Remote Work Success: How to Thrive Outside the Office

Remote work is often called “work from home.” But home is not the only setting you can choose. In fact, you can work almost anywhere as long as you have access to the necessary equipment. A lot of remote work can be done from a library, coffee shop, or even from a sunny spot on the beach. It is convenient and saves a lot of money both for employees and employers. It also gives an employee their dream job and allows an employer to source talent globally. 

In 2021, 75% of employees expressed interest in working remotely at least once a week. In 2023, 91% of remote employees were satisfied with their working conditions. And in 2024, remote employees showed the highest levels of engagement at work, especially when compared to on-site workers. Despite that, many people are reluctant to switch to remote work. We want to discuss and debunk some of the misconceptions about it. This way, you will be able to decide if it is the right choice for you. 

Is Remote Work Declining?

A common view is that employers do not like remote work. And some do not! It is true that in 2023, a lot of employers, including Google, Apple, and Amazon, demanded a return to their offices. However, return-to-office mandates favored hybrid approaches to work, with three days in the office. In the same year, 28% of employees globally were working remotely. In other words, even Google being against it was not the end of remote work.

So remote work is definitely not disappearing anytime soon. It is clear why: it saves employees and employers a lot of money. There is no need for offices, desks, and other equipment, as well as food and water — the employees can get all of that at home. For employees, there is no need for long commutes and expensive lunches if they are working from home. In fact, instead of hiring employees, an employer can become a client to freelancers. Fewer expenses and less responsibility mean that remote work is here to stay.

Moreover, Forbes reports that data mostly shows increases in productivity for remote workers. It can be a growth of 5% or 15%, but either way, a comfortable environment seems to improve workers’ ability to perform their tasks. Therefore, it would be strange for this more effective and less expensive mode of work to stop existing in the near future.

Are the Earnings Lower for Remote Workers?

Remote employees and freelancers make different amounts of money depending on numerous factors. Some of them would, indeed, receive more at an office, but they save on commuting and lunches. Moreover, 75% of remote employees earn at least $65,000 per year, which is an impressive number. What is more important, a lot of employees would be willing to be paid 5% to 20% less just so that they could work remotely. 

In other words, it is not exactly a myth that remote employees earn less. After all, there is no standard pay for a remote employee or freelancer in every field of work. However, lower wages are not a must either. Remote workers can receive substantial payments.

Is Remote Work Just for Millennials?

The idea that remote work is for younger workers is simply false. Research suggests that an average telecommuter is over 45 years old. In other words, not only millennials choose this mode of work. It — along with freelancing — is especially convenient for people who have responsibilities at home. That can be young children or elderly people who require care. In addition, remote work is a good choice for older people who are after a few more sources of income for their retirement. Overall, the advantages of remote work attract people of different ages.

Can Anyone Work Remotely?

The assumption that not everybody is made for remote work is not really a myth. There is some truth to it. You can probably find remote work or a freelancing gig regardless of your qualities, but you do need certain characteristics to thrive online.

• Self-discipline. You need to be able to organize your own working hours. Be ready to create a schedule and follow it religiously.
• Good communicator. You need to be able to communicate issues in time using technology. You need to know how to use your chosen mode of communication (for example, Slack or Teams). Also, you need to be effective at text messages and online calls.
• Be ready to make decisions without the support of your team. They might be on the other side of the world and inaccessible when you need them. You must be self-sufficient and ready to take on responsibility.

Of course, all of these qualities can be worked upon. It is not like you always have to be bad at self-discipline; you can learn to be better at it. In fact, you can learn to be better at remote work. Still, some modes of work are just not suitable for some people. So, if these requirements seem too much for you, you should not choose remote work. 

Is There an Industry That Is Better-Equipped for Remote Work?

Of course there is! Engineering, consulting, and communications are the fastest-growing industries in terms of remote work in the third quarter of 2025. However, do not let this make you believe the myth that remote work is just for IT specialists. Marketing, logistics, finance, teaching, and many more sectors can become remote opportunities if your boss or client agrees to support that idea. There is definitely enough remote work to go around!

Do You Feel Lonely Working Remotely?

Whether or not you feel lonely while working remotely depends on you and your team. Naturally, you do not get to have lunch with your colleagues when you work remotely. You cannot take a break with them. You are not invited to their parties (unless you live nearby). Research does suggest that in-person collaborations can be more robust.

