One of the best parts about my job is that I can work anywhere. And when I say anywhere I literally mean anywhere in the entire world. Okay — maybe not ANYwhere, but as long as I can find a coffee shop with Wi-Fi and an outlet I can hop online and get some work done.
Since I travel so much, I get a lot of questions regarding how I can keep my job. While I’m in Milan, I thought I’d answer some questions and give some insights into my success of telecommuting.
The most important part of telecommuting to work is to be consistent. My boss expects me to put in the same amount of work every time I log on. Keeping consistent work hours might be difficult, but it’s another extremely important step in having a successful time telecommuting.
Consistency in location is also a key ingredient in being a good remote worker. Whenever I find myself in a new location I try to pick one coffee shop that I will make my home base. An added benefit is getting to know the staff that works there. You might even get a free drink or two out of it!
Another trick I learned a long time ago is to act and dress like you’re going to work! If you walk into a coffee shop after rolling out of bed, you’re not only going to have poor productivity but you’ll also get some weird looks. I like to wake up and get ready just like I was going to a real office job. It puts me in a good mindset and gets me ready to get some work done.
You’ll also want to track EVERYTHING you do. Your boss will appreciate you marking down how many hours you spent on each project — it will also help you to see how you’re spending your time. This trick will also help you to priorities your work.
Well, I think that’s all I have time for now… gotta get back to work!
