Remote work has become synonymous with the global pandemic, but is it temporary, or should we all plan to say farewell to the office for good? Twitter has already gone all-in, saying that most of their employees don’t have to return to a physical office ever! Other companies have and will continue to follow suit. This means location independence may be within reach for all those aspiring digital nomads, snowbirds, and bicoastal lifestylers!
Since remote work is likely here to stay, where would you live if you could live anywhere? I’ve been asking my friends this question all week, and it seems people are in two camps, those that rattle off a list of locations because they’ve been waiting to jump on an opportunity like this and others that never thought this would be possible, so they’ve never given it any thought. Many of us live outside of our ideal locations because we have to be close to work. I suspect that removing that requirement would open up a variety of possibilities for people. Maybe it will allow some of us to move closer to family, save money in a cheaper location, or immerse ourselves in a new culture.
As an @_inspiredtraveler, I sit in the first camp and have always dreamed about splitting time between two locations every year. (Feel free to guess my ideal locations in the comments.) As exciting as location independence sounds, there are a variety of things to consider, and you know I got you! Here a few things to think about before embracing location independence:
*Disclaimer: I realize I’m writing from a position of privilege because some jobs can’t be remote. It’s important to acknowledge this and think about those that live different within different parameters than your own.*
Taxes
Oh yeah, it’s that complicated T-word that many of us find very confusing! Location independence takes a certain level of planning to ensure you are compliant with taxes in your home state or country. Your obligations may look different, but will usually still exist to some extent.
Immigration
How long can you legally stay in another country? Now, this is a can of worms that probably needs its own blog post (and professional legal advice), but it’s important to know the law of the land and make sure you have the right type of visa for your stay.
Company Policies
Although some companies support remote work domestically, their compliance or risk offices may not allow employees to work outside of the country. Make sure you know where your company stands!
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I want to share a quote I read in The New Normal Isn’t Remote Work. It’s Better, “work is something you do, not somewhere you go.” Let’s keep that in mind as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to reshape the world. We should all embrace possibilities that will help us live our most full, robust, and rewarding lives.
Before you go, tell me where you would live if you could live anywhere? Share your answers in the comments.
Thanks for stopping by!
Stay Inspired,
Shedisha Abby
