My Change to Smart Working

Today’s post has me smiling already.. Ross Good, a now frequent Abodoo guest blogger (we’re so lucky) continues his story from pensions, to tech startups, to hilarious conversations and much more!

‘What would my life be like if I had the flexibility in my role to work from anywhere?’

This is a question I’m pretty sure a remote / smart worker doesn’t ask themselves too often I’d imagine (but I’m happy to be corrected). But it is a big question for those in a role with zero flexibility. For those in a rigid role, they could be forgiven for thinking ‘so that’s how the other half live?’ (albeit from a work perspective as opposed to a money perspective).

I’m a fan of Smart Working but I think it’s only fair to point out it is not for everybody. For some, I’d imagine it’s of no interest to them. I know some friends of mine who love the structure of having to be somewhere for a set time each day. It helps to motivate them. The interaction with others face to face is essential.

I also know this because I was one of them – for a while anyway.

During this time for me, I was only concerned with what I got out of work. I was young. Thought I knew it all. However, I wasn’t thinking about the bigger picture. Important issues which in today’s world take a centre stage and rightly so. Issues which affect us all – such as:

• Congestion
• Emissions from Cars
• Our Carbon Footprint
• Reusing &/or Redistributing Leftover Food
• Renewable Energy Sources

Smart Working contributes in a positive way to the above points. Think about it. Working from home means fewer cars on the road. This helps to reduce harmful emissions into the air we breath. Congestion (& the associated stress) reduces and so on.

Add these reasons to the points from my previous post and the benefits of Smart Working are seriously starting to make sense. When you consider all of this is not only possible but the fact that it is happening without any loss in productivity from an individual &/or team perspective is amazing and for me, it’s a no-brainer.

New Balls please!

At the time of me leaving the financial world, the concept of Smart Working was still alien to me. Jesus was that about to change! From Pensions to a Tech Start Up – these worlds simply couldn’t have been at further ends of the spectrum if they tried.

Everything I had been used to had just been turned on its head. I had gone from rigid to loose (not a euphemism btw 🙂 ) in the click of a finger and I loved it.

No strict start or end times. No suits. No requirement to be clean shaven. You want to grow a beard? – knock yourself out sunshine. Wear flip flops? Rock on. The lead had been released and I was barking at the cars like a madman – or dog – agh, you get what I mean!

I may make it sound like a haven for chilling out but my God, we worked. We worked hard and we made serious progress. We just did it in a very cool and relaxed way and it was great. It was fun to go to work. And this was still before I got the bug for Smart Working.

Transition Time

When I first started working remotely, the amount of time I was asked the same/similar  questions over and over was crazy. More often than not, they’d go something like:

Q: You’re working from home now? How?

A: Laptop. Internet. Phone runs over VOIP (que blank stare)

Q: What about your boss? Does she/he not think you’re pulling the piss?

A: It’s clear I’m not. They can see me online (more blank stares)

Q: So your boss has X-Ray vision?

A: Well, you’ve heard about this ‘new’ thing called the internet right?(!) They know when I’m online. When I update a shared doc or client file etc

Q: But seriously, does the loneliness not drive you mad? I’d go nuts

A: Absolutely not

Q: Seriously?

A: Serious. Because I’m not alone. I’m online & visible to all my team who I video call every day. I’m there – except I’m not actually there if you get me?!

Q: No mate, I don’t get you

A: Right so 🙂

Smart Working had me. When I closed the door, I was in the ‘office’. Ready to work. Ready to get lost in what needed to be completed. Happy. Contented. Focused.

If Smart Working isn’t an option for you, I’d ask you to share this post & others from the Abodoo site to your boss. There is a better, Smarter way to world in today’s world.

Read other posts from Ross Good’s Series:

Chapter 1: My Journey to SmartWorking

Chapter 2: My Change to SmartWorking

Chapter 3: ‘Goodbye Office – Hello Home’

Chapter 4: ‘My Startups, Health and SmartWorking’

Guest Blogger:

‘Ross Good is a Full Time Stay at Home Dad looking after his two girls and dog. He gave up work after needing 4 stents inserted into his heart at 37 due to hereditary Heart Disease. Since becoming a SAHD, he blogs at The Stented Papa and was the only Irish Daddy blogger finalist for the Best Parenting Award at the Boots Maternity & Infant Awards 2017. He has appeared in a number of TV shows and has recently started a new business with his wife Mel called Booky Wooky.’