Here are my notes for the fourth section, “Beware the Dragons.”
- Cabin fever… it seems like you would expect this if you’re working by yourself for long periods. How you manage this seems personal (e.g., introverts and extroverts). There are ways to find other times to connect, such as meetups.
- Having more control over your schedule opens up other options that were otherwise inconvenient — getting to the gym at lunch instead of after the work day, being available to pick up your kids in the late afternoon.
- Coworking spaces… Geoff made a sarcastic comment about being remote but going to an office. Jameson clarified that the difference is that these people likely don’t work with you (i.e., your company, your team); however, they’re still present with you, so they can be distractions.
- Houston said you need to consider the whole commute, not just to/from work. For example, if you live in a smaller city but work in a larger city, it may be more convenient for you to do stuff while you’re near the office.
- Managers need to set the standard of leaving on time. This is another example of good things to do regardless of whether you’re remote or not. You need self-accountability to stop work at a certain time.
- We all liked the idea of having an ergonomics course to cover how to properly use office equipment. Some companies offer stipends for setting up your home office with ergonomically correct gear.
- Jameson shared a story of a previous job where he had multiple desks over a short period of time. He couldn’t ever “set down roots” anywhere. You need some sense of permanence, so a home office helps with this — you can make your space personal. A by-product of moving desks so frequently was that Jameson didn’t feel welcomed (like Office Space). People need psychological safety over things they can control (e.g., putting personal touches on your workspace).
- Mind the gut… Jameson said he could physically feel he wasn’t as active; he got pent up energy, like he needed to get up and move. Being remote means you have a higher likelihood of choosing healthier options (e.g., going to the kitchen to make a sandwich vs. stopping by Taco Bell). You also have more energy to prepare healthier dinners because you’re energy tank isn’t as empty and you’re not rushed.
- We all agreed with the idea of having an entire team remote — not just one person as a trial. Otherwise you don’t feel the pain points of things not working, or empathize with others feeling the same issues.
- Working with clients… building trust, delivering often, being available. This felt like a no-brainer to us — this is being Agile, not about being remote.
- Taxes, accounting, laws… Geoff thought this could be a turn-off for companies if they’re not already set up for this kind of thing. Jameson said some companies get around this by hiring people as contractors instead of full-time employees. This shunts the problem to the employees, though. Another alternative is to find people via a staffing/recruiting company.
- Some companies want pictures or videos of where you’ll be working remotely so they can trust the stipend is warranted and that you have the ability to present yourself professionally should the need arise.
Meta comment: With this book (compared to The Phoenix Project), it feels like we’re getting more out of the group conversations than the book itself.