Remote career: how to work from anywhere in the world

If you can swap the rush hour and office politics to work from home, what’s stopping you going a step further and working from a beach bar in Bali or harbourside café in Sydney?

The appeal of remote working

As a freelance journalist, I’m lucky to have more freedom than most when it comes to where I work.

And on the occasions I’ve caught up with emails in Hong Kong or filed features from an apartment in Greece, I’ll admit to feeling slightly smug.

Is your career compatible?

Packing a suitcase is the easy part; you’ve got to make sure your job’s portable too.

If your job can be done from your laptop then you’re most of the way there, but working from far-flung places isn’t just a luxury for freelance journalists or travel bloggers.

If you’re freelance with a career in web design, writing, photography or graphic design then clients may not even need to know you’re gone at all if you communicate by email, Skype or the occasional phone call.

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Companies are becoming more flexible

More companies are waking up to the fact that productivity isn’t measured by the number of hours spent chained to your desk.

Paperclip, a Cardiff based app company, has a ‘one day a week’ office policy with the flexibility to work elsewhere for the remaining week.

Pop in on a Monday, and you could work from an apartment in Spain the rest of the time.

And with its ‘unlimited holiday’ policy, you could take a day’s ‘holiday’ to miss your ‘office’ day and spend six weeks in Sydney, still get your work done and use the equivalent of a week’s leave.

On the flip side; with some jobs, say working for a retail chain, it’s going to be impossible to stack the racks sat by a hotel pool in Marrakech.

But if you want a new job plus change of scenery; jobs website www.remoteok.io has heaps of ‘remote’ jobs listed although many are in IT, web based marketing or writing work.

Jobs like house sitting may not bring in big bucks if it’s your only source of income; but worth considering if you can work remotely as it means free lodgings and wi-fi and often some basic expenses, in exchange for keeping an eye on the place while the owners are away.

Before you move

Before booking your plane ticket, check if you’ll need visas or work permits for the country you’re visiting.

Within the EU this may not be a problem as a UK citizen, however further afield, if you go in on a tourist visa, there may be some restrictions.

Check here for a country guide to local laws.

Unless you’re planning on staying in the local backpackers; rent may not come cheap in your dream locations but you can keep costs down with a house swap.

Sites like www.lovehomeswap.com or www.homeexchange.com mean the chance to swap your humble abode for places around the globe like a Californian beach house or Sydney apartment with harbourside views.

Both have membership fees, starting from £12 a month but the actual ‘swaps’ are free.

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Connectivity is key

When it comes to staying connected; check out wi-fi options, as working from a poolside retreat in Greece may sound great; but the connection can be pretty slow.

And for keeping in touch beyond email, you can Skype or use Slack, a messaging app for teams that can work alongside Skype.

Or you can just pick up the phone!

Most mobile operators have ‘bolt on’ packages so you can use your existing package abroad or offer ‘bolt on’ deals to cut costs.

And for cheap calls in the country you land in; pick up a local ‘SIM’ card. But just be sure to check the time difference if you’re calling across time zones!

Make sure you pack travel insurance. Many standard travel policies will cover you for short ‘business’ trips but check the maximum duration of any stay abroad.

How about a ‘workation?’

A life away from the rush hour, grey skies and grumpy office colleagues may sound idyllic, but away from a routine and family and friends, is there a chance you might get just a tiny bit lonely?

Here’s where ‘workation’ trips come in.

With companies like Unsettled you can ‘live like a local’ for a month around the world from Barcelona to Buenos Aires or Bali to Cape Town.

When your month is up, pick a different city and start all over again. It’s down to you to organise work, but you’ll get a place to stay plus shared workspace and a new bunch of friends on tap, as there’s usually a maximum of 25 people on each trip; typically aged between 28 and 38.

Prices include group events like a weekly BBQ, workshops and trips to galleries and concerts with the option for small group surf lessons or yoga classes for an extra fee.

On the downside you’re ‘paying’ for the opportunity, with a month’s ‘workation’ in both Barcelona and Buenos Aires from $1,100 (around £855) plus flights.

So as a ‘one off’ this may be fine, but if you’re looking to do it longer term and hop from place to place, costs could rack up although you could recoup costs by letting out your UK pad while you’re away.

Another option is to find a co-working community like www.hubud.org in Bali where ‘packages’ include villa accommodation, airport shuttle, co-working space, welcome pack, regular events and a SIM card with prepaid internet.