I've been working remotely for nearly 7 years now, and I couldn't imagine ever going into an office on a daily basis again. It's a magical setup th...
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
Working remotely can also quickly lead to burnout. I've worked remotely for more than a decade at this point. Sure, I love my work. But I've found that if your work and hobbies intersect to the point the line is blurred, you need to be very deliberate in when and where you work, even within your own home.
The number one tip I can give people is have a clear and distinct hobby that isn't work. For me it's video games with friends, some of which are even my co-workers. This helps fulfill some social needs.
The second thing is I always stop working at regularly time to prepare dinner or even just play a game or two. This helps that shift in mindset from workmode to relaxation. I can still go back to workmode later if needed, but having regular practice at that switch is mentally helpful.
Absolutely agree with both tips!
Great article Andrew! I am coming from a traditional office environment for the last 16 years and I will most certainly be pointing back to this for reference as I start my first 100% remote position later in the month.
I'm definitely interested in working remotely. One of things I get a lot of mixed reactions about is the idea that you need to work in-office with a software team before even being considered for a job on a remote team.
I've got a decent amount of portfolio work, have worked for a company as their main "Web Dev" guy, but never on a team of people working on a product together.
We train software engineers in 65 countries and prepare them for remote jobs, and 70% of the entry level developers we have trained are now working in remote positions as their first job. So no, experience working with a co-located team is not necessary, but it could definitely help since the mentorship is usually better (unless it's a remote first organization that knows how to build a strong remote culture).
Thanks for commenting Jack. To answer your questions:
I don't think that you have a "hole" in your experience. If you've been successful in on-site roles, then you're ready to be successful in remote roles. And that's regardless of whether or not you've been part of a large team. I've worked remote roles where I've been "on an island" and roles where I've been a part of large teams. If you're ready, you're ready. Good remote developers are adaptable.
I did personally start with an on-site roles; two of them to be exact. Once I moved to remote work I reflected on my time with both of the roles I had which were on-site and it blew my mind how much time was wasted on both. Commuting, lunch times, and meaningless meetings eat into one's day. Since my first remote role I've been far more productive.
It sounds like you've got about as much experience as I had before my first remote role, and I would encourage you to pursue one.
I love working remotely, and have been thinking back on how my journey has changed. When I first started, I LOVED the idea of working from bed, and did it often. I had a dedicated corner in the living room of my small one-bedroom apartment that served as my “office” at the time.
Now, I have a dedicated office setup (including a treadmill desk that I love!) as well as a “traditional” seated desk. When the weather is nice, I make a point to ride my bike to somewhere and work - usually outside at the local Starbucks - and it’s great!
I was one of those people who said
but I've just started dipping my toes into working remotely and I find it rewarding, albeit challenging some times.
Some days are fantastic and I get a ton of stuff done. Other days are full of frustration because I can lose focus. That being said, over time, the days have become more consistently productive, with less high highs and low lows. I've found staying organized and communicating help a lot with motivation and focus.
There's a whole other set of skills you need to work on (like self-discipline) when working from home. At the start it was actually hard to get anything done, then I had a very productive day here and there. I like to think I'm learning and getting better.
Thanks for sharing your experience 👍 We've all been there. It gets easier (and more rewarding) as time goes on!
I agree with a lot of this. I've also been blessed with a career that has allowed me to work remotely most of the last 7 years or so--and even before that, I often managed finagle random telecommuting days on a semi-regular basis. It's pretty awesome.
There's one and only one part I take issue with...but I also recognize this is entirely a "me" thing and not an "everyone" thing.
I always--always--wear pants if I'm actually working. It's a mindset thing. If I'm at home, and wearing pants, it's work-time. Any other time of day I'm at home, pants are bullshit. But work-time == pants and vice versa.
Similarly, I always start my day with a shower, and all the other routines of someone who is about to go out and deal with other human beings. A shower, almost more than my caffeine addiction, is just part of waking up in the morning--it's not really today if I haven't showered yet.
I eat both breakfast and dinner out a lot of the time--which is not cheap, I'll freely admit. But because I spend my whole day at home otherwise? Getting out of the house is actually a part of my sanity and self-care. Unless it's snowing. Then I stay the hell home :-).
And, as at least one other person in the thread as mentioned, I start and end my day at more or less regular times. Keeping boundaries around "work time" is important whether or not you work in an office!