However, you can still communicate, and a good company and team would encourage that. You need to feel a sense of belonging to truly experience loyalty. As a result, it is not surprising that many remote teams still hold team-building activities. 

An alternative solution is to go out and meet people. They will not work with you, but they will satisfy your need for communication. So do not let remote work starve you of human connection.

Can You Be a Remote Manager?

A common misconception is that managerial duties have to be carried out in an office. In addition, a remote, geographically scattered team complicates the activity. However, there are solutions to these challenges.

• Communicate well. That is the primary issue in remote teams; communication through technology might not feel the same as in person. Still, you need to master this type of communication. Check in often, monitor the processes remotely, and communicate in a timely manner through suitable channels (text or audio/video conferences).
• Make sure that everyone is on the same page. That is connected to communication but has more to do with expectations. Ensure that your team knows what is expected of them. 
• Be approachable. Your team will need to ask you questions sometimes. Be ready to help them.
• Encourage a feeling of belonging. You are still a team! You might never see each other in person, but you are dedicated to the same goals. A good remote manager reminds the team that they are not just working together but building something special. And if you can, bring them to a getaway every now and then. It might be costly, but it is incredibly impactful.

Overall, you can be a remote manager. You just need to try.

How Do You Know When to Stop Working?

It is not really a myth because some people do fall into the trap of being perpetually available. However, it does not have to be true for you. Remote work does not mean “always online.”

Some remote positions come with a schedule, but many, especially where freelance is concerned, do not. As a result, it is not uncommon for employees to feel like they are always at work. Few workplaces would actually require you to work around the clock and be available at all times. But positions with flexible hours come with the challenge of drawing a line between working time and free time. 

Solutions are mostly in making a schedule and sticking to it. Creating a home office might also help. If all else fails, you can work outside the house, for example, at a library (if that suits your type of job). Overall, you can avoid this pitfall of remote work.

I’m always working. I work wherever I am.

L'Wren Scott, fashion designer

What About Meetings?

It is not really a myth that online meetings differ from face-to-face ones. However, it is a myth that a team cannot exist solely through online meetings. 

Still, online meetings require some forethought. At the very least, you need to figure out which tools you can use. Fortunately, there are some free or freemium options. For example, group meetings in Zoom are limited to 40 minutes, but you can re-enter a call after that if needed.

Some research suggests that there are limitations to what you can do in an online meeting. A 2022 article found that an online conference might be less helpful for creativity than a face-to-face one. It is also generally accepted that in-person communication is more natural, promotes collaboration, and builds stronger relationships. Online communication depends on technology as well, which may not always be available or working properly.

However, online meetings are very convenient. They can connect you from anywhere, and all the software needed for that is accessible. To this day, people prefer in-person meetings for serious events. However, that might not be an option in the modern age. Online meetings can work for most cases that do not require a special connection. And sometimes, experts claim that online meetings are as good as face-to-face ones.

Are There Drawbacks for Remote Work?

We have alluded to that, but remote work is not an ideal approach. In fact, no mode of work is perfect, and there are limitations to remote work as well. Here are a few of them.

• Despite all its benefits, remote workers seem to experience more stress than on-site workers. However, it is not clear what is causing this effect. Given that hybrid workers are even more stressed, it does not have to be remote work. Sadness, anger, and loneliness are other feelings remote workers are likely to experience. Feeling isolated can be a problem.
• Remote work does not have to lack employee interactions. However, it is more difficult to arrange for time together when your team is remote. As a result, the team members might be less close to each other. They might interact for nothing other than work, and that can limit their loyalty to the company and each other.
• Being autonomous is generally a benefit, but autonomy can also mean more stress. It is especially true if the employees cannot communicate regarding issues at work and are forced to resolve them on their own.
• Technology can be a problem since it does not always work smoothly. That is true for non-remote work as well, but for remote work, it can mean having to stop all operations more often.

In Conclusion

In the end, remote work is just another option. It has its limitations, but many of them can be solved with some dedication. For example, you can establish a schedule to avoid always feeling online and invest in some video conferencing software to feel more connected to your team. The preconceptions presented here are not always completely untrue. But you can always try to make them untrue and learn how to work remotely in a way that is comfortable for you.