog for a walk. I do normal hour-ish long lunches. If I need to mow the grass I go do that, no big deal.
a) working from home (but in the same city) - relatively easy to adjust to
b) digital nomadism (moving from city to city every few months) - harder
It's hard to justify "Get out of the house" when you've built a nice work spot for yourself. Maybe it's because the audience for this is in an urban environment where it's a 5 minute walk to the coffee shop (as opposed to my suburban 10 minute drive) or maybe it's because I'm cheap and know the coffee at home is cheaper than paying "rent" buy buying coffee.
I'd really be curious to hear other remote workers' experiences with getting out of the house.
Working between 7am - 11pm is quite ok, I agree with all those advantages.
Why would you treat working from home any differently than working from the office? I wouldn't work until 8pm in the office, so why would I do it at home?
The special scheduling of personal appointments doesn't make sense to me. If you were in the office, you'd tell people "I'll be away from 1-2 today" and that's it. I do the same thing when I'm working from home.
Maybe I'm weird because I'm not big on socially hanging with my coworkers, but the face time doesn't bother me at all. We do a lot of video calls, I see them plenty.
My work is not my life. I've never had trouble separating work and home life. Working from a room in my house has never changed that. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some yard work to do on my lunch break.
- Although my work permits being flexible, I'd rather have a normal person's schedule too! There's just too many real life things to take care of that require normal hours.
- After spending a lot of time alone, I have to find a friend to meet up with. I made another remote working friend so we meet up 2 times a week. It's odd but it does feel like there is some sort of pull towards human interaction embedded somewhere. I also enjoy the busy and loud cafe background.
- Taxes suck :( They have been very confusing since this is my first year. Still working on them :'(
Are you working for yourself or remote for a company?
I'm about 5 months into a remote job for a health company and I love it so far.
I am a co-founder and employee of a company so while salary stuff is clear, things like dividends + fiscal residence + tax treaty makes you crazy to be short.
Just working remotely for a company and being in a specific location all the time is certainly way easier to handle.
Good post overall though!
Here are my experiences from last year:
1. I have own workplace with stand-up desk, big screen.
2. I have silence for thinking and creating.
3. In case of lower workload I can work on some side projects or get some home-tasks or child-care.
4. I am out of noisy open-office.
5. Nobody is staring at my screen and asking silly questions what are you reading? What is it? Can you send me a link?
6. I didn't get any open-office illness.
7. I don't have to fight for air-conditioning/heating temperature.
8. I am home from work after 1 second.
9. Since I don't travel to the office I save a huge amount of money
10. I don't feel lack of social contact. I have neighbors at our street, family near to us. I am introvert. Maybe sometime I don't have someone with same technical expertise but never mind.
11. I am living in area with lower cost for living so I am saving money, I have higher quality of life.
12. I don't need afraid that my car will be scratched (as happened a year ago at private parking, of course no camera records, no witness).
13. Sometime it's hard especially if kids are getting insane and make huge shambles.
14. Relationship with your spouse require higher attitude because you are threatened by marine disease. You are together very often without break.
I would not change it back to the open-office insane workplace.
In regards to blogpost...I can confirm point #6 - third culture kid. After 5 years living abroad I moved back to my domestic country.
A lot of us who work from home but stay put are confused by this article.
Some learnings happened also in different periods of my life, so is really hard to write a title/content that is clear and all the people reading it will identify.
Others (like myself, since 2012) are full time employed and work literally from home.
Still others work from local coffee shops or other comfortable hotspots.
As a full time employee, and having tricked out my home office with a comfortable chair and good equipment that I paid for myself, WFH is like being at the office, minus the noise and inconvenience.
Financially speaking, WFH is a huge win for most of us who aren't lucky enough to be able to walk 10 minutes to the office:
- I no longer commute 15-20 hours a week, which to me is worth an extra $20K a year.
- I don't have to make lunch, or buy lunch.
- I can go running at lunchtime, in fact, just stand up and go out the door, back in 50 minutes, and at some point I'll hop in the shower, at my convenience.
- I can time-shift my work; dental, quick shopping trips, running down to the Post Office, etc. become very easy to fit in.
- I can time-slice my day, getting my work done while fitting in 5 minutes here and there of practicing the piano, walk out into the woods to clear my head, or reading the news or checking social network sites without feeling self-conscious.
- Privacy
- Quiet
- Lighting as I like it.
- Can easily do the laundry.
- Easily make a personal call.
- Take a "youtube" break now and then, no need for phones. Ditto for having music going, though I'm more of a silence kind of guy.
True, you miss the 5-minutes-in-the-hallway kind of interaction that can grease the wheels and answer questions quickly, but phones, chat/texting, Facetime/Skype, screen sharing, and email pretty much cover it. A small price to pay in my opinion.
And this was the case for me even in a coworking space with people I came to know pretty well.
Jeff Atwood has written on this: http://blog.codinghorror.com/in-programming-one-is-the-lonel...
I came to the realization that others felt this from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3AAGlG6NqM&feature=youtu.be...
I suspect that living in a more expat-friendly city will make the transition easier, however my point remains, won't be like living the dream.
She is Chinese, speaks the language fluently, and I believe she was born in HK, but she was raised in Northern California, and identifies completely as an American. It's entirely possible this confluence of attributes may cause more problems for her than if she was obviously Caucasian and living in HK.
Alienation is one aspect to expat depression; another is the realization that other countries aren't magical fairylands that have everything figured out- they are full of ordinary people with ordinary problems, just like anywhere else.
I disagree with point #1 about working a "normal schedule". I think being able to adapt to work when the mood strikes (or doesn't) is one of the best things about being a digital nomad. Personally, I schedule my times in blocks which are different on different days, and adapt to the needs of clients, team, my current timezone offset, and personal schedule (classes, dinners, etc.). I also move things around as I go, to adjust to things like nice weather to go out, having a slow morning, or being inspired to do something. Note that while I am flexible, I'm also very disciplined about scheduling work time, averaging 75hr weeks.
I also disagree with #6. I've certainly experienced being happier in some countries (and cities) than others. I think one of the great things about being a DN, is experiencing daily life (not vacation life) in different countries, and learning where you are the happiest in different areas of your life. Then, unlike a vacationer, who sadly has to return home, a DN has the ability to extend their time in those places.
When I think of happiness, I also think of fulfillment which is more granular than just being "happy". There are different areas where you can experience fulfillment: family, friends, hobbies, work, lifestyle. Different locations provide these in differing ratios. In one place, you may be happy that you can be near family, while in that place, you miss surfing. One of the great things about being a DN, is that you don't have to chose only one of these. You can mix them in various intervals. Last year, I spent a lot of time with family and friends in a bunch of different countries, made two trips to Peru, two trips to Japan, and a bunch of time all over Europe and Mexico. I would say I'm happier for it, than if I had been in any one place, even if I spent the whole year in one of my favorite cities.
I thought I was going to agree with #3, but agreed less the more I read of his description. To me, it's much more about being around specific selected people that I care about: family, friends, clients, partners... Also beneficial are places where I connect with people based on shared interest. Meeting random people in cafes is nice sometimes, and the universe does throw interesting people into the mix, but for me it's about more than just, "having people around is always better".
Of everything here, #8 (Invest in yourself) is the strongest. The risk-adjusted return of informed and ongoing self-investment is phenomenal.
(source: Digital Nomad since '06. 10-20 countries/year while running multiple successful service and product businesses)