The Pros & Cons of Working Remotely
The low down on working from any & everywhere, from cyber security specialist, tech beauty & guest blogger:
Photo: courtesy of Jihana Clemston, Instagram
Hey Tribe… Guess who's been working remotely for the past three years!?! *Raises Hand* I know, I know, everyone wants to work remotely nowadays-- working from anywhere in the world sounds sexy, which I will admit, some amazing perks come with it... but there are other aspects to consider. Let's dive into the pros and cons of working remotely:
THE GOOD:
In the first few years of my career, I've vacationed in Iceland, Puerto Rico to Jamaica, and have been able to haul around my laptop to keep my work schedule consistent. I was fortunate enough to find really cool places to travel to during the week when prices were cheap to fly-- and did not have to use my accrued vacation time. How awesome is that? This is the number 1 pro to working remotely (in my opinion).
You don’t have to look busy if you aren't busy. I remember when I worked in an office setting and there were just days where the work was very minimal, my co-workers and I had to look busy without actually having work to do. Working from home allows you the freedom of giving ZERO f's..if you have very little to do, you don't have to pretend. I totally believe working from home allows me to better utilize my time. I am on task when I need to be and can balance other responsibilities in my personal life.
Another awesome pro to working remotely is no actual need to commute on a regular basis. I can't begin to stress just how much this saves my life! I don’t have to worry about being stuck in awful morning traffic jams. I am afforded the flexibility of having a daily morning ritual: I wake up, take a relaxing shower, drink a hot cup of tea, and step a good 5 feet over to my desk. Besides, I don’t have to wake up an hour in advance to shower, get dressed, hop in the car, arrive at work, and begin a full days work. A hectic morning and a traffic jam can cause your mood to shift and you are in the office.
THE NOT SO GOOD:
Internet connectivity! Remote work is reliant upon the internet. At the beginning of my career working in a virtual capacity, I was not able to work with as much ease as I did when I would be working from home. Even with portable Wi-Fi, my connection was spotty. Having to call customers and clients on an unreliable network was not the best way to balance my remote workload. Always be mindful of whether or not where you are going has reliable internet before you take your work with you on the road.
Knowing when to unplug is another one! Having a stopping point becomes a little blurry as there have been times that I have work to log on at three in the morning on a Friday for work. There might be major projects that need completion and having a handle on your work schedule and load is important. There are even times where you end up working well past 5 or 6 in the evening. So it depends on whether your place of employment has defined those hours and you having the discipline to stay on task in your own environment.
No holiday parties or water cooler talk. You don’t have a coworker necessarily interact with go to social aspects of going into work sometimes get lost and you and you have to make an additional effort to engage with other people.
I said all of that to say this-- working remotely has some valid cons, the pros amazing. I happen to love my remote career. I work with great people (I've been doing it for the past three years and I’m not complaining). I think it was one of the best moves for my career at the moment... and it all depends on the person and how they work best. If remote roles work for you, go for it! Rely upon your discipline and dedication to know what you need to perform as best as possible.
Jihana is a fashion enthusiast and an ambassador for women in tech. She loves to illustrate the balance between assertiveness and femininity through her sense of style.
You can find her online at www.iamjihana.com and on Instagram @iamjihana
Photos: courtesy of Jihana Clemston, Instagram