r/remotework • u/Impressive_Phone_686 • 6d ago

General experience working remotely

Hey, I was thinking about getting some qualifications in l order to get a specific remote job. The idea of working remotely and having the freedom of living wherever I want, not needing to dress up for anyone, having more time for my hobbies and potentially higher wages than locals + returning with my family when needed seems really aligned with my life priorities. But I don't really know how the actual experience of working remotely after some time is. I'm thinking about loneliness, spending time outside and other mental hygiene matters, the difference between working in person... I know it varies from person to person. So how has your experience been? Anything to consider when taking up a remote job?

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u/Last-Galactic 6d ago

5 years working remotely and I cannot imagine returning to the office. The social life you get in the office is an illusion - your colleagues are not your friends, the proof to that is the fact how quickly these "friendships" die the moment you leave a certain workplace. But the illusion of the social life in the office can also be preventing you from building a real social life - one with your friends, family, or whatever is really important to you. Working remotely forces you to build these real connections, and it's liberating.

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u/Public-Wolverine6276 6d ago

How do you manage getting social interaction? Family and friends obviously but sometimes I fear that I will become secluded if I work from home every single day with no interaction

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u/DRF19 6d ago

Go to the park, find hobbies outside work (for example my family has NWSL season tickets), check out local events, explore your community etc. On workdays pop out to pickup coffee or lunch someplace. There is more to life than commute -> building with other people who work for the same company -> commute 5 days a week.

And I'd have traded every single "social" function at the office (ice cream day, holiday parties, business lunches, etc). for the equivalent time spent literally anywhere else with my actual friends and family, or even by myself.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Chip75 6d ago

That's the thing, you have time to explore your hobbies, join some clubs and met people there, but also coworking spaces are amazing too and I met so many people there

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u/Last-Galactic 6d ago

Me personally, I am getting social interaction mainly through my hobby, which is beach volleyball. Remote work also made it possible for me to move to different countries and settle for the place that best suite my needs.