How To Design Your Remote Life
This video and article come from The Remote Job Club which you can join for free, here.
Career Change
Spoiler alert: A remote job is different than an office job. This might sound obvious, but based on your current situation, it makes sense to understand all the variables at play.
If this would be your first transition to a remote working environment, it’s important to note that there is a learning curve, not only in the remote job search but in a remote job.
In addition to that, there are other changes you might also consider:
Are you changing roles or industries?
Are you trying to go from a big company to a small company?
Are you trying to go from a small company to a big company?
Have you ever worked remotely from your computer at all?
Are you trying to stay at the same company but want to move to a remote division?
These are all things to think about because they all add a layer of complexity to the bigger picture. Not only are you attempting to travel the road to remote, but you’re learning the culture of another organization, a different part of your current organization, or completely different learning curves of how to work.
The more diverse your experience (with industries, work environments, types of companies), the more you may be able to find leverage. If you've already worked remotely for long periods of time before you'll also have a head start.
Time Audit
Show me your calendar I'll show you you're priorities. The foundation of your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health is a result of how you treat yourself every, single day. So when we look at the way you spend your time currently, we need to evaluate where there is room for improvement. Why? Because you can't expect to succeed in your remote job search if you can't even manage your time and energy now.
Visualization
We are going to use visualization to vividly imagine your ideal situation as a result of remote work. This will be paramount to keep as a North Star of motivation for you in the process. Watch this short video from Jay Shetty about the power of visualization:
Ideal Situation
There are a lot of reasons to go remote. And the WHY behind everything is important as it becomes the driving force and fuel for motivation that will get you through the tough parts of this process.
The #1 reason, based on the Owl Global State of Remote Work-Study is increased productivity and better focus. The #2 reason is no commute, followed by family/work-life balance, less stress, and to save money. As you visualize what your ideal situation looks like, you can start to determine what forms of motivation you'll be able to rely on in this process. It will help you get through the tough times.
Your individual preferences will impact how you view remote work. And depending on those preferences, you may view some of these things as pros and cons. But, like anything else, there are trade-offs and differences.
Productivity
Depending on if you’re a self-starter or not, your productivity can either take huge leaps, or huge dips (and everything in between).
Commute: Depending on how much you commute now, this can be a huge shift. Yes, working remote means you can roll out of bed right before your first phone call of the day. It means you don’t have to take the subway to get into the office at 9 am sharp. But for some people that means they don’t have that hour in the morning of their day to read on the bus or listen to that podcast.
The Flexibility of Schedule: Because there is no one physically over your shoulder, working remotely often allows you the opportunity to build out your own schedule. This can be hugely beneficial for people who value autonomy. It can be the noose that hangs some people as they may choose to bury themselves in a Netflix series when they should be productive.
Distractions: Distractions come in different forms. When you go to an office maybe that is co-workers coming up to your desk and asking you favors. Maybe it’s your boss tapping you to get something done. When you’re remote you also have the opportunity to be distracted by laundry at home, a noisy co-working space in Bali, or whatever situation you might get yourself in.
Locational Independence
Some people like myself really enjoy being able to travel while working. Maybe this means just traveling to a coffee shop in your hometown to work, or another country. Finding obscure locations with wifi can be a fun and enjoyable element to remote work.
Socialization and Isolation
Pets, kids, siblings, and parents all need attention. For some people taking this course, your family is going to be the main driver of working remotely. Having the ability to be home with kids or parents that need care can change the dynamic of those relationships. What might be different is the isolation from not working in an office. You won’t be in a ready environment to collaborate with your co-workers, go out to happy hour after a long day, or blow off steam at the water cooler. I recommend referring back to what is important to you about working remotely.
Health
You may eat out at a local lunch spot near your office now, but imagine how your meals might look different if you were able to work from anywhere. Would you cook your own lunches at home? Would you venture to a cafe across town that you’ve been meaning to try? There’s a lot of freedom in what you can eat, it’s not reliant on the proximity of your office.
My point of saying these things is to make you aware of how the day-to-day looks different. If you can visualize your day-to-day in the remote world, you might come to the conclusion you value working in an office more.
Be honest with yourself about your motivations and consider remote working might not be for you, as it’s not for everyone. Then again, it could be perfect for you. Reflecting on the points above will allow you to decide for yourself.
Want a remote job? I created a subscription membership called The Remote Job Club that helps job seekers with the tools, coaching, and resources to land a remote job. This article comes from the Remote Job Club Course.
I want to preface by saying I have a ton of free resources on my site too, and The Remote Job Club does have a free version.
For those looking for extra help and know that by investing in themselves, they will do better and ultimately become successful in their search, The Remote Job Club might be a fit for you. Learn more about all the features and benefits here: