What Does Working Remotely Mean in 2023?

A location-independent work setup that allows you to work from anywhere but centralized office space is in general referred to as remote work.

The remote work wave is catching on as more and more people realize the many benefits it offers. Originally, seen as something done mostly by freelancers remote work is now attractive to all kinds of professionals.

The flexibility of location & working hours with lower/no commute time sounds quite appealing for professionals from all walks of life, it is not a surprise that the number of jobs that can be done remotely is increasing.

In recent years, remote work has taken many shapes and forms. Work from home, hybrid, freelancing, fully remote, and remote-friendly, are some of the forms people may get to experience remote work depending on the company they join.

A fully remote job will not require you to go to an office on any day of the week, which means all your work can be done remotely either from your home or from another location. Depending on the company, you can even work at a different timezone than your company, allowing greater flexibility and convenience in terms of working hours.

While, hybrid models, allow for a few days of a working week to be remote while others are in-office, allowing partial flexibility in terms of commute and time spent in an office. While still remote work, this model does not allow you the flexibility to work in any location of the world. You would be required to stay within close proximity of the office as you still need to work in-office a few days a week.

Who is it for?

Any job that can be accomplished using just a computer and the internet can be done remotely. This includes a lot of jobs in the tech, management, and finance sector.

For this reason, most companies that work in these sectors have been the most predisposed to remote work offering various types of remote working models for their employees.

But, one important thing that you as an employee need to keep in mind is that this type of work requires a certain mindset and personality that is somewhat different from what may need in an office.

With this different work environment comes certain benefits but also different challenges, that you need to be aware of before opting for remote work. More about this is elaborated on in the sections below.

Benefits

Light out #Wanderlust

The biggest advantage of working remotely is the freedom of location it offers. Long gone are the days of commuting to an office every day, waiting in traffic, and repeating the same grind day after day.

As remote work is location independent, you have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world.  

If you want to work from the charming cafes of Chiang Mai, or a beachfront apartment in Portugal sipping a smoothie shake, with remote work it is possible.

A lot of countries are now offering Digital Nomad Permits that allow nomads to stay in a country for extended periods of time and legally work online for a foreign company. Each of these countries has different requirements for the permit and the application process may differ based on the country you are in but a few basic requirements include:

• Specific minimum monthly income [differs from country to country]
• Must work remotely for a foreign company

It's all about (Balance)

Remote work offers employees a better opportunity for a work-life balance. Traditional jobs are notorious for their unhealthy work ethics demanding employees to work 15-20 hours a day, factor that in with long commute times and you have no time left for pretty much anything else.

Such a lifestyle is now being seen in almost industries with grueling work schedules hours and make matters worse marketed as a must to be successful in life.

With remote work, you are much better able to save up on some extra time which would not be possible in traditional office jobs. Depending on your job you might still have to work long hours but you will be able to save a significant amount of time on long commutes and feel way less fatigued.

Go Green!

Commuting every day & sitting in offices, times millions of people living in a city is without a doubt not good for the environment and as a consequence not good for people.

With remote work, you are saving up on your carbon footprint by not using your car every day for commuting and sitting in energy-intensive offices all day.

Let's save some $Money$

Well, who doesn't like to save some extra money? With Company's employees working remotely, they can save on rent, utilities, and office supplies.  

Similarly, employees get to save up money on car fuel or expensive formal clothing.

Plus, if you are a digital nomad, you can choose to live in a country or city which is much cheaper compared to your own or where your office is, significantly bringing down costs.

In recent years, digital nomad hotspots have formed all over the globe in vibrant and exotic locations, allowing nomads to work and live in these cities while at the same time creating a community of like-minded people.

If You're Happy, You Know it!

Less Stress & Less Drama, while More Time & More Money. As you transition to a remote work environment, you realize that your life becomes less complicated and more stress-free, no longer do you have to worry about petty office politics, reaching the office on time, or navigating complex nuances of working in an office space.

This makes you more focused on your work, increasing productivity and making you a better employee. A win-win for both you and your company.

Diverse is Better

Remote work opportunities open some long-closed doors by gaining access to a global pool of talent that was not available before.

