Working remotely is an increasingly popular option for many employees. During COVID-19, even more people began to work virtually from home for safety reasons. But even before the global pandemic, 43% of US employees were already working remotely at least some of the time. The pandemic has only seen that number grow.
Some people are finding HomeExchange offers a way for them to work from anywhere in the world. During the day, they can work from their home exchange, and in the evenings and weekends they're able to explore a new place. Sometimes, you can even bring your pet along!
"My job went remote in May, which is why I signed up for HomeExchange," says Jessica. "I'm currently working in a HomeExchange flat in Paris."
Michelle, another HomeExchanger, has been working from home exchanges for years. "I love home exchanging as a vital part of the remote work semi nomad lifestyle, as I love traveling and especially while living as a local," she shares. "It’s essential to be able to set up more of a regular life and routine, and with home exchanging, you have a kitchen, shop locally, cook more at home."
Her only requirements when finding a home exchange to work from? WiFi and coffee, