During my time in the Air Force, I always had the threat of last-minute deployment to a foreign country at a moment’s notice. This is one of the many reasons why I intentionally sought out degree programs at universities that were provided online. Some might see this as an easy way to get a degree, but anyone who has taken an online course will tell you that this is not the case. For online courses, you have to be disciplined enough to incorporate reading, studying and discussion posting into your already packed day. This is especially hard if you are working long days already and would rather crash on the couch when you get home from work!
I say all this to support my point that anyone who has taken all their classes online are self-directed, have self-discipline, good time management skills, and have no problem with working independently or on a team if needed. They also have great written and spoken communication skills. These traits happen to be some that potential employers are going to be looking for in a remote employee. When working from home, a remote worker has to be able to take the tasks they have been given and complete them within the timeframe given. This requires time management and self-discipline to make sure that the work gets done in addition to any home responsibilities. Some people might think that a remote worker doesn’t do anything because they work at home. This can be a hard perspective to overcome, but it can be done. Just as I scheduled myself time to read and study for school, I schedule time now for home and work tasks. I’m not saying that it isn’t challenging at times but working from home can be good.
A remote worker is also able to use the time they would have taken to commute to increase productivity if time is managed correctly. This could result in as many 1-4 hours of time to work each day that would otherwise be used to drive or ride to and from a workplace. This freed-up time can make it easier to set specific times for focused work and also have enough time for breaks to avoid burnout. This also allows the flexibility to get to doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, etc., and still put in some hours of work.
Also, a remote worker is not necessarily limited to being at home. For a remote job, as long as you have an internet connection, a phone, and a laptop you are set to work. This means if you need to travel you can, as long as you schedule times into your day to focus on work.
So if you are wondering, “Should I try being a remote worker?”, just ask yourself if you have self-discipline, good time management skills, are self-directed, and do you have a room where you can close the door to focus on work. If you can say “Yes” to these questions, you might be a good candidate to work from home.