Working Remotely in “Paradise”
Have you ever thought of working from “paradise”? In this post, I’ll discuss my experience doing just that. And provide some tips if you’re able to do the same.
In recent years, more specifically after the pandemic of 2020, a large number of people and companies have realized that they’re able to work 100% remotely. And therefore, are able to move to a different area of the country.
One such area (or state) is Florida. The number of individuals moving to Florida is mind-blowing. Recently, my family and I were a part of that wave (pun intended).
Prior to this move, I lived in Nebraska, Texas, South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Panama, and Kuwait. Florida is nothing like the other states (or countries). The housing is different, the insurance requirements are different, and many other things including the mentality.
If you’ve considered working remote from Florida, whether temporary or permanent, here are a few things to consider before taking on that challenge.
Internet Service Provider
Depending on where you go in Florida, the options of Internet Service Providers (ISP) are quite limited. In the more rural areas, satellite is the only option. Even in some cities, the extent of available ISPs is still limited.
When working remotely, unless you’re only connecting to the internet periodically, most of us require some form of high-speed connection. And not all ISPs are created equal.
For example, in the area where I live, the only non-satellite options are AT&T and Spectrum. Neither of which offer fiber to my area. That’s not a problem for me; I’m not looking for fiber. For me, 25 Mbps download speed is fast enough. As long as I don’t have a data cap. Which can be another hurdle to overcome.
When choosing a provider and service plan, you have to read the fine lines regarding the data cap. If you’re anything like me and my family, you like streaming music, movies, and videos. However, if you have a data cap of 25 GB per month, you might blow through that in less than a week.
One day, I tried to use my phone as a hotspot. My plan allows me to have 5 GB of high-speed hotspot data. When we first moved here, we didn’t have a service provider yet. Meaning, that I had to use my phone as the hotspot.
The first half of my workday was fine. However, my system was running like a turtle for the second half. That 5 GB didn’t even last a full day for just my work laptop. At which point, I knew my phone’s hotspot would not be a long-term solution. Thankfully, I only had to work one day that week.
With only AT&T and Spectrum being my two options, I compared the two. They basically offered the same thing, only AT&T was nearly $20 less per month. So, I went with them.
I ordered the service online Wednesday evening. On Saturday, the equipment arrived, and the technician came to activate my service. Thankfully, I didn’t have to work on Thursday or Friday. Otherwise, that could’ve been bad. Monday, when I was back to work, my high-speed DSL was working great.
Of course, AT&T provided me with a modem/router device. I just hooked my router into it and use it instead. This way, I don’t have to change the access points of my various devices.
View From Workstation
It’s important to think about where you’re going to put your workstation. For me, I like looking out a window. Some people don’t like that because they feel that they get distracted. For me, I’m less distracted if I have a window to look out. I don’t have to wonder what it’s like outside. If I hear something (i.e., thunder, car doors, etc.), I don’t have to find a window to see what it was.
Another reason why I like being by a window, is I get some natural Vitamin D from the sun shining in on me. After all, we need at least 15 minutes of sunshine per day to get our required Vitamin D. To help us remain healthy (and try to avoid getting sick), we need to supplement our Vitamin D if we’re not getting at least 15 minutes of sunshine each day.
For more on that, you can read this article: https://healthimpactnews.com/2017/study-vitamin-d-is-more-effective-than-flu-vaccine/
Focusing While In “Paradise”
Speaking of trying to focus while in paradise, if you absolutely cannot resist the temptation to daydream when looking out at the beautiful Florida weather, trees, plants, etc., you might consider a room without windows. Personally, I’d avoid the latter if at all possible. Besides, after a couple of days looking out at the same scenery, perhaps it won’t be as much of a novelty.
More often than not, I find enjoyment merely looking out the windows at the swaying trees and shrubs. Plus, there are very few palm trees in Nebraska. The ones that are there are either fake or indoors.
And since Florida is known as the “Sunshine State,” there’s usually not a shortage of blue skies and a shining sun. Nonetheless, I also know that I have a job to do. Therefore, even though I often look out the windows, the amount of time that I focus outside is very little.
It’s really about discipline. If you understand that you have a job to do, perhaps your focus should be more on that than anything else. We can find distractions in just about anything. For instance, how often do you check your emails or phone for new messages? Probably a lot more than the amount of time you’d spend looking out your window(s).
Which brings me to working from the beach. Is it possible? Of course, it is. However, you’re could be setting yourself up for failure. There are people all around, and the sounds of the people, water, birds, etc., could be overwhelming at times.
Take A Break
Speaking of overwhelming, let’s not forget to take breaks throughout the day. I have a hard time taking breaks. Not because I’ll become distracted. Rather, I feel it a blessing to be able to work from home. When at the office, most people feel the need to get up and go elsewhere to take a break. When working from home, that need doesn’t seem to be as prevalent.
Nonetheless, we have to make ourselves take breaks throughout the day. Create calendar reminders if necessary. Not only to help your mind and eyes, but it also helps prevent blood clots from forming. When we sit for hours on end, we run the risk of muscle lethargy and blood clots forming.
The same is true for traveling long distances. Whether driving, flying, taking a bus, or train, it’s important to move around every couple of hours. The same is true when working remote. Whether you find yourself “comfortable” or not, it’s imperative that we get up and walk around.
Related article: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/5-science-backed-ways-taking-a-break-boosts-our-productivity_b_8548292
Working In A Different Time Zone
With remote work being on the rise, freedom to move throughout the country seems to be more plausible than any time in the past. Therefore, another hurdle that we may deal with when working remotely, is working in a different time zone.
Prior to moving to Florida, I worked in the Central Time zone. Now, I work in the Eastern Time zone (which is one hour earlier than Central Time).
Of course, I know that my work hours have merely been adjusted by one hour. To ensure that I am still operating on Central Time, I have left my work laptop on Central Time.
Now, my watch and clocks around the house, are all on Eastern Time. However, I intentionally left my work laptop on Central Time. Would the meetings be adjusted for my time zone accordingly? Absolutely. But, by leaving my laptop on Central Time, I’m able to relate easier to my colleagues.
By taking this stance, at no time have I slipped up with the time differential.
Go For It
When working remotely from various paradise locations (in my case, Florida), it’s important to choose a good internet service provider that’s reliable. As well as the right location for your workspace, while taking our view of paradise into account.
Just as important, is not to forget to take breaks so we can help maintain our physical and mental health.
And finally, we talked about ways to help negotiate when working in a different time zone.
Working remotely in paradise is wonderful. We just have to keep a few things in mind to ensure we’re effective. After all, we have work to perform and potentially an employer (if we’re not self-employed) to satisfy.
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