5 surprising truths about working remotely
Since making the jump to working remotely, a lot of people have been asking me questions about what it is like, and how it actually works.
They all have the same fears of getting work, communication and wondering if they can realistically make the jump.
My goal with this post is to share with you some surprising realities about what working remotely is actually like.
1) You will become more productive
When you are living and working abroad, there is nothing to distract you. No pointless coffee meetings, no phone calls interrupting, no co-workers swinging by your desk and just no pointless distractions.
Most people think that when you live abroad you will get nothing done and just sit on the beach all the day.
The truth is, the lack of distractions allows you to get an incredible amount done, while still leaving plenty of time to enjoy the local culture.
One of my favorite writing spots on a beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
This newly found free time can be used to enjoy the culture, start up creative projects, focus on launching a new business or whatever else you desire.
When you live abroad and remove yourself from societies distractions, your productivity will increase, guaranteed.
Since leaving to work remotely, I have blogged every week, created a weekly art project, written a book, learned new skills, read a ton of books, and still had a ton of time to enjoy life and relax on the beach and make a good living.
2) Your clients won’t care
Believe it or not, most clients could really care less where you are working, as long as you do the work and do a good job.
When I made the move, over half my client base knew or found out when I launched my blog post.
I didn’t lose one job, or have one client get upset about the move. Most of them simply thought it was cool and our projects continued as usual.
Even when I meet new clients online, they tend to figure out where I am located before ever hiring me, and it has still yet to get in the way of closing any sales.
3) You will become more creative
A new environment leads to new creative ideas. When you change up your daily rituals and daily habits, it is inevitable that new ideas will begin to form.
4) You can actually make decent money on oDesk
When I first made the jump, I looked at oDesk as a place to outsource to people abroad for a few dollars an hour.
After hearing from several other location independent entrepreneurs who used it to launch their freelance careers and businesses, I thought I would give it a shot.
To my surprise, I was able to pull in over $1,000 of business per week on oDesk.
While that isn’t anything to retire on, it is a great way to fill in the gaps between bigger projects or to get your career jumpstarted.
For those of you who hate to sell, or are afraid about getting work remotely, oDesk is a great way to get started.
5) You will become happier
This is what it is ultimately about. When you make a jump like this, and put yourself in a situation where you are free to travel and go as you please. This does wonders for your personal happiness.
Since making the move, my health is better, my work/life balance is better and my relationships are better.
My all-around quality of life has increased dramatically since making the move to work remotely.
Want to work remotely?
Interested in working remotely and don’t know where to start? Check out my post on how to work remotely and travel the world.
I guarantee if you make the jump this is something you will never regret.