I know I say this all the time, but I really love what I do. Being able to work for myself and do what I actually enjoy is completely different from how it used to be.
It feels very similar to a retired lifestyle, but you know, of course, I still have to work!
Here are the many positives of having a location independent job.
I am able to work from home if I want to.
I love being able to work from home. I know that some don’t and would rather work in an office, but I don’t think I will ever understand that 🙂
Working from home is just so much more comfortable, and I also don’t have to spend time commuting to work and spending the extra money in car costs to do so.
I can also work while I am traveling.
This is both a positive and a negative, but I’m fine with it regardless. Being able to work while traveling is a negative because I always feel like I need to work!
We have been thinking about going on a cruise, but the thought of me not being able to work because of expensive cruise ship internet is something that I have been hesitant about.
If I go on a trip, all I need to make sure I have is internet. And free wi-fi is always best. I work on almost all of my trips, which is nice because I can bring in money while also enjoying a new city.
I can pick up and go.
This one is related to the two above, but I wanted to further explain this one. Since I can work from wherever, this also means that I am not tied down to living in one place. We haven’t decided yet, but we have been thinking about moving to a new place (such as near a beach or lake) and since I can work from wherever this is possible.
I like having the option of being able to live in different areas of the country because I’m not tied down because of a job.
I only need my laptop.
In order for me to work, all I need is my laptop. Well, and internet. It doesn’t cost very much for me to run my business, and I can just pick everything up and move it easily.
Do you have a location independent job? Do you wish you did?
Hey Michelle,
Love the tips, this is something I would aim to do as well.. Have you been on holidays since your self-employment?
Also I noticed when I tried to share though facebook it said page not found :O..
Yes, I’ve taken a few vacations 🙂
And, I think that’s a Facebook error. It seems like a lot of blogs are having that problem lately with their new posts.
Oh okay cool, yeah I noticed it seemed to work fine 🙂
Where were you lucky enough to head on holidays?
A bit off topic here but any tips for reader engagement i.e. comments? Am getting a steady flow of visitors but lacking comments (maybe my content isn’t hitting the spot)
That sounds like a great lifestyle to me. I might try blogging or something some time. The one nice thing about going to work to me is the social aspect of it. Many of my friends I have met through work.
Thanks Yvette! I had no social aspect at my last job, so it’s not much different for me 🙂
I totally agree with all of these points.
But I was shocked when on my last trip to London I have had extreme difficulties finding free Wi-fi outside noisy Starbucks’ and McDonalds’.
I get pretty impatient when I can’t just sit down and work and so this wasn’t the best experience of all time. So I like to stay at home where I’m sure I’ll be able to connect 🙂
Yes, I like quiet wifi!
You make working from home sound like a dream! Can you take me under your wing and teach me the ropes? 😉
Haha I wish! 🙂
I do wish I had a location independent job, or at the very least, the option to work at home. I would totally pick working from home over an office any day. I was watching HGTV last night, and they were featuring beachfront properties. My boyfriend said they must be retired, since they were pretty far removed from big cities, and I said they could just have flexible jobs that allow them to work anywhere! Having an office in your home with an ocean view would be pretty awesome.
Yes, I would love an office with an ocean view. I would never leave!
I’m working on being location independent. I give myself a couple years before I have things how I want them to be.
It’s pretty awesome! 🙂
I love not having to work in an office. My least favorite part of an office was having to listen to office gossip (I worked in a cubicle) or take unnecessary breaks because the girls around me wanted to (I worked in a cubicle). I like catching up with people and hearing about their lives, but not meaningless/unproductive chitchat. When I’m at work, I like to work!
I could move around my province if I wanted to but I manage a provincial group so wouldn’t be able to permanently move out of the province. However, I have brought my laptop to do work on vacations. It’s such an old, heavy thing though- but I’ll use it until I can’t!
Yes, I’m so glad that I don’t work in an office anymore! 🙂
I will have a mostly location independent job no later than Jan 1, 2015. The government agency I work for is pushing hard for a “mobile” workforce. They have already rolled it out in some pilot areas with great success so they plan to roll it out to my location by Jan 1. As of right now we would only be required to be in the office 2 days a week (it might end up being less). We are not sure which 2 days they will need to be, but if they could be some sort of combination of Tues/Weds/Thurs, that would be ideal. They will provide me with a computer and a bluetooth headset so I could take call from my “office” phone. I’m pretty excited for it.
Wow that is awesome Brian! I would love that.
I would LOVE a location independent job, and my hope is that most companies are giving their employees location independence – unless it’s something like waitressing or bus driver because you do physically have to be there. I don’t actually need to physically be at an office, but it’s the culture in the company so there is no way around it.
This is one of my favorite things about freelancing! All my family lives pretty far away from where I am right now, AND both my siblings just had their first kids. So I love being able to pack up and visit and know that I’ll be able to work a few hours a day from anywhere.
Of course, taking REAL vacations is hard, just like you said. But I find that if I tell clients in advance and prep and schedule things before I’m gone, it’s pretty easy to shut down the computer and take actual time off.
I am desperately trying to get where you are! I want to be able to work from anywhere in the world and spend time with my family.
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