Can you please introduce yourself?
I am a proud multipotentialist which means I need a lot of variation and I have a very broad background. I love the freedom to go and do whatever and whenever I want to do it.
What’s your profession, what do you do?
I am a software developer and tester.
What company do you work for? Are you a freelancer or Digital Nomad?*
I am a freelancer and a digital nomad.
How did you start with a remote work journey?
One day I realised I wanted to travel the world more than only during my holidays. I started to search for a lot of information about digital nomads and started to think about what kind of job I could do.
What do you think are the main benefits of working remotely?
I love the responsibility, accountability and trust that are inherent to a remote job. I also like the freedom to go wherever I want to go and that I can stay somewhere for a longer time and really get to know the culture.
Do you think there are disadvantages or that you’re missing something by working remotely?
Sometimes it is hard when you miss your family and friends. When you miss out on things back home, or when you are going through a rough time and don't have them around.
From what cities or countries have you worked since you have become remote? What are your favourite countries or cities to work from?
Indonesia (Bali and Sumatra), Denmark, and my homecountry Belgium.
From what type of places do you prefer to work? Home, co-working spaces, coffee shops, or others?
Home and co-working spaces.
What places would you like to travel to while working remotely?
There are too many to list :)
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? Share your remote productivity, communication, management, etc. tips based on your experience!
Finding a remote job was not easy, especially because Belgium is very conservative. The pandemic helped of course, but they are still not very open to it. My best tip is to network and to learn from other people.
When looking for a remote job, it is very different than looking for a job in the office. You really have to stand out and take your time to research the company before you apply. Try to already give value when applying to the job.
What tools do you use to improve productivity and manage work efficiently?
I never really had a problem with productivity or efficiency. What works for me is having a clear agenda for the day or the week. When you close up for the day, make sure you already know what you will do the next day. It makes it easier to get started. And also make sure you do stop on time.
It is a common mistake to keep working when you are working remotely. Make sure you have something planned at the end of the day so you have to stop working.
How do you manage your business and taxes as a remote working professional?
I am very organised, but I do have an accountant. I am still a resident in Belgium and pay taxes there.
What advice would you give to people looking to work remotely?
Trey to connect with other people who are working remotely. Join groups on social media and follow discussions. you will learn a lot from them and avoid very common mistakes.
Do you work on any side projects?
Yes, I am starting my own business where I want to help Belgian and Dutch people to find remote jobs.
Links to your side projects?
Would you like to share any interesting stories while you worked remotely? Please share if you can.
I am working in Sumatra right now next to the jungle. I was concerned about the internet connection. Usually it works really good, but sometimes it just disappears. So, when I worked, I went to the city for 5 days. Not very inspiring, going from nature to a hotel room in a grey city.
I talked to an English girl who teaches English lessons online and told me how to solve the internet connection issue. Since then I am just staying near the jungle and my internet connection works good. This shows how important it is to connect with other digital nomads and learn from them.
Lotte's website: https://remotewerk.be/
Lotte's Linkdeln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lotte-vanhalst-26ba9213a/
