The Worst Thing About Working Remotely.

A few months ago, I left the company that I have been working with for almost 3 years due to health reasons. I decided to just stay back in my hometown and take a step back from the fast paced life of the city.

I’ll be honest, I was really scared leaving because the company and its benefits are quite good compared to others. Not too great but still, I think its somewhat above average.

The decision was difficult but it was clear that I need to take care of my health first. I am the breadwinner of my family and in an asian household, breadwinners can’t afford to lose their job.

Before passing my resignation, I thought about ways of earning good cash while staying in my hometown. I thought about selling vegetables, fruits, fish, meat and other goods to my friends back in the city. Food here is cheap and I can make a stable amount of cash selling those.

Then I remembered something.

I have the freedom to work remotely! I just need to find the right amount of work and the right kind work! Emphasis on the later.

Being in the software industry for almost 4 years, it was not hard for me to get some projects going. Not too long after I left my company, I have some projects that kept me busy and I have my vegetables growing as well! Sweet!

Everything is simple and quiet. Too quiet.

In my previous work, I realized one thing about my self. I AM A SOCIAL PERSON. I kept denying all these years but I like being in the company of my friends and other people. I want to see people’s reaction and interacting with good people is one of the things I enjoy in life.

I was really really scared! I mean crazy shit scared!

A week before resigning, I always contemplate about it. What should I do? I always ask myself. If I stay in the province, I’ll be alone at our house everyday.

I’ll have no one to talk to unlike in the office.

Who do I go out with during lunch time? Coffee time?

Who do I talk to when I have questions about stuff?

No more drink out/dinner with office mates.

I was uncertain. I know that I might be having separation anxiety and that it will pass but the thought of working and eating and playing and doing everything alone is making me feel uncomfortable.

Its probably the worst thing about working remotely.

The first few days was tough and exciting at the same time. I never knew what to expect since I’ve been so used to this office 9–5 life style. My clock needs to rewire itself and get used to this new environment that I have.

I need to wake up early to go jogging,

then go to the farm if I have some time or if I wake up early enough,

then go get breakfast (sometimes, buy them in the market and cook it at home),

then start some work on some projects,

then clean our house,

then do laundry,

then feed the dogs,

then go buy some food for lunch,

then clean the dishes,

then do some work again after lunch,

then sleep,

then buy snacks,

then do some work again,

then prepare dinner,

then play some online games,

then work,

then sleep,

and the cycle repeats.

And yeah, it’s just another cycle. Same as my 9–5 office routine.

I now have the time to go biking in the afternoon

But even though it is a cycle, something feels different. It’s true, you just keep doing most of the same stuff everyday. But as time passes, and as I accustomed myself to this environment, it became clear that things are different.

— I need to wake up early to go jogging,

I can go jogging or biking in the morning easily, back in the city, its hard

— then go to the farm if I have some time or if I wake up early enough,

I can go to the farm, or go to the park or go to wherever place I want with less constraint on my time.

— then go get breakfast (sometimes, buy them in the market and cook it at home),

My breakfast is full of random people. BUT THEY TALK TO ME. Hearing the stories of old folks, the whining of school kids with their parents, all sorts of stories

— then start some work on some projects,

My manager is FUN to work with. And I am learning a lot from him

— then clean our house,

I always see random pennies while cleaning. Now I have a jar full of them

— then do laundry,

Flexing muscles

— then feed the dogs,

Never really had an appreciation for animals until our three dogs became my only companion

— then go buy some food for lunch,

I go to takeout food at the nearby “Karinderya”. I always get a free scoop of leche flan. Sweet!

And so the list continues.

I thought that working remotely will render me socially drained. But to be honest, I’ve never felt more socially connected to people.

The interaction that I get from the office environment is good. But most of the times, it is just full of formalities and seriousness and stiffness. C’mon, who sits in the meeting room for an hour discussing about random stuff that sometimes is not even work relevant.

I feel like the office environment is just trying hard to make itself feel social and most interactions are just fake. Of course, lunch out, dinner, drinking with the team, these interactions are probably real.

Right now, its different. Everyday, I meet new sets of people and just a simple question from some old granny like “How are you today?” feels so genuine. Or the small gesture of the “Taho” vendor to add more sago makes your day a little bit better.

Maybe because here in the province life is a bit slower; that taking time to talk to people actually needs you to TAKE TIME AND TALK TO PEOPLE. No time constraints, no meeting agenda. Just plain human interaction.