Though some workers have already returned to their offices after a year spent at home, many companies plan to allow at least some of their employees to continue working from anywhere, indefinitely. Twitter, Microsoft, Slack, and Reddit, for example, are just some of the organizations presently offering remote work for the foreseeable future. And as borders, both domestic and international, start to reopen, some are looking to change their definition of “home” accordingly.
We asked people who have been working from anywhere they want—a van in Moab, Utah; a long-term Airbnb in Bergamo, Italy—how they did it. Here are the pros and cons, what to expect, and how to set yourself up for success if you find yourself among the lucky full-time-remote workers and want to change up your scenery.
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Getting started, and deciding where to go
Not sure where to start? We at TweBey support our staff as well as help multiple companies around the world transform to remote-work, we started nomadic work style five years ago (in Bali – Indonesia before expanding our staff to Portugal, easing into the transition is key. While it may be tempting to go all in and sign a year-long lease somewhere totally new and exciting, our advise is building up to being a nomad operating company for a year. “There’s a fine line between ‘this is the best thing ever’ and not having enough time to work, because there’s a lot of discipline involved,” TweBey’ers says. “To start, I would say take a few short [working] trips, maybe two weeks, near your home and see how it feels.” Learning how to strike a balance between working while traveling—this isn’t a vacation—while the stakes are lower (you’re not too far away; you haven’t left your lease) can help you find out if being a digital nomad company is for you.
When you are ready to fully commit to decentralised working, look for six monthly leases in early days for more flexibility. Websites like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com have long- term options (you may even get a discount if staying for a long period of time), though it’s also possible to work with local real estate agents for a short-term rental.
There are places that are already popular for digital nomads and for good reason,” TweBey suggestions. “Nomad talent have what they need to work, to live affordably, to be safe, and there’s a community.” These countries are often places with more lenient visa processes, too; you might consider countries that have rolled out remote-work visas during the pandemic.
Don’t forget that, regardless of where you’re recruiting, set up some core principles, you still need to get the work done nine to five in the timezone where your employer is based. Our expat teams found a company that helps diverse group of individuals move overseas, knows the feeling. TweBye have worked in Qatar, where it was common to have to field phone calls at 11 p.m. in her local time zone, which was still the afternoon in the States. “Even though it’s tempting to explore the East, I would stay within a few time zones subject to your business requirements” . “It can be pretty rough otherwise.” Some of our married digital marketing and design professionals who spent two years living in various cities in Europe with their then-toddler, usually had to start work their eight-hour work day at 2 p.m.
Working Remote Is Still Commitment
The liberty to travel and live anywhere in the world does still mean you need to work and commit to being a team player – being flexible is utmost important to keep up with calls”
Think remote work is all jet setting and logging in from the beach? It’s also about the work. Sam our founder who lives and travels throughout the United States in with his dog, says one of the hardest parts of working from while travelling is simply putting in the hours. “For him, one of the biggest challenges is finding the discipline to actually keeping up with the client call” You have to live like you’re not on vacation. You need to find your balance.
TweBey advise is setting up or identifying a designated work space where you can switch into work mode. It’s important to set a schedule and boundaries. “If you need to work, use a co-working space or a private room,” he says. “Don’t allow work from a hostel, at the beach, at a bar, or anywhere around other people. It’s not the activities that tempt anyone in doing their normal work, it’s the people in a work mode influence you to do things.
Connection, Connection & Connection
Other considerations include access to Wi-Fi. While a beachside bungalow may look idyllic, not being able to easily or steadily connect to work and team meetings can quickly become a nightmare scenario. It’s standard practice to ask your landlord what the internet speed is (you’ll need at least 1.5 megabits per second to meet web- conferencing demands, which can be challenging to achieve if others are using the same Wi-Fi). As an alternative you can seek out co-working spaces that guarantee good web connection, or purchase a personal Wi-Fi hotspot of your own.