Surprising facts about remote work (and why it's hard to go back to the office)

This week's destination: English tech founder in Turkey 🇹🇷

Author

Chris Cerra
August 03, 2023

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Read time: 4min25


Welcome back (future) Remote Champ,

This week, we’re heading to a beautiful country that’s partly in Europe and partly in the Middle East: Turkey 🇹🇷

And we’re meeting a cool digital nomad & tech founder!

Ready? Let’s go 👇

👀 A glimpse of what you can expect today

  • 🇹🇷 Meet Niluka in Turkey

  • 🗣 Surprising truths about remote

  • 🧑‍🏫 A cool tip to help you land a remote job



 👋 Meet Niluka (🇹🇷)

Two weeks back, I had a call with Niluka Kavanagh, who’s been working remotely in Istanbul. Quick shout out to her for taking the time to speak to me over a coffee while working on her exciting tech start-up, tbc – the dating app that arranges great dates in minutes. She’s also the host of Breaking Boundaries with Niluka – a Youtube channel that documents her journey in combining career with travel.

So how did she end up nomadding in Istanbul?

Let’s go back to the start.

After 5 years of working in London (where she was actually pretty content in her job) she realised it was time for a change. The pandemic showed her that if she could do her job at home, why not go overseas? This, coupled with a strong desire to go into the start-up space, meant it was time to take that leap of faith. It was her dream to live abroad and work on her own business, so she just had to put the dots together, and voila!

Since initially taking a sabbatical in June 2022, Niluka has lived and worked remotely in 5 places: Valencia, Split, Chiang Mai, Lisbon, and Istanbul. She has many secrets to being productive, one of them is to go to co-working spaces BUT only if the vibe is right.

→ Choose your co-working space wisely and only go there if it inspires you!

As a young entrepreneur and digital nomad, she wants to share one message with all the readers: “If that same inner voice keeps telling you to go do that thing, do it. Take the leap - if you don’t try, you will never know!”

💡 Niluka’s Remote Work tips:

✅ Don't try to do too much at once
→ Digital nomads sometimes forget to factor in rest but this is key to staying productive!

✅ Try to keep meeting free days
→ Online meetings can be energy-draining. Don’t forget to take breaks in between calls.

✅ Find people who set your heart on fire
→ Speaking to people who inspire you or do cool things can make you feel more productive.

✅ Exercise!
→ No matter where you are/go, have an exercise routine. It keeps you productive!

🗽 Her must-see in Turkey:

The Egyptian Bazaar! A famous spice market in Istanbul. It was like nothing I've experienced before. Closely followed by the incredible Hague Sophia.

Get your company exposed to thousands of Digital Nomads! Contact Chris at [email protected]

🖥 Set-up of the week


Velina & Martin from Kavarna Bulgaria

Do you have a unique remote set-up you’d like to share with the world?
→ Hit “reply” and send me the picture + where it was taken!

🌍 Work from anywhere jobs

Is your company hiring for remote positions? Contact me to be featured in next week’s newsletter (WFA positions only).

🗣 Surprising truths about remote

I've got a cool article to share with you about remote working! It turns out that a lot of what we thought we knew about working from home is wrong. Workers at big companies like Amazon, Starbucks, and Google have been fighting for the option to work from home even after the pandemic. It's been surprising to see this level of corporate rebellion!

But wait, there's more! Studies show that remote work doesn't necessarily hurt productivity. In fact, a mix of remote and in-person work seems to have a positive impact on performance. So, companies are finding ways to make it work.

Here's another interesting twist: the countries where remote work is most popular are English-speaking ones like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It's not just about income levels; there's something unique about language that makes a difference. Researchers are still trying to figure out why, but it's fascinating, right?

In any case, the future looks promising for remote work, like a Nike swoosh - it might dip a bit, but it will likely rise again. With technology making remote work easier and more start-ups adopting this style, it's becoming a trend that's here to stay. So, if you're into remote work, you're in good company!

Read the whole article here

🧑‍🏫 Tips to land a remote job  

Now you know where to look for a Remote Job, how to make a good resume, and the questions to ask during an interview, it’s time for another tip from Kristin Vierra, the Remote Career Coach 🔥

This week, it’s a short but important one!

TIP OF THE WEEK: 

Attend remote-first events to network and gain knowledge about remote best practices.

As you're remote job searching, you want to continue to expand your remote knowledge and toolkit.

These events are a great way to learn from industry experts and network. Resources like FlexJobs and PowertoFly often host virtual job fairs. You will also gain additional talking points to highlight in job interviews.

🗞 The Remote Work Gazette

  • Here's How to Inquire About Remote Work During An Interview | National. Read more

  • 7 Best Remote Jobs for Young Professionals, According to Career Experts. Read more

  • Airbnb employee says returning to office would be a ‘hard sell’ after Work From Anywhere travel in South America. Read more

🏋️‍♀️ Remote move challenge

✅ Want your health & motivation to be on point?

Do the Remote Move Challenge with me. This week' we’ll:

  • Have a 20’ walk every day right after lunch

  • Dedicated 1 hour per day to working while standing

  • Challenge a friend for a 7-day sit-up contest (can be any contest)

A new challenge, another week of good health and motivation 💪 

Which remote work buddy of yours would love this newsletter?
Be a good friend & transfer Destination Remote so they can subscribe here ✌️

Remotely yours from Mauritius 🇲🇺,

Alex

PS: I’m on a mission to meet a remote worker in every country. See my progression here and contact me if you are currently working remotely from a country I haven’t checked on the map yet.