What was it like to work remotely in 2008

What was it like to work remotely in 2008? I can tell you because I did. What does that mean, well, for starters, there were no capable smart phones and tablets back then so we all just used laptops or desktop computers. We had to carry them with us everywhere we went which made travelling a bit difficult.

To some, the idea of switching to a fully mobile workflow as an office seemed impossible. But the flexibility of getting work done on the go – working while travelling, even on a micro-scale – more than made up for it! And I knew there were people who already succeeded in this – like Automattic who inspired me a lot.

So I had the luxury of working on my own terms. Working from any location with access to a computer and internet made me feel empowered. It really did. Here are my pearls of wisdom 😉 from my early days as a remote graphic designer/ photographer.

Work gets done where you are

I worked from countless cafes, long before first Starbucks opened up in my city. Worked from the woods, natural parks, lakes, beaches. I worked from a yacht club, marina, from a boat. On a train, in a bus, from a car’s back seat… Of course airports and planes too! I even worked from an actual garage, sticking my new shiny MacBook Pro between some angle grinders and oil cans.

The benefits

What were some benefits? Well, for one thing, there’s no stressful commute to deal with which means more time is available for work (or play). Flexible hours are also an option where you can set your own schedule so that you’re always on time or ahead of schedule. You don’t have to worry about wardrobe malfunctions because in most cases you wear what you want – although this wasn’t that popular back then, as 90% of interactions was carried out via pure emails. Luckily, now-a-days even CEO’s wear hoodies!

The blessing of the offline mode

Lack of a reliable wireless network also didn’t help in spreading the video calls hype, 3G was becoming a thing then. But there’s more to this. Many successful entrepreneurs report productivity peaks when they are in relatively short, manageable offline cycles. It takes away the major issue that being always-on poses – too many distractions. I also loved using web browser plugins to block all traffic, so that I would not wander online even if I wanted to. Small productivity hacks always help.

The levels of mobility

I wouldn’t say I was 100% mobile as of today’s standards – the only laptop that could be carried around reliably would last about two hours on a charge and you needed to carry the charger everywhere just in case it ran out of juice. Battery packs? Forget. The real mobility shift happened with emerging smartphones and the following iPad revolution. That offered enough processing power to actually deliver some creative work in a truly mobile fashion – I used that for designing and giving presentations, writing, sketching, project management, business operations and some website work. I even used iPad to take a product photo which then made it to a packaging I was designing for a food company.

Remote doesn’t equal WFH!

It’s not about where you work, it’s about what you do. Working remotely can lead to great results coupled with immense job satisfaction and motivation as long as you are able to balance remote life with non-remote aspects in your life (family/friends). For one’s mental health sake, home has to stay home. For such arrangement to work long-term, there has to be a dedicated space which serves as a home office. In my case, I always strived to have a studio space somewhere at home, to counter-balance the times I was working entirely on the move. The secret sauce was the balance, as working remotely boosts inspiration, whereas having a safe haven gives the opportunity to deliver some deep focus work when needed.

Remote vs hybrid vs office

Some remote workers say they have more time in the day than their office-bound counterparts because they don’t spend hours commuting each day. For me, it boils down to an unrivalled flexibility and freedom – it’s just unbeatable. While a hybrid approach often combines some remote work with occasional visits from employees at the company’s headquarters, in my case I profoundly enjoyed my time at a dedicated co-working venue called Duke Studios in Leeds, UK. It’s like the best from both remote and the office work combined. Last but not least, many employees still benefit from face-to-face meetings and an increased sense of commitment to the company when at the physical office. In that sense, for some, working from a fixed office is just how it should be. And there’s nothing wrong in this!

Wrapping up my experiences, I loved the flexibility of working remotely for years before I stopped doing it and gained a lot from it. Today, apart from the 2020-21 WFH push, I’m in a mixed mode, enjoying the best of both worlds. Finally, looking back at living a digital nomad’s life, the only major drawback I can think of was travelling with a backpack stuffed with three times the average salary worth of tech (back then, in my home country). That wasn’t always the most comfortable situation I must admit! 😀