Dreaming of Working From Anywhere? The New Reality of Remote Work

Maybe It's Not About Escaping Work

Think about an ordinary winter morning.

You're rushing to get ready, clearing snow from the car, navigating icy roads or sitting in traffic—all because you need to make it to the office in time for a staff meeting.

And somewhere during that drive, you might find yourself wondering:

Could this meeting have happened from home?

For a growing number of jobs, sometimes the answer is yes.

Not every profession can operate remotely, nor should it. Many jobs depend on people being physically present, working together and serving their communities face-to-face.

But for work that can be done digitally, the appeal of remote work isn't necessarily about working less.

It may actually be about working more efficiently.

Instead of spending an hour commuting, perhaps you enjoy your coffee while attending your first meeting of the day.

When it's finished, you take the dogs for a brisk walk before your next call.

Maybe lunch happens at your own kitchen table.

Perhaps the hour you once spent travelling home becomes dinner with your family, an evening walk with a friend, or simply an extra hour that belongs to you.

There's another kind of efficiency too.

Technology allows us to reach people almost anywhere.

A meeting that once required travel, scheduling around offices, or bringing everyone into the same room can sometimes happen between people in different cities—or even different countries—in a matter of seconds.

For businesses, that can mean access to talent beyond commuting distance.

For employees, freelancers and entrepreneurs, it can mean access to opportunities that aren't limited by where they happen to live.

And for both sides, sometimes it simply means convenience.

What Would You Do With the Time?

Maybe that's the more interesting question.

If you didn't have to commute every morning, what would you do with that time?

Sleep another thirty minutes?

Have breakfast with your family?

Walk your dog?

Exercise?

Take your children to school?

Sit quietly with your coffee before the day begins?

Or maybe you'd use that flexibility to live somewhere entirely different for a while.

Could I spend three months somewhere else and still do my job?

That's where the idea of the digital nomad becomes interesting.

It isn't necessarily about abandoning normal life.

It can simply be about deciding where—and how—you want normal life to happen.

Dreaming of Working From Anywhere? The New Reality of Remote Work