The Remote Working Revolution

Today, the way we earn money is changing.  In previous times, we would feel chained to our desk like a rat on a wheel, yet today, due to the wonders of the internet and shift in society towards a more balanced working lifestyle there are many opportunities to work remotely, from anywhere in the world.

This is particularly pertinent if you have a business, as once upon a time, a business was a static entity that meant you were tied to one place whereas today with the use of mail forwarding companies and the low cost of 1300 numbers that give you the freedom to do business anywhere, it’s viable for you to be managing your business whilst on a beach in Bali!

The remote working revolution is all about attaining a greater sense of freedom, yet freedom tends to mean different things to different people.  That said there are two common ingredients within the context of freedom; that of having both the time and money to enjoy life on your terms.  

This basically means you can do the things you want to do, when you want to do them, without being tied down to the point you feel trapped.  Now, for most people this sense of freedom is normally found from being their own boss, but today, even working for a big company can offer this sense of freedom; particularly if you work within tech or the creative industries.

That said, there is a tendency to think of this “freedom lifestyle” that comes from the remote working revolution as something reserved for digital nomads or creatives, all working from their laptops in a SE Asian backpacker mecca.  Yet, the freedom lifestyle isn’t limited to this genre of person and it can suit a variety of different people, with different backgrounds and life goals.

For instance, the working parent that wants to spend more time with their child and family, or the person that suffers with a medical condition such as ME but who still wants to make a living - just on more flexible terms.

Also, the remote working lifestyle doesn’t have to pertain to digital nomads - indeed, many successful and highly educated people in white collar jobs are dipping their toes into having a lifestyle with more freedom where they work on their own terms.

A prime example is within the area of law.

Traditionally, lawyers are known to work very long hours, in intense office environments with hefty targets in terms of billable hours, new clients, and scrutiny from their seniors.  There’s a huge amount of pressure from clients, as well as their boss, and a lot of hoops to jump through in order to progress to the level of equity partner.

Many people, today, are choosing to practice privately or under a flexible umbrella firm that allows people to dictate their own working hours, tagerts, and clients - essentially, with the help of video conferencing, even highly qualified solicitors can work from anywhere in the world presuming they have a decent internet connection.

In today’s flourishing digital economy there is now the opportunity to work remotely, from anywhere in the world, for most people.  “Living the dream” no longer seems to feature a corner office on the top floor of a skyscraper with an executive car parked in the driveway.  

Today, people seem to be dreaming of a different picture that’s more akin to having the freedom to jet off to an exotic location and work on their laptop, from the beach, whilst sipping a cocktail.

Similarly, the freedom lifestyle isn’t intrinsically linked to travel, for some people it’s simply about have the time to be at home with their family and get much more involved with their kids lives.  This is particularly pertinent when it comes to high flying executives who often sacrifice such important family time.

Today, we seem to be more emotionally aware than ever before, as we are much more proactive in terms of valuing the things that truly matter to us, such as our families and our health, above our careers.  We now see the importance of there being more of a balance to life, and this is what the remote working revolution seems to offer.

No doubt you’ll have heard the stories of someone giving up their well paid job in order to travel the world; exchanging the shackles of the nine-to-five for more flexible working hours where the congested commute they are used to is supplanted by a sunrise walk in paradise.

The opportunity to work remotely and live a life of more freedom is within your grasp, as the remote working revolution is open to everyone… but, before we get carried away and hand our notices in, it’s important to recognise that one of the main fuels to this “freedom lifestyle” we all crave is money.

Unless you’re able to generate a decent enough income to sustain yourself (and perhaps your family) you could very well spend all this new found free time pacing up and down the beach in a state of financial stress, worrying about how to make ends meet, rather than in the blissful state of relaxation you hoped for.

Not everyone living the “freedom lifestyle” will be a freelancer, as some will remain employed, which is probably the most secure way to go about things.

If you are a freelancer trying to make a secure income, the best advice is to always have a number of ongoing projects on the go; rather than depending on one source of income - as this is a more stable way to go about things.  Afterall, you don’t want the financial rug to be pulled from under you.

The key advice is to develop multiple streams of income rather than to rely on one particular source.  

You might also want to take a look to see what skills are in high demand on platforms such as Freelancer and Upwork, as when it comes to freelance work, you might find you need to learn some new skills as the majority of projects are focused on digital media in some form; such as content writing, video editing, web design, and managing social media marketing.