I’d been a remote worker for many years before the pandemic shifted our perspectives. Sometimes out of necessity and sometimes as a perfectly valid choice.
They say home is where the wifi automatically connects.
Speaking from personal experience, remote work is not all sunshine and rainbows.
But it’s quickly becoming the new normal.
I’ve worked in different shared office spaces, home offices and in a dedicated space. I’ve never been a typical office worker who had to commute hours each day, and for that, I am fortunate.
When we experienced the transformation that COVID-19 delivered, working from home became normal for many. We were thrown into an experiment that had its good days and bad.
Many folks are not set up for it. And others are not wired for it. Some jobs are more accessible to do remotely than others, yet the vast majority of “office work” today can be done from home in the Information Age.
The benefits
Having a dedicated space to work is an excellent place to start.
There are many distractions in a busy house, whether it’s sharing space, coordinating overlapping phone calls, or the temptation of spending time on something else when you’re not feeling like being paid to look busy all day.
The value is in the flexibility. Being able to run out and do an errand during the day without feeling guilty is a bonus.
Not having to commute to an office is a plus. It saves you time and annoyance and easily shaves an hour or two off your day for many who are used to this daily routine. This means more time and opportunity to be productive.
As an entrepreneur, you do not have specific “fixed hours” per se; more so for work/life balance, you should aim to set boundaries and goals to work towards that meet the expectations of a productive and profitable lifestyle.
The challenges
The obvious downside is the loss of human connection.
Something is unspoken about being in the same room as others, whether it’s body language or bonding moments. It is being able to coordinate on a task together quickly. Working remotely can be overly isolating at times.
Spontaneous coffee or lunch breaks and casual conversations that happen spontaneously. These are the little things that are missed.
Meetings via conference calls are not the same thing as in-person. This may one day be a lost art. It’s easy to check in or out and hard to focus when you have a portal of distractions at your fingertips. Being present is vital.
And there are those of us that need more accountability than others. It’s easy to lose track of time and get distracted if you need a constant reminder to sit down and finish your work.
Organizing larger teams over a remote workforce presents challenges, especially if you work across different countries and time zones.
Hybrid solutions
I have not personally experienced this, but the ability to have monthly meetups, in a central hub seems ideal.
Working a few days at home and maybe one or two in a dedicated space if desired or whatever schedule works seems ideal.
Even quarterly or annual summits could offer a way for teams to get to know each other better and connect deeper than surface-level internet communication.
With more office workers, freelancers and solopreneurs operating on their schedules, remote work’s flexibility is a net positive.
But at the same time, it can be isolating, and having some structure and schedule in place is helpful to keep everyone on the same page with a reliable check-in system.
Creating systems and utilizing tools that make remote work possible is essential.
Making it work for you
Choice is good and ultimately everyone operates on their terms.
Some need more accountability than others, and offering options seems an excellent way to handle a dynamic workforce’s shifting needs and wants.
As many are heading back to the office, and with companies now more open to the idea, it’s an ongoing experiment to see how we can make it work for teams that require in-person and place hands-on collaboration at the core of its values.
I treasure remote work but also am reminded of the pros and cons it comes with daily.
I continue to embrace it, but I am also considering improving it to help eliminate any potential downside.
