My 9 hour commute – the joy of remote working
“The hardest part of a thousand mile journey is the first step” traditional Chinese proverb
Over the last four years most of my clients have been in London. Friends and colleagues balked at my one and a half hour train journey, but now I’ve really moved to the countryside and my journey’s even longer: A 280 mile (450km)drive + 40 minutes on trains round trip weighing in at roughly nine hours all in.
Why do I do it?
Because I only do it one day a week. The rest of the week I work from my cottage in the rolling English countryside.
In this age of household broadband, social media and good quality mobile phone reception, there are few reasons why I need to be in an office, except for occasional face-to-face or kick off meeting. Thankfully my current client is enlightened, so I can work from home, avoid unnecessary travel and food bills (never mind the money I’m saving on razors) and work surrounded by home comforts. The client’s basic requirement is that I do the work they want me to, to the standard they want me to and trust me to get on with it.
UK employment law now says that employers need to consider flexible working arrangements and with a young child and a partner with ongoing health issues, for me flexible working is a necessity and not just a luxury.
But … for anyone hoping to spend their working days lolling on the sofa, languidly wafting their fingertips near their laptop and watching Jeremy Kyle / Manga / Frasier reruns (delete as appropriate) there is one vital (but often overlooked) thing you need to get grounded in reality … you still need to do the work you’d do, if you were sat at an office desk.
Some less fundamental, but equally important considerations:
Can you do your work remotely?
Not all jobs can be done without regular face-to-face interaction. If home working’s your goal, make sure you do the sort of job that employers or clients are happy for you to do on your own.
Recall distance
If you do need to suddenly get into the office, how long will it take you? The only reason we didn’t move to a perfectly lovely lighthouse keeper’s cottage on the remote, but internet connected Scottish Isle of Raasay was the 6 hour round trip to Inverness or three DAY round trip to London. The more flexible you can be, the more relaxed your employer / client can be. Also, as I write this, I’ve had a call from home to say that my partner’s unwell, so I’m rushing back home to help and look after our son. Long journey, but it does mean I’ll be there tomorrow as well (and I’ll only charge my client for half a day got today. See … flexibility).
Tools
Make sure you’re kitted out for working remotely. I now use skype for audio calls and as soon as I can find my camera I’ll be using that as well (although I suspect this is more about my client wanting to have a nosey round my new house), I have a broadband connection at home and a mobile dongle so I can move around and work anywhere. As well as the ubiquitous email, I use a lot of social sites for communicating with my peers and doing research, primarily Facebook and LinkedIn.
Setting expectations
Be clear about how you want to work, and understand what you employer / client expects of you. There’s no point arranging one day a week, to be instantly called in for an extra two days. Conversely, you need to compromise – remember, this is about getting the working conditions YOU want, so give a little to gain some more.
How do I find it overall?
On the day I get up at 4:30am to do my nine hour commute – knackering. On the other days it’s relaxing, inspiring, less stressful and I get to collect the eggs from my chickens and see my son grow up.
Signing off in uncharacteristic tranquillity,
The Long Dog
You are right about needing to finding an understanding client and I hope we are (!).
But the point people need ti understand is that remote working or any kind of WFH day can only be done if you trust the person to not be applying to be on Cash In The Attic.
Build up the trust first by simply being brilliant (as you are mate!) and then you’ll find any client/manager/boss to be accommodating.
Thanks Simon *beam*. You’re right and something I hadn’t mentioned – it needs a good relationship … both ways.
Some work means that you never actually meet the client. One of my projects meant working with a manager in London, developers in St. Petersburg, and a company in France. There were even links with a headquarters in the Netherlands. It was odd really when I finally met the manager for a delightful meal only after the project was complete.
One obstacle was that some documents insisted that only a French spell checker was allowed.
Remote working full time is my dream.
Good Luck with it Jason. Your employers are gaining an enthusiastic effective worker!