It’s been a long snowy winter, and a cold wet spring. So, dreams of tropical islands or a trip down under has probably crossed your mind. But what about your business? Can you afford to take time off? Maybe you don’t need to. If most of your work is through phone or email, you could consider relocating to that tropical paradise for an extended vacation, or even for part of the year. And, so long as you met your markers, your clients would be none-the-wiser. Here are our tips for how to work remotely.
6 Tips for How to Work Remotely
If the dreams of breakfast on the beach, surfing in your lunch, relaxing with a Mai Thai in the evening appeal to you, here are the six tips for how to work remotely:
Can You Get Online?
In this modern day, you will be able to get online from pretty much anywhere. But how reliable is the connection? You don’t want to be on a call with a client and suddenly become disconnected. Or work on a project and suddenly not be able to access the files in the cloud.
There are a few considerations you could consider.
- Rent an Apartment with Wi-Fi
Most vacation home rental websites have the option to select Wi-Fi as a requirement. By choosing one of these properties, you will be able to do your work from the comfort of your temporary home. And give you the flexibility to work unsociable hours, to accommodate your clients. - Look for Coworking Spaces
Coworking is not just popular here in Canada. It is a movement growing across the world. These offices will give you a space to be in “business-mode” and have all the facilities to hand, as well as network and make friends with local businesses in the same space. - Prepaid Dial-up Service Card
Purchase a pre-paid dial-up card in the country you are staying in, and take advantage of the flexibility it will offer you to work from your home, or from the local coffee shop or park.
Keep in mind each of these options may have times when it fails. So, make a backup plan and be prepared to amend your schedule. For example, if you know that the service is unreliable between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, then arrange your Skype meetings or limit your online activity during those times. If you choose to have a rental apartment with Wi-Fi, then find out where the nearest café with internet access is.
Cost of Connection
The cost of connectivity can quickly escalate. Especially when it comes to cell phones. You have a couple of options:
- Local SIM Card
Look at the different phone networks ahead of time and see which has the best value for money. Some even let you order online, so you can have it set up and ready, before you get there. - Internet Phone Services
There are several phone services that work over the internet, so you can make calls from your laptop. These services often offer local numbers and can charge you in whichever currency you want. Many also offer you the option of a physical phone to make the calls, in addition to using your regular laptop speakers or headphones. Look at the most cost effective solution for both you and your clients.
Define Your Schedule
Think about the time differences. There will be key times when your clients will expect you to be online and available to talk, at what point in the day would they be in your new country. Think about how those timings will affect your daily schedule. Will you be waking in the middle of the night to make a conference call, but have time in the day to pursue your dream of surfing? Can you delegate tasks that need to be done in the night to another team member or outsource it? Define your basic work hours to help you structure when you are working and when you are exploring your new surrounds.
What Do You Need?
What equipment will you need to do your job? Does your dream destination have those supplies or do you need to take them with you? While it is easy to take your laptop on the plane with you, you may want to look at shipping options if you need to send things like large monitors, printers, etc. And remember, that remote islands won’t necessarily have easy access to paper and printer toner, so think about the minute details.
Learning the Language
If you’re going to stay in one place for a while, you are going to want to learn the lingo, so you can at least have limited conversation with the locals.
While this wouldn’t be an issue for places like the Bahamas, Australia and Hawaii, if you choose a place with a different language, you may want to enroll in a course or download a translation app for your phone.
Consider the Visa and Tax Implications
Spend time to find out about the implications of working remotely. Contact a relevant lawyer to find out what the visa requirements will be for your country of choice and for the time you plan to spend there. The last thing you want is to prepare for paradise and be turned away when you land.
Here to Help
No matter what stage of business, or what problem you face, Small Business BC offers a range of seminars and one-on-one advisory sessions to suit any business.