5 ½ Greatest Things About Remote Work

Imagine a situation where you get up in the morning, you don’t have a time to finish your breakfast, because you should be working already in the office from past half an hour. No such thing ever again! Relax, you can now stay in your bed with your laptop.

Well, at least I can. How is it possible?

While working remotely I have more time and I can simply choose the best location for my workplace. A favourite cafe, a garden or a park can be available now without asking.

Nowadays, more and more companies use this as a kind of privilege granted to certain employees. It is a particularly good solution for developers, graphic designers and representatives of other creative professions.

Before joining 10Clouds, I was running my own business. I was really afraid of starting to work remote for someone else. At this moment, I am 100% sure that it was a great idea!

1. Commuting? No, thanks!

One of the awesome things about working remotely is that I totally forgot about spending hours in long and pointless traffic jams. No free parking spots? Now I don’t even bother. Home office gives me opportunity not to commute anywhere and I don’t waste my time in public transportation.

I have much more time for my hobbies, sport activities and what is most important -for my family. I can pick up my kids from school and easily get back to my desk to finish current tasks. We only have 24 hours a day, it’s not worth to waste even one of them.

Need I say more?

2. Workplace doesn’t matter any more.

Remote work also offers freedom of place.

I can live wherever I want to and my office always stays with me, in Poznań.This fact is very convenient for me and my family – I can use my spare time more effectively while taking care of my son.

Despite working away from the office I know exactly what’s going on in the headquarters in Warsaw. It doesn’t exclude me from attending barbeques at 10Clouds 😉 Moreover, I don’t feel a pressure to show myself in the office. I visit Warsaw only once a month.

What tools do I use to stay up to date with my teammates? Usually it’s Skype, Google Hangouts or Slack. Communication is very good and I can always check the comments left in the chat, just in case I forgot about something. In project management Jira helps me a lot.

3. Less distractions – stay more productive.

We all know how many temptations there are, luring us to break the working routine. Being a developer forces me to stay really focused.

It is achievable while working alone and it allows me to write my code in peace and serenity. I really prefer to concentrate. Remote work gives me silence, more space for the equipment, notes or favourite gadgets.

4. Flexi-time!

Working 9-to-5 is not a perfect solution for everyone. Especially for me.

For many employees, fixed working hours and a daily routine can be potential killing. Literally.

Breaks are a must-have. Sometimes I need to do a quick pause, think about what’s bothering me and I come up with new ideas on how to resolve the problems.

In spite of appearances, I think even a smaller number of working hours may be much more effective.

Well, it requires a lot of self-discipline, but can make time devoted to work more enjoyable.

5. Save money.

Remote work can bring significant savings.

The main result is that you don’t have to spend money on monthly commuting cards or on petrol. Hooray!

And I don’t bother about the food any more! It is easier to take care of a balanced diet and finding time to prepare healthy and nutritious meals that don’t cost a fortune.

I also work on my own equipment. This solution is cheaper for both sides. A win-win situation!

5 ½. Like a boss.

Work is organized on my own and I am the master of my time. Nobody controls the various stages of the performing tasks. The end result is the only what matters.

The only thing that bothers me is that sometimes I miss the social life shared with other teammates. It would be great to eat and laugh together during the break time. I almost forgot about table football in the 10Clouds kitchen – I wish I could play it more often!

As you can see, work can be also pleasant.

The only thing I have to do is waking up, opening my current task list, logging on chat, putting my favourite tunes on and…ready, steady, go!

If you are one of those who can work remote, you’re really lucky 😉 Nothing but a fairytale!

Krzysztof is an iOS developer at 10Clouds and he lives in Poznań. A traveler at heart, who finds a passion in everything connected with Portugal. He’s enthusiastic about “The Simpsons” and also practical and cool IT gadgets.