Working from Anywhere (Part 1)

It seemingly works great in some industries, such as so called the service industry...... Like phone or computer help lines.

But what I have seen, when working from home, take for example, the insurance industry, United Insurance. It works great and efficient. But there are compromises, such as lower pay, but higher personal freedoms, but you have to be disciplined. And not everyone is.

In the technical fields, I've seen it being more face to face.

I have almost 5 years experience working 100% remotely in a technical field. I was an applications engineer for two automation companies (not at the same time), part of the sales process. In both cases the companies were in a different state or country. I was successful in that I was able to get all my work done to very high standards, and sell machines.

However, the isolation from the primary operations eventually left me with insufficient knowledge of what was happening in the company, knowledge that I sometimes needed when working with customers. Also, the personal isolation of working in a one man office can be a drag on morale.

My point is there is more to work than the specific tasks to be done that are location specific. Telecommuters need to manage those aspects as well.

FYI - the morale drag finally got to me and now I am presently back in an engineering office with co-workers. I would work remotely again, but only if it was less than 100% of the time.

It's not impossible, but like I mentioned earlier. Telecommuters have to be very disciplined.

Should really add also, in a technical field that they have to be self starters and the catalyst to pull things together.

It is similar to a start-up and commissioning on new process lines. Where at least 90% is up to you, and 10% is your companies home office/plant, because your support (The company) could be 1500 miles away, ( or a half a world away for that matter)

Precisely what I experienced. Personally, 5 years was the depth of my personal well of catalyst and self discipline.

I won't say one should not do what I did, but that one needs to understand the personal ramifications as well. There is a lot of endurance required along with the discipline, if you work alone.

Well, I think in other words, I burned out. In both patience, stanima and....... patience. (Did I say patience twice? )

In no way is it a 8, 10 or even a 12 hour day. It was enjoyable,,,,.... but thats only looking back on it, at the time it was not.

There were times working on the west coast pulling a 36 hour shift at 1:00 in the morning and thinking......... I could take the next red eye and no one would know until I was home........ That was my only relief one had was to think about it.

But what pushed me was I took things personal. Face to face with the customer, the customer was looking for the guy that would step up to the plate, and take full responsibility of whatever project that was giving him grief, no matter who or what caused it.

But sounding from your experience, you already know that. It's not only nice to know someone that experienced this, its also a comfort to know you were not one of a kind.

I enjoy working from home part of the time, but as others have mentioned, I don't think I would enjoy it full-time. I find that I'm more productive at certain tasks (writing, brainstorming, catching up on email) at home and it's better to do other things (group meetings and projects, database work) at the office.

Yes, and even that you still need discipline and sometimes in a different way where one may not think.

My first job, back in the 80's. I brought work home. Because there is nothing I could not stand is to be pulled out deep sleep because you missed , forgotten something, or solved an issue. You could get on the tube, and finish your thoughts instead of thinking about it till morning and possible forgetting.

Where the disipline comes in, is when to say when for your downtime away from work. Bringing work home can be hazardous to your health.

This makes sense. Some things, like CR4, run 24/7. If can be hard to unplug sometimes!

Especially if you love what you do?

^{Too much of a good thing is baaad, baaaadd. not gonna do it!, said in a Dana Carvey voice imitating George W.}