Due to COVID-19, many people have switched from working onsite to working remotely, either temporarily or permanently. I'm one of those who have transitioned to full-time remote work. I’m glad to share how my perspective on remote work has evolved over the past 12 months.
Introduction
I’m Katalina, Strapi’s one and only Account Manager (for now 😉). My role is to be an advisor to all of our customers as well as their advocate and team up with them to build new business ventures
I recently checked the 1-year and a half mark working at Strapi, a remote-first company, and my first 100% remote experience.
As an extrovert person, I was completely frightened about this change, and I perceived it, at first, as a significant challenge. You might have understood by now that I didn’t choose Strapi for being remote, and I had no idea if it would be a good fit for me in the long run. It was a bet.
My fears were the same that, I believe, most people face when looking into this change: feeling isolated, having less quality time with colleagues, struggling with communication, lacking group motivation (yeah, it’s a thing), and losing an explicit limitation between work and personal time.
One year later, I can confidently say that I wouldn’t be able to return to an office-first environment. Yup, I went from having my knees shaking in the first weeks to being an advocate in less than 12 months. Why?
My Remote Work Journey
First of all, when every company member also works remotely, they have the right mindset to avoid the fears that I had to begin with. The company provides the necessary communication tools and adapted policies, but every Strapier’s mindset and accountability makes it work. In the end, you only feel isolated if you want to be. Those initial fears were put aside, and I never thought this life could be my reality.
To paint the picture, I wake up early because I like it, not because I have to anticipate commute time, including its potential hazards. I jump into my training clothes, go outside for fresh air with my dog, and work out. We return home for breakfast and shower (me, not my dog 😆). By then, I often have time to read or listen to some music before I get logged in and say hi to the Strapi team!
During the day, I can manage my time as I see fit as long as we are transparent about it. We all respect each other's time and availability very much, so you never feel guilty if you have a medical appointment mid-day or need a break to handle a personal task.
This flexibility allows me to do everything I need for work and myself during the week instead of constantly waiting for the weekend to do what I enjoy and need to be well. Don’t get me wrong, when required, I can work 12 hours a day, and no, I don’t mind it because I know I’ll have the necessary time to recover without having to use all my PTO.
The Cherry on the cake? We can do all of this from anywhere we want. Yup, really anywhere, worldwide. Of course, there are some limitations when you change countries and time zones, but hey, still pretty cool, right?
Conclusion
As I said, I never thought this could be real. Life is too precious only to live it two days a week. The sad part is that before Strapi, I never realized how much I was missing out on. Thankfully this journey has only begun for me, and I’m looking forward to keeping enjoying this new life, hopefully from many different cities.
We are Hiring!
If you want to be part of a remote-first company, Strapi is hiring. Visit strapi.io/careers to learn more.
Top comments (1)
Thanks for this article 👏
Really insightful and I saw myself in this a little.
I work as a fully-remote software developer for a company (not many hours, but still).
Simultaneously, I am currently finishing my A-Levels as a full-time student in Germany. Juggling those two things isn't exactly easy and it wouldn't be possible without the flexibility that working from home gives you.
I can be a student in the morning and a software developer in the evening, week-end, and during school holidays. That would not be possible in an office environment with fixed working hours.
Even though I had doubts about 100% remote work as well in the beginning, I actually find it quite refreshing. Having that "change of scenery" when you need it and the flexibility to go out in the park, coffee shop, or even a vacation to another country has had a positive impact on my attitude, motivation, and productivity.
However, I think remote-first can also be a challenge as it makes it much harder to integrate new co-workers (especially when they're young and inexperienced and need guidance and mentorship).