Working Remotely in 2019

by 12 Aug 2019How to travel often for less?

By: James Asquith, CEO, and founder of Holiday Swap.

Working remotely has become a trend in 2019. People increasingly want to work with flexibility and mobility. Just look at the success and enormous growth of co-working spaces, such as WeWork. Or even the fact that people sitting in front of their laptops in every coffee shop with WiFi rather than in an office. This demonstrates how working remotely has evolved and exemplifies what people want. It diverges from traditional jobs and office hierarchy to hustling for themselves and having the freedom to travel the world.

I have been traveling and working on the road for the last couple of years. I guess one would call me a “nomad” for lack of a better word. I rarely go back to London, where I am from. After racking up more than 80 flights in 2019 already, I simply love traveling and working at the same time. I personally work 7 days a week to ensure I can live the lifestyle I want. But I am also incredibly passionate about my company and what I do. Social media can be deceiving and really only highlights about 20 minutes of my actual day. Which I am mostly on work calls, attending meetings or just working hard.

So, how can you work remotely, and importantly, be successful at it?

I don’t schedule myself just by meetings around the world but also by places I think I can work well in (this usually includes good weather, WiFi and a beach). In February I was in Rio de Janeiro just as Carnival started. I stayed for the first day of Carnival to get a feel for the culture and then got out of town. Why? Because despite traveling to some fantastic destinations around the world, this is not a holiday. I have to set clear boundaries to ensure that I am focused. Also, the environment I am in is conducive to productivity. I did not want to be in a city with parties going on until 9:00 AM every day. So a golden rule to follow is to choose places that work best for you. Whether that’s on a beach or in the alps, find an environment where you can be productive in.

Next, you need to be disciplined and have a good worth ethic. Typically, the secret to this is doing something you really love and have a passion for.

“Particularly to get off the ground, you have to be able to put your job above your social life. Also, learn to create a routine amid any distractions or travel schedule.”

If you do choose to travel and work remotely, you need to understand that you still need to put in full days of work, which may mean skipping out on fun opportunities like seeing a beautiful waterfall with some backpackers you randomly met in a coffee shop. I was recently in Fiji, which is an ideal holiday destination and has incredible nature and hikes. But for the 2 weeks I was there I set up shop on the beach at my hotel and worked hard every day. For me, it was a great place to do work, create a daily routine and concentrate. Although I did not get to partake in the “holiday” side of Fiji, it was still an incredible location to work in.

 If working remotely for you also involves travel, you will learn that you need to literally be able to work everywhere and anywhere from airports, on planes and most importantly dealing with time zone changes. Most of us know someone that has moved to Bali for a year, had great coffee in a co-working space and made new friends with a similar lifestyle. Co-working spaces are on the rise and people. Particularly millennials are eager to create their own work-life balance. If you are armed with good WiFi and a laptop, anything is possible in 2019.

“The big question remains, how do you find a remote job?”

Although there are plenty of remote jobs available out there, demand far outweighs supply. After all, who wouldn’t want to be flexible and mobile and work from a beautiful destination? Companies accept their employees working remotely and even laws and regulations have been implemented to ensure work flexibility. However, many people if they had the option would rather work for themselves so that they can craft out their own role and know how many hours they will spend time at the beach parties. With modern technology, almost everything that could be done from an office can now be done remotely. It doesn’t just have to be writing a blog (which is so incredibly overcrowded).

Holiday Swap hires remote workers in web and app development, design, SEO, sales, legal, marketing, and customer service, to name just a few. I am personally a huge advocate for remote working as I think it clears your mind. You have to be positive about the role and (if applicable) the company. If you’re interested in working remotely, keep an eye on our careers page and posts on Holiday Swap’s social media, as our team is always expanding around the globe. 

Follow more of James’ travels and adventures on @jamesasquithtravel on Instagram.

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