As remote work is location-independent, companies can hire talent from anywhere in the world. The best part is that companies and employees don't have to worry about processing lengthy legal paperwork and waiting months for the government's bureaucratic process to approve (or reject) the paperwork.

This saves companies tons of time, makes them more diverse, and also saves up on employee costs allowing companies to hire the best talent for a lower cost.

More Opportunities

Just as companies benefit from a global talent pool of potential employees, employees to have access to organizations all over the world opening a whole world of possibilities.

This is especially advantageous in locations where people do not have access to quality opportunities, allowing them to access not just better employment but better pay.

As an employee, you are no longer restricted by the geography of your location or have to worry have relocating to a city you might not want to live in.  

Disadvantages

It's about Discipline...

One thing that almost all remote workers need to have is self-discipline. A lack of proper office space has some drawbacks that can hamper your performance. As you head over to an office there is a pre-set mindset that you are there to work so it is much easier to concentrate and stay focused, especially if everyone around you is doing the same.

Such an environment is somewhat lacking if you work remotely. If you work from home, there are a lot of distractions that can hamper your performance especially if you have kids at home. In addition to this, most people do not equate home as a place to work, making it difficult to form a working mindset in your home environment.

If you are working from an exotic location, things get complicated as you would want to explore and relax in that destination as opposed to working there, especially if everyone around you is there on a holiday and busy having fun while you have to work. It takes a high deal of self-discipline to not let this get to you and focus on your work.

Remember that while most people are there on short-term break, you will probably say there longer so will have plenty of opportunities to explore and have fun at your convenience.  

Feel Isolated?

One thing that cannot be denied about remote working is that it is a bit isolating, since you are working on your own on a laptop away from your colleagues, you cannot help but feel isolated.

This is especially prevalent if you work from home as you end up spending almost all of your time at home. There is no denying that with an office (if you at lucky enough to have a non-toxic work environment) you get a nice break from your routine at home, a circle of colleagues, and some good connections.

If you are a digital nomad you might not feel this so much as you can always meet people in different places. This is especially true if you choose to go to digital nomad hotspots where you can easily meet like-minded nomads such as yourself.

What happened to the <WiFi>?

No one knows the importance of good internet then remote workers. Video meetings, uploading documents and files, accessing websites, and so much more, almost everything for remote work requires the internet.

So it goes without saying a good connection is a must for performing remote work successfully. But, this may not be the case in a lot of places where remote workers might end up, especially if they rely on hotel or cafe wifi to work.

Unfortunately, some regions/locations don't have a good enough internet connection causing issues for remote working.

But the good news is that this problem is can be easily mitigated. Remote workers should perform due diligence before picking a location for work and check if that place has a good internet connection.

Obviously, if you are in a lodge in the middle of the jungle you will of course not have a good internet connection, but in the city, it should be okay.

Plus, having a backup such as mobile sim wifi is also always a good idea as you can always use that in case your hotel/cafe wifi is not good enough.

Midnight Meetings

With remote work, it can be a challenge to separate your personal life from your work.

As remote companies offer greater flexibility with working time and location there is no 9-5 schedule that most remote workers need to follow. While this is great in a lot of ways, one challenge that many people face is not knowing when to "switch off" from work.

Plus, if your company is located in a different time zone, there is an additional headache of matching your work timing with your company's time zone. Sometimes, this could be in the middle of the night or early hours of the morning.

{Routine} Or {No Routine}

For country-hopping digital nomads, every day is a new experience. This is great for a lot of reasons, but many might feel a lack of routine and schedule in their life.

As you change countries, cities, and people, you have new adventures and new experiences. Keeping a consistent routine in such cases is next to impossible, and if you are someone who likes a daily routine, remote work or more accurately a digital nomad lifestyle could be challenging.

Conclusion

Despite what the skeptics might say, remote work is here to stay and the number of remote workers is going to only increase with time.

With multiple benefits such as flexible work locations, timing, a more diverse work environment plus saving up on costs, commute time, and reduced stress, remote work has a lot to offer.

But do take into consideration some of the challenges that it poses and if you are equipped and/or ready to overcome them to be a successful remote worker.