Do you know it’s been SIX years since the referendum on whether the UK should leave or remain in the EU?
Thinking back to the time of the referendum I remember thinking ‘I’ll never forget this period.’ It felt truly all consuming. SIX years on, and hands up, I had to Google when the referendum was whilst writing this article. I could not remember if it was 2016 or 2017. Maybe we do have short memories after all.
Summer 2022 and Brexit now feels like it’s on a far, far, far, forgotten back-burner. I can’t remember the last time it came up in a work context. The pandemic saw to that but being honest the pandemic now seems on the back burner too. It was only SIX months ago we were all sweating on whether we’d be able to see our friends and family following the news another COIVD variant had hit. Maybe we do have short memories after all.
Summer 2022 and we are not talking about Covid, we are not talking about Brexit, so what are we talking about? The Jubilee, Glastonbury, whether Gareth Southgate is playing enough attacking football or not, yeah, these things are good for debate, but you’re talking a one-week topic max.
Summer 2022 and the national debate continues to be working practices. Don’t get me wrong, the cost of living, and inflation will encroach on this as 2022 progresses into the second half, but for the last 12 months, working practices has been an all-consuming conversation:
- Are you an office angel?
- Are you a TWAT (hybrid worker who only goes in on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday?)
- Are you a fully remote person?
- Are you team WFH (work from home?)
- Are you unsure?
- What type of business are you?
- What type of business culture do you want to have?
- Which working practice will best help hiring during a time when ‘it’s hard to hire?’
Where do I sit, what is the working practice at Digital 51, and what are my thoughts? Are you really here for that?
Let’s be honest if I had a strong view on the matter, I would probably have it plastered all over my LinkedIn feed, and be debating every man, woman, and work selfie dog out there. That’s what we do now right?
My view is actually quite boring, I believe every person and business is different. I don’t believe working practices are a binary matter. I believe what works for one person, or one business, won’t necessarily then work for the next. It’s complicated, it’s definitely not as simplistic as some LinkedIn posters make it out to be.
If we try and make working practice a binary discussion it won’t work, it will get messy, and people will lose interest. We have a recent example of something like that if you think back SIX years.
I will however say this; I think work from home is a boring option.
I understand the flexibility it gives people, I understand that families, and parents in particular will wax absolutely lyrical about how they could not live without working from home, in some was shape or form. I mean, lets be honest, they can live without it, as they did for hundreds of years pre 2020. But that’s by the by, working from home is here, and it’s loved by many.
I say it’s boring though.
If I have to accept we do live in a binary world, then I need to adopt a binary view on this matter; working from home is boring. That’s my binary view.
If I was team ‘I don’t want to work in an office,’ and I can totally see why people will take that view, I would be more adventurous with my mindset. I would not want to be team ‘I’ll work from the back bedroom, and dream about going to work in my pyjama bottoms, because it’s good for my soul.’ I would be more adventurous than that.
If I was team remote working, then I would be exactly that; remote. I’d be upping sticks, renting out my house, giving up my share house, or giving up my flat, and heading out into the world. If I was team WFH, then I would make my home somewhere truly exciting.
What an amazing opportunity many people have right now, to go, live, breathe, and see somewhere completely different whilst still being able to work.
Wo what are my options, where would I be able to go, on this magical working tour:
- WFB – Have you seen Bali are preparing to offer a FIVE year remote working visa? I could say to hell with the time difference, and I would become someone who WFB (works from Bali.)
- WFP – Do you know Portugal is on the same time as the UK? Portugal is one of the only countries in Europe to follow our time pattern, and it’s beautiful, and it’s only a couple of hours away, and they make those gorgeous little tarts. Yes, if not WFB, I’d be WFP (work from Portugal.)
- Zoom Island – When the pandemic first hit Madeira was one of the first places to throw open it’s doors to embrace the ‘Digital Nomad.’ They improved the quality of the internet on the island, threw some desks in spare rooms, and branded themselves ‘Zoom island.’ Now there are hundreds of people from around the world living and working from Madeira. Yes, I could definitely be WFM.
- WFC – Barbados has a remote working visa, Aruba is looking into one, literally you could be WFB, or WFA, essentially WFC (work from the Caribbean!)
The options are endless, and increasing.
What a time! What an opportunity! What are you waiting for, start searching for your next WF letter now!
Work from home is boring, work from anywhere is where it’s at.
Yes there are lots of hurdles you’ll need to get over, from discussions with family members, your mortgage/rent provider, and your employer. You may even need to quit your job and go freelance due to the tax complications of working from anywhere, but surely the once in a lifetime opportunity to travel and work anywhere is worth a few hurdles?
I’d love nothing more than to be TEN years younger and deciding what to do with my working life right now. Honestly, if I was in that position, no way would I be working from home, so I could sleep more, or binge Netflix at lunch. I would be a fully fledged Digital Nomad.
I’m not TEN years younger though unfortunately. I’m 41 with a beautiful young family, and beautiful home, which I am decorating (so real life,) plus I like going into work every-day, it’s all I’ve ever known. I know what you are thinking, I’m just using these things as excuses aren’t I? How can I call you out from WFH, when I am just ‘old fashioned?!’
You could be right, but then again I’m not the one reading this from a room which used to have a futon in it, but now has an Ikea desk in it, as I’m team WFH.
Go on, live a little, go full Nomad………………………….see you on Zoom Island?!
This article was written by Simon Brown, Founder of Digital 51 and frustrated Digital Nomad. Why don’t you message Simon on to tell him what team you are one when it comes to working practices?