I work next to a window, so sometimes I find myself thinking passersby think I'm just sitting here on YouTube all day even though I'm definitely working.
This is a place to share your experience as a remote worker.
Our mission is to learn the truth of remote work to make it better in the future.
- What do people think I do all day while I work remote?
- Remote off-sites are important for face time with co-workers
I've been remote for a few years and sometimes, I feel like my teammates are part of my daily life when in fact I see them only once or twice a year. I can't wait for the next team gathering.
- Getting out of debt can be easier when working remote
I worked for a popular tech startup remotely for a while, hiding the fact I lived at home with my parents to save money and get out of debt the entire time. Also I had to work from coffee shops to get anything done. At home it was too easy to sleep, watch TV, and be lazy.
- muted on conference call
You ever sigh so loud while muted on a conference call that Zoom thinks you’re trying to speak and asks if you want to unmute your microphone
- Waking up whenever you feel like when working from home
One downside of working remotely is waking up at 8:00, it looks like your clock is just saying "BOO"
- Explaining remote work to your family
My family don't understand the concept of "Working From Home." They regularly turn up and expect me to do something other than work at the drop of a coin!
- Me, my cat, and my desk
I just work with my cat on the desk.
- Working multiple remote jobs
I have two full time remote jobs, but the time zones are offset so they don’t overlap. Both companies are happy with my performance, but I have no idea what to put on my LinkedIn.
- Working remote allows you to spend more time with your loved ones
I have been working remotely for last 4 years. Spending time with my family and seeing my child grow up something I will never take for granted. While it does come with its challenges, I feel very lucky to be working remotely.
- Community of remote workers
I quit my high-paying corporate job 8 months ago to start the "remote lifestyle" as my number 1 passion is to travel. However, as a social person, the first thing I noticed was the lack of social interaction that you have in offices with your colleagues. So now I've made it my priority to solve this issue by bringing together a community of remote workers to work, live, and travel the world together :)
- A decade of experience with remote work
I've been working remotely for over a decade, and I can never go back to working in an office. I think this limits my career options in the future, as most senior positions require you to be physically on site.
- Fully distributed teams vs lonely remote worker
Remote only works if the full team is distributed. If you're the lone wolf joining other teams in video calls, your difference slowly but surely makes you drift apart from the team.
- Overthinking slack messages
You know when a coworker writes something weird in Slack. Then you assume all day that they hate you.
- Worked too fast on a project
I was so afraid to understimate my second freelance project like my first one that I just finished my one month gig in 2 days 😅
- Better quality of life with remote work
I left a big city and now I live in a nice quiet & peaceful place in the mountains in another country. I have a modern studio and a cool coworking to work in. I pay 5 times less than in the city for a better quality of life :)
- Working remotely on 4g
Moved to the country side, now I work over 4g network and feel good about it. It is amazing that I can do my work from here and not have to live in Paris or any other big city.
- Turning an old shed into an office
I have an old shed in our back yard that I'm dreaming of converting into a detached office so that I can avoid the distraction of my cat wanting more food.
- The remote beach life
I carry a white bed sheet with me to tape on the wall behind me so the my team believe I'm always at the same co-working office in Hkg. The reality is I've been moving around and living by the beach in other counties.
- Working from your favourite coffee place
Coffee shops were amazing at first, but then i realised i couldn't go to the toilet without taking all my stuff with me :) Annoying when you got into a good rhythm.
- Passive aggressive punctuation can cost you your job
I'm pretty certain putting periods at the end of my sentences in HipChat cost me my last job.
- Conference call difficulties
I'm so fed up with the endless hassle in phone & video conferences with my peers - "can you hear me?", "can you see me?", "can you see my screen?", "sorry, I was on mute", "can you give me control?", ...
- Working from home in PJs
I love working from home, yet my partner, family and friends doesn't accept that I AM working. "Why didn't you do the dishes?" Well, I had a goddamn deadline. So what if i'm still in my PJs.
- Timezones are hard
It turns out that the clocks go back and forward on different dates in the US and Europe. Two meetings were rescheduled because I was not aware of that.
- Work remotely sometimes never stops
The great thing about remote work is that you can work anywhere. The bad thing about remote work, anywhere you are, you work.
- Working on a SaaS product in your spare time
I use my non-billed time in the day to daydream about making a self-sustainable SaaS product and never have to work again ❤️
- Remote offices in Jakarta
Today, in Jakarta, I found a great coworking space through Nomadlist. It's the best set-up I ever had (ergonomic chair, adjustable standing desk facing the window, etc.), and I only paid 7USD to stay here for the day. Meanwhile in Europe, I pay 10USD+ for a sub-par setup. I need to move.
- Difficulties of working remote
Remote working has tons of benefits but a few things are difficult to handle... - being on your own A LOT - Taxes - setting up yourself as a company & reporting - motivation - timezones
- Too many meetings at the office
Mon: In the office, pulled into one distraction (read: meeting) after another. 5:00 approaches, I stress about my minuscule progress on real work. Tues - Thurs: Working from home, plowing through 2 weeks of backlog. I blast the boss' inbox with accomplishments. I feel awesome. Fri: Back in the office, my boss congratulates me on the great meetings that happened Monday. She asks where I was for all the meetings Tues, Wed, and Thurs. Wants me to work on being more available, these things are important.
- The remote lifestyle
I quit my high-paying corporate job 8 months ago to start the "remote lifestyle" as my number 1 passion is to travel. However, as a social person, the first thing I noticed was the lack of social interaction that you have in offices with your colleagues. So now I've made it my priority to solve this issue by bringing together a community of remote workers to work, live, and travel the world together :)
- Working from home with cats
I'm really trying to work, but my cat is in the same room... and the poor thing has hiccups, and I can't help but laugh every time I hear the little sound.
- Day off to stay home when you usually work from home
I took my morning off and it felt weird waking up this morning. I felt like I was relaxed the whole morning but my body did not understand why I was at home not working. Starting in the afternoon, I felt very calm and a bit lonely as I didn't have any face to face chat with anyone the whole afternoon. Very strange day!
- Remote workers outside USA
I turned to remote work to avoid the hassle of the visa process to move to San Francisco. I still get to work for a great tech company and learn a lot without having to take a gamble on visas. It gets lonely sometimes but I would never complain about it. The pros outweigh the cons hugely for me. I wish there were more fully remote teams though, so more skilled passionate workers from outside USA could take this path. : )
- My favorite remote work spot
My favorite thing is working from the neighborhood climbing gym's cafe. They have good wifi, and we can take a sport break anytime!
- Remote workers are always professional, even with bunny slippers
I may look coiffed during our Skype meeting but fair warning, from the waist down it's all pyjamas and bunny slippers.
- Does remote work make you more productive?
I don't think remote work makes you more productive compared 1:1 to co-location. It's more difficult to discuss innovative ideas, brainstorm and chat. It cuts down on commute time and distractions and improves wellbeing, independence and focused time to work though - all main factors of fatigue and burn out, which will lead to better longterm productivity and retention rates. People who argue that remote work -> worse, clearly don't see that.
- Working remotely comes with independence and freedom
Remote work is a source of independence and freedom that otherwise cannot be achieved with full-time work. Thinking about travelling, fulfilling passions & taking care of yourself. If you don't allow your employees to go remote or WFH - you're actively denying them that.
- Pros and cons of remote working
Pro: Having a lot of freedom and dictating your own hours. Con: Having to work on a Saturday because you spent Wednesday watching a squirrel documentary.
- Feeling lonely but productive
Sometimes I feel so lonely, I guess it makes me more productive 😓
- Working remotely at a coffee shop
When working at a coffee shop, I hate going alone because then I have to take my computer with me when I have to go poop. The struggle is real.
- Who would ever want to work in an office again?
Worked late last night and woke up around 9am this morning. Made some tea and walked my dog around the block. Made some toast and turned on the news before settling on the couch with the dog by my side and my laptop in my lap. In an hour I'll shower and head to the coffee shop before getting lunch with my fiancé near her job downtown. A few more hours of work then it's off to the gym and home before rush hour starts. Who would ever want to work in an office again?