I have quite a few UK based clients, so when I moved to Melbourne, Australia with my family in 2016, I wasn’t sure how my working week would go. Working during the night while the UK are awake was not something I could do with having a young family, but things have worked out surprisingly well.
My typical day starts at 7am with me checking my emails, design feeds and Trello boards while having my morning coffee. And then working from 9.30am to 4.30pm, with one or two hours more after dinner if I’m feeling creative. It works well with me having the school run in the morning and afternoon.
Planning is key
Using project management tools like Trello, I can organise the week to ensure I use my time efficiently.
I can get on with projects during the day without being interrupted by emails and phone calls. And, by the time the UK has awoken I’ve already completed the work and sent email updates ready for my clients for when they check their inbox in the morning.
They then have the full day to collate their feedback and send to me while I’m tucked away in bed, so it’s ready for me in the morning. And the cycle repeats.
Tricky tasks are easier
When it comes to working on complicated tasks, such as migrating ecommerce websites, I have the benefit of doing them during the middle of the British night (or my Aussie day). Thus, there are no interruptions for my client’s business, and I no longer have to rush to get everything completed in minimal time.
Mondays give me a headstart
Working from Australia gives me a one day advantage in that my Monday is still Sunday in the UK – we’re 9 hours ahead in the winter and 11 in summer.
It’s not until my Tuesday evening when my clients in the UK would have caught up, so having this extra day allows me to work on more difficult tasks if I need to so projects can progress on time.
Keeping contact is easier nowadays
Remote working is a growing industry and as a result, services like Slack, Skype, Google Hangouts, Trello and WhatsApp all help with maintaining contact in addition to good old email.
So, get in touch if you’re looking for an experienced freelance web designer for your next project – no matter where you are.