Working remotely is a great thing, but it does have some caveats 👇

We’ve all heard about the benefits of remote working - work when and where you like, greater flexibility and more time for leisure activities. It is all true, and I am a huge fan of telecommuting as well.

But don’t forget that there are also some caveats and pitfalls to remote set up. Here are four key things to consider:

1 You need to be disciplined.

Some people may find it difficult to stay focused when they are not in an office environment. It's important to make sure that you have a good routine and stick to it.

2 Separating work and non-work time can be tricky.

When your office is at home, it can be tough to draw a line between 'work' and 'not work' hours. Make sure you take proper breaks!

3 Make sure your employer understands what asynchronous remote work is.

This means that you may need to communicate more frequently with your team as you won't have the convenience of a face-to-face chat.

4 If the rest of the team is collocated, then you may feel isolated and have less influence on decisions made.

One way to address this is to set up regular check-in calls with colleagues. Another interesting idea is virtual teambuilding activities. This can be quite fun!

To summarise - yes, remote working is great - but don’t forget the extra effort needed to make it work well!