Over the past four years several truths have emerged that need to be acknowledged by anyone who either seeks to set up or work in such an environment. The goal of any work environment should be effectiveness and efficiency.

Companies should prioritize software and systems for the geographically distributed support workers they seek to employ. Employees should embrace productivity and mental health to stay sharp in a challenging work environment.

Here are five truths that I have come to appreciate as a fully remote software developer working with a geographically distributed team.

“Business Mode” for 8 to 10 Hours a Day

Business mode or get shit done mode, or whatever you want to call it is a must for most of your day. It doesn’t mean you are working on tasks the entire time, but you are focused on productivity both for your official job and the career development and self-improvement that is required to stay at the top of your field.

The greatest gift you can give yourself is a block of uninterrupted time where you can focus 100% on your trade. This requires you to cut out all distractions: unnecessary conversations, social media scrolling, low value tasks that aren’t a priority. In exchange you need to batch things like emails or 1:1s so that you can focus on the high value tasks without interruption. This often doesn’t fit into a nice neat 8-hour block so flexibility is a must.

Meetings = Suffering

If you aren’t self-directed enough to know what to do without having a meeting first, your productivity will suffer. Having a clear vision of what needs to be done without frequent input from others is also a major factor in how productive you will be when 100% remote.

If you are the kind of worker that needs to have multiple alignment meetings and a status update sync in order, get anything done, please schedule and in-person with your team. The rest of us will continue working based on the collaborative document we’re using. If I have a question, I’ll @ you in Notion or Slack.

If It’s Not in Writing, It Doesn’t Get Done

This needs to be your attitude. While you can get by via verbal only communication in person, you will struggle 100% remote. It could be a collaborative wiki page, a ticket item or (shudder) an email thread but it needs to be written down.

You will find that valuable information and context will evaporate into the ether when you need it most. Even if you enable AI meeting notes, even if you record the meeting, you will rarely ever lay your hands on that information in a time of need.

Touch Grass (or Productivity Will Suck Ass)

Where do you go when you are not AT work? It may not seem like much, but you MUST separate your work life from your home life. Top performers in fields like software development or knowledge work will spend A LOT of time in the workspace. Being able to walk away from that workspace is the #1 way to avoid burn out.

For some folks this means family commitments, community groups, or hobbies. The important aspect is that you have a life outside of your work area. It’s easy to spend 8-10 hours working in a space and then another 4-5 gaming or some other activity. Without a clear delineation between work and play you can end up on the road to burn out.

My Office is Better Than Yours

Do you have a dedicated room that is quiet and well lit? Is your desk a comfortable, ergonomic and productive workspace? Can your space accommodate quality of life features like a standing desk, a treadmill, or window with natural light and a view? Prioritize your home office to be superior to a generic cube or open office desk.

Be prepared to spend your own $$$. It’s common practice in the trades for folks to buy their own tools. Some things might be provided for you by the company, but they are usually suboptimal. A carpenter will buy an expensive hammer that will save them from joint paint in the long run. Invest in yourself, invest in your tools and make your workspace the best it can be.

Bottom Line

Remote work isn’t for everyone, and you must commit yourself to a different way of working to maximize the benefit. It is also a professional and personal lifestyle choice that demands sacrifice in exchange for productivity. Above all remote work isn’t a right, and it isn’t right for every worker or company.

Addendum

It can be argued that “work anywhere” culture doesn’t demand a dedicated workspace, and usually I agree. However, when you find yourself working 100% of the time in the same location you want to make the experience as pleasant as possible. Do your mental health a favor and prioritize your workspace.

Likewise, the flexibility of occasional remote work is something that most knowledge workers can appreciate and benefit from. It also costs companies very little to extend this courtesy to folks especially if they take security and collaboration seriously. Taking occasional remote off the table is both counterproductive to workplace satisfaction and a bad long term retention strategy.