Key Highlights
- Andrew Williams is working remotely since 2014.
- Andrew Williams gets consulting on digital marketing contracts through personal branding.
- Andrew Williams got his laptop stolen from the table of a coffee shop in Portugal.
Andrew Williams has shared his remote working experience with us.
What’s your profession, what do you do?
Digital Marketing Consultant
What company do you work for? Are you a freelancer or Digital Nomad?
I am a Freelancer and a Digital Nomad too :)
How did you start with a remote work journey?
I always knew it was possible to work fully remote since years ago, especially in digital marketing and IT&C industries. I was lucky enough to get fully a remote job in 2014 for a few years and managed to save money whilst travelling in cheaper countries. Then, I slowly built my own personal branding and websites and started getting consulting contracts on digital marketing (SEO, Analytics, strategy).
What do you think are the main benefits of working remotely?
oh...there are so many. Where do I start? Firstly, I think even if employed, one can create his or hers flexible schedule whilst working either from home or remotely. You save time on the commute, you can eat healthier by cooking at home, it's more quiet than the office and you can be more productive, you can discover new cultures if you work from other countries and the list continues. There are literally hundreds of reasons why working remotely is great.
Do you think there are disadvantages or that you’re missing something by working remotely?
Loneliness and anxiety can hit you hard when you are working remotely. It's very important to find your balance as a person and stay active and social. Finding your tribe is a big thing when working remotely, so try to hook up with other nomads online or join a co-living space.
From what cities or countries have you worked since you have become remote? What are your favourite countries or cities to work from?
I worked remotely from quite a few. I would say at least 20. I would totally recommend Greece, Thailand, Malaysia, Bali,Lisbon, Spain and Italy.
From what type of places do you prefer to work? Home, co-working spaces, coffee shops or others?
I think it depends from person to person, but I prefer a combination of work from home(wherever I am) and co-working spaces. I'm not a big fan of coffee shops because I know I'm not productive there, but that's me. I think the co-living concept offers a lot of value because you have all in one: a room, co-working spaces and coffee shop.
What places would you like to travel to while working remotely?
I'd like to visit Africa ( where the Internet connection is good obviously) and more countries in Central America. I've heard a lot of good things lately about Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Uruguay.
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? Share your remote productivity, communication, management, etc. tips based on your experience!
Sure. It's a very good question. Make sure you always have a local 4G SIM card with your wherever you are. You want to make it to the meetings with clients or your employer. Get a portable laptop stand, external keyboard and mouse and portable battery charger. In terms of software, I like to use Zoom or Hangouts, Time Doctor to monitor my productivity and Trello for organising my tasks. Plus, the old school Post it notes. Yes, it still works!
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What tools you use to improve productivity and manage work efficiently?
Time Doctor, Pomodoro App, Trello
How do you manage your business and taxes as a remote working professional?
I've got my company registered in the UK and I pay my personal income tax in a different place I will not disclose. But people should definitely optimize these two aspects to be more tax efficient.
What advice would you give to people looking to work remotely?
Make sure you have savings for 6 months at a Western standard of living and that should buy you plenty of time in a low cost country to start getting your first clients or job. Make sure you plan your trips in time, budget and get good deals on flights and accommodation. Global health insurance is a must!
Do you work on any side projects?
No, I'm too busy doing what I love for my clients: digital strategy and marketing.
Links to your side projects?
Andrew Williams
Would you like to share any interesting stories while you worked remotely? Please share if you can.
I got my laptop stolen from the table of a coffee shop in Portugal after leaving it unwatched on the table for 30 seconds. My bad I guess :)
Visit Website: https://www.remotetribe.life
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-williams-remote/
Keywords: remote work success stories, live remotely, tips working remotely, work from home tips, working from home tips for success, wfh tips, work from home productivity tips
