I spend less than 40 hours each week looking at a computer.
I only have one meeting every couple of weeks or so.
I live 1–2 months in a city, then pack up to find a new adventure.
This is possible because I’m a remote worker.
I work on big projects with long timelines.
I only need to have meetings about big milestones.
I’m measured by results, not time.
(This wasn’t always the case, though.)
So if remote work is so great…
Why Isn’tEveryonedoing it?
The First Hurdle:
Management
Many companies are afraid to let employees out of their sight.
(This is a deeply misinformed fear.)
Bosses are a convenient excuse. They’re not the biggest hurdle.
Each of us is Our Own biggest hurdle.
To work remotely, it’s not enoughto be simply a designer or a developer.
We have to be managers, communicators, and promoters as well.
How to Get Gone, Part I:
Self-Management
In an office, we have external accountability.
Working remotely, you’re the only source of accountability.
Remote workers must be able to keep themselves accountable to:
Stay on task.
Keep focused.
Ask for help.
Self-management means:
Excellent time management skills. You know how to push through procrastination and hit deadlines.
Laser focus. You’re crystal clear on your priority, and work to create a distraction-free environment where you can focus completely.
Excellent problem-solving skills. You may not know all the answers, but you do have every confidence that you can figure things out.
Humility. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. If you know someone on the team can help, you ask.
Good time management isn’t magic.
Try to work with willpower instead of against it. Do the most demanding tasks early in the day when you have the most energy.
Make time to plan. Work backwards from the ideal final product and create steps. Don’t stop until each step is an hour or two long.
Only tackle one major todo per day. Accomplishing two things is really encouraging if you only plan to do one; it’s crushing if you planned for three.
Staying Focused Is Simple. (But not easy.)
Use a timer. Racing the clock helps keep motivation high, and creates healthy pressure to finish on time.
Go ghost. When the timer is running, put your phone in airplane mode, close email, and free yourself to focus.
Find your happy place. Experiment with different environments — coffee shops, home offices, coworking spaces, etc. — until you find what works best for you.
How to Get Gone, Part II:
Communication
In an office, the assumption is that you’re at work.
Working remotely, people wonder if you’re actually working.
Remote workers must make extra efforts with communication to:
Show progress and presence.
Maintain relationships with clients and coworkers.
Not die of loneliness.
Communication means:
Check in at least once daily. Let your team know what you’re working on so they don’t have to wonder (or ask).
Keep up casual relationships. Spend time talking to your team about things that aren’t work-related.
Reach out to clients first. If a client has to ask what you’re working on, it’s already too late.
Use theAgile Stand-Up
& Answer These 3 Questions:
What did you do yesterday? This keeps everyone aware of what you’re accomplishing.
What will you do today? Set out your one big todo for the day.
What do you need before you can get it done? If you need help, or resources, or anything else before you can start, make that clear.
Make time for friendly team chatter:
Use an #off-topic Slack channel. Create a space to share GIFs, make jokes, and talk about things that aren’t work-related.
Have friendly video calls. At least once a month, have a video call with no agenda. Catch up with your team and take time to be friendly.
Create opportunities for in-person meet-ups. At least once a year try to get the whole team in once place to spend time together.
How to Get Gone, Part III:
Self-Promotion
Very few of us have cheerleaders.
There are many greatdevelopersdesignerswriters who are so shy we’ll never know how talented they are.
If you want location-independence,tasteful self-promotion is your most important tool.
Self-Promotion Means:
Make our managers aware of our contributions. It’s not enough to simply do our jobs; we have to make sure the people paying us know how we contribute.
Become a resource for our team. Be helpful and prove you’re a valuable member of the team. Make sure your coworkers see you as a huge asset.
Solve your clients’ problems. Don’t make your clients solve problems that they’d rather pay you to solve. Become their “go-to gal/guy” for making things happen.
Master the #humblebrag (without being a dick).
Ask for more work. Show what you’re capable of by finishing projects early and asking for the next project ahead of schedule.
Give 110%. Go above and beyond on projects to add cool features. (Just remember to finish the project before starting extras.)
Become the resident genius on your team.
Take the hardest tasks. Show you’re a strong contributor by taking on the most challenging tasks in a project.
Teach and mentor. Make yourself available to your team as a resource for teaching them new concepts.
Becomea fixer for clients.
Don’t avoid tasks that aren’t strictly “your job”. If a client needs something done, do it if you can. Doesn’t matter if that’s what they hired you for.
Offer all the advice you have — for free. Never work for free, but talk is extremely cheap. Share your expertise with clients and leads and watch the business pile up.
Work is stillwork.
Freelancers have tostay curious& keep learning.
Working from the beach sounds fun and all, but…
…you still have to, y’know, work.
Remote work is intensely rewarding.
We have autonomy, ownership, challenge, and freedom.
Remote work is a way to return work to its proper place in our lives.