Hear from Dana

My Remote Journey: Connecting Across Borders

1. Why did you decide to pick a remote assignment in the first place?

My remote journey actually started long before the rest of the world caught on. Way back in 2012, while working at HP, we were offered a hybrid schedule: two days at home, three in the office. I jumped at the chance. For me, it was a breath of fresh air. It gave me the opportunity to spend more time with my dog, cook healthy meals at home, and take actual, quiet breaks away from the constant buzz of office chatter. It was a huge, incredibly positive shift in my life.

2. What were your expectations upfront?

Honestly, transitioning to working from home wasn’t a strange concept for me. As due to my tech role, I was already used to working “on-call” shifts after hours and during weekends, so my home setup was already good to go. I knew what it felt like to log in from anywhere, so my expectations were simply that I’d get to scale up the lifestyle benefits I had already tasted during my hybrid days.

3. How did you experience working fully remote in the end?

The true shift came after COVID, which evolved into a lifestyle of total geographical freedom. Fully remote work became my passport. It gave me the incredible liberty to travel, move, and explore the world without putting my career on pause.

The most beautiful realization of this setup is my current collaboration with the Balean Foundation. Here I am, working away in Canada, collaborating seamlessly with a team based in the Netherlands. In a traditional 9-to-5 office world, this partnership literally wouldn’t be possible. It’s an amazing example to what remote work can achieve.

4. What did you like about working from home and why?

The biggest gift is the balance you can create in terms of quality of life and flexibility. Back in my hybrid days, my commute was only 15 minutes by bus, so I never hated going to the office…I actually enjoyed the in-person meetings and hanging out with coworkers. But nothing beats the autonomy of a remote day.

I love being with my dog all day!! eating better because I can cook in my own kitchen, and taking truly productive breaks. Instead of pacing an office hallway, I can step outside for a walk, soak up some sunlight, and completely reset. As long as you respect synchronous work, show up for meetings, and hit your deliverables, you can organize your time to build a truly healthy life.

5. What were your biggest challenges and why?

It hasn’t been without its hurdles. First, if you don’t have a quiet, organized space to focus, it can become incredibly stressful. Second, it is shockingly easy to lose track of time. When I’m in a physical office, I’m hyper-aware of the clock because I eventually want to pack up and go home. At home? I frequently find myself working more hours because the boundary isn’t there.

Lastly, you have to manage the people around you who don’t understand the “WFH” concept. I recall during my first year of wfh, my mom used to ask if she could come over and spend the afternoon hanging out with me since I was “at home.” I’d have to say, “Mom, I’m working!”…but it just didn’t seem to click for her at first! :)

6. What are some tips to give to other people when working from home?

• Establish Firm Boundaries: Set clear limits not just for yourself, but for the family and friends around you so they know when you are locked in.
• Curate Your Environment: Invest in a clean, quiet, and dedicated workspace. It changes your entire mental state. And of course an excellent Internet
  connection!
• Break the Monotony: Staying inside the same four walls all day can start to feel repetitive. Force yourself to get out. Go to a library, a local co-working space, or make a strict rule to go for a walk right after you close your laptop to signal the end of the day.

7. Any other thoughts you may want to share.

To me, the ability to choose a remote assignment is one of the greatest gifts of modern work. It allows you to connect with the rest of the world and build a career from literally anywhere on the planet. Embrace it, protect your boundaries, and enjoy the global community it opens up for you!