Scott Dawson - The Art of Working Remotely: How to Thrive in a Distributed Workplace

Knight Rose Press

knightrosepress.com

Trumansburg, NY, USA

Copyright 2019 by Scott Dawson

All rights reserved, including the right of

reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

ISBN 978-1-7339913-2-2

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019908212

Authors Note

I recreated events and conversations as faithfully as I could from memory. I changed or omitted some names and characteristics to maintain individual privacy.

For Amy, Elizabeth, and Xander

I see the distributed aspects of the Internet and technology playing a key role in the decentralization of the workplace. To be successful, I feel that one must have both a satisfying personal and professional life. Without a satisfying personal life, the professional will slip.

Scott Dawson, Fall 1997

Foreword

I ve worked remotely for twenty-one years. This book is about my experience working remotely as a full-time user experience (UX) designer and web developer. Twenty years is a lot of wireframes, web pages, and work-related travel. It is a variety of managers, projects, and remote cultures. Working remotely has been such a positive influence on my personal and professional life. Im so excited to share the lessons I learned!

I worked (and work) for companies with offices in New York City. The Big Apple is the mothership, if you will. I live five hours away in a small town outside Ithaca, New York. My wife and I built a custom home, live a fit lifestyle, and breathe country air. We have two wonderful children and one very happy rabbit. My business card says Im a web designer and developer, but people whove worked with me are more likely to say Im a really effective remote worker.

Remote work is on the rise in the United States. Gallup reported that, in 2016, 43% of U.S. employees worked remotely in some capacity, up from 39% in 2012. According to the 2017 State of Telecommuting in the U.S. Employee Workforce, the number of US workers doing at least half of their job from a non-office location more than doubled between 2005 and 2015.

When I tell people about my situation, they usually say they could never work remotely. They say it would take too much discipline. Then the questions borne from intrigue start:

How do you stay motivated?

How do you stay connected?

How do you avoid staying out of sight and out of mind?

Ive answered these questions (and many more) for friends and colleagues who want to work remotely. One of my colleagues asked me for tips in a poignant instant messaging thread. He was struggling as a new father who recently started working remotely. He was having trouble finding his groove and was having trouble getting his work done. That messaging thread turned out to be the catalyst for this book.

If youve jumped into the weekly #remotechat devoted to remote work, weve already met each other virtually. I created the Twitter chat several years ago and moderate the questions each week. Read more about it at artofworkingremotely.com. Its a great way for remote workers to meet each other and share information.

This book contains my own (often humorous) stories from 20 years of remote work, tips for setting up a quality workspace, and behaviors and practices that contribute to success outside the walls of a traditional office setting.

In The Making of Me , I share stories that helped me grow professionally. The takeaways from each story will help you, too, wherever you work.

The Space covers the physical aspects of a quality remote workplace. How can you set up an effective work area? What infrastructure will you need? What about office pets? What should you wear? How can you keep from raiding the pantry?

The Habits reviews behaviors and practices that can contribute to remote worker success. How can you manage remote teams and be a good remote employee yourself? What is good communication and how can you promote transparency with what youre working on? What are the key habits employers are looking for in remote employees?

At the end of some chapters, youll find some tips and takeaways that I found valuable in each story.

If youre new to working remotely, Im sure you will find something here that will help you get started on the right track. If youre a veteran, I hope you find a tip or two to help you have a renewed relationship with your remote work lifestyle.

Id like to dedicate this book to my family. My wife has been with me on this remote work journey right from the start, supporting me through the tough times and celebrating the successes. My kids were born and raised during the years I worked remotely, and remote works inherent flexibility helped me change countless diapers, be there for unmissable moments, and support them as they grew into fine young adults.

Heres to living the remote work life!

I: The Making of Me

These are the stories that helped me grow professionally.

The takeaways from each story will help you, too,

wherever you work.

A Fresh Coat of Sirloin (1991-1995)

I worked at Taughannock Farms Inn, an upscale restaurant and B&B, during summer breaks in my college years. The Farms, as locals called it, overlooked picturesque Cayuga Lake in Central New York. I started washing dishes there when I worked in high school. I graduated to bussing tables, helping in the kitchen, and waiting on tables as the years wore on. It was hard work and the hours flew by.

I also worked a second job in my alma maters maintenance department. My shift was from 7:30 to 3:30, after which I took a short break at home to change, and resumed work at the Farms from 4:30 to closing time. The timing between the jobs was perfect. The schedule was grueling, but what an education! I arrived at the schools maintenance shed shortly after 7 and sat with the rest of the crew as they trickled in. Sometimes there were donuts on offer. I often drank the incredibly strong coffee. There was always playful joking and ribbing as the clock clicked closer to 7:30.

I worked on the painting crew. To call us a crew was generous: it was me and an adult named Melanie. I was an indoor cat, and the other summer intern was an outdoor cat: Brian (who was younger than me) got to mow lawn each day. I was rather jealous for a few reasons. He got to drive this huge tractor while Id only experienced operating a small John Deere riding mower for my summer lawn mowing jobs. He got to be in the sun all day and would end his summer with bronzed skin. All Id end up with was an office tan.