3 Reasons remote work is the best for so many

Working remotely isn’t for everyone and it certainly how its downsides. But, for many Americans and digital nomads all over the world, it’s the key to happiness. Read on to find out why.

• How popular is remote work? About 43% of Americans work remotely for at least a portion of their job.
• Can you actually run late if you work from home? Absoutely! If you work within a team, people are depending on you. Check out our blog to find out how to be punctual even when working remotely.
• Do remote workers do as much as office employees? Don’t knock it ’til you try it! Companies and employees agree that working remotely can improve productivity.

Everyone’s workday looks different. For some, it begins with a hectic rush hour commute. For others, it starts with a workout and a shower in the not-so-clean gym. But, for many hardworking individuals, the commute is a simple trip downstairs or to a local coffee shop.

One certainly sounds better than the others.

For a digital nomad, having the freedom of working anywhere makes their job better than ever. There are so many perks to remote work and they’re different for everyone. Personally, working remotely has changed my life for the better and I don’t think I could ever go back.

My day my way

While a lot of my friends and family probably think I don’t get much done working from home, it couldn’t be more the opposite. However, it’s not how much work I do, it’s how I get to do it. Working remotely (and the flexibility of Gadget Flow) gives me the ability to frame my day exactly as I need. And, it can be different every day.

I do work full-time with Gadget Flow and there are daily (and even hourly) tasks that must be completed. But, when I do the work is mostly up to me. For example, if I have a doctor’s appointment, I can pop out at almost any point in the day and come back to resume my tasks. This does take coordination with my team and there are limitations such as team calls and department meetings as well as deadlines.

Thanks to this leniency, I can work out, eat lunch, and take my dog on a walk whenever is most convenient. On the flip side, this requires me to work later into the evening. If I wanted to take an extended lunch with some friends, I’d have to tack on those extra hours to the end of my day or start my next day even earlier.

Tip: Even if you have flexibility, creating a set daily schedule (and sticking to it) will really improve your productivity.

Jane of all trades (and master of them all)

Another great perk of remote work is that you can choose the work that you want to do. There are a lot of remote positions that are part-time. When I first started working remotely, I had multiple clients. They all centered around copywriting but ranged in the type of work. From a marketing agency to a tech brand, I did it all. Altogether, I worked full-time but it was part-time and even on an ad hoc basis for each client.

As some readers might know, I’m also a dog photographer. As a remote worker, I can frame my schedule to incorporate sessions and editing time. Plus, the entire Gadget Flow team is really supportive when I share my photos.

Tip: Always communicate any absences to your team. This will help them coordinate while you’re out but you also won’t get a million messages while in the dentist’s chair.

Pursuing passions

On that note, remote work also lets you pursue your passions no matter what they are. Whether you’re on a constant quest to cure your wanderlust (good luck) or have a family to tend to and care for, this flexibility lets you do it all.

What’s more, it’s not just about traveling when and where you want. It’s about options. Gadget Flow has employees from countries all over the world — eight, to be exact. Clearly, it’s not where we live that matters but the way we work together. This means that I could pack up my life and move to another country whenever I want (much like I did last September). We have amazing people and the Gadget Flow team is closer than some companies who work in the same office. Thanks to tools such as Slack and Podio, our remote team is exceptionally well connected.

Tip: If you’re looking for places to travel, start with where the other team members live. They can show you around and you can really get to know each other.

Know your strengths

When some people ask me about working from home, I’m met with a reply stating they could never ever do it. They claim that they would watch too much TV or make too many trips to the fridge.

The downsides to remote work can be just as abundant: some people need all-day human interaction, strict working environments, and to leave their home in order to be productive. Obviously, remote work isn’t for everyone. But it is for me and the entire Gadget Flow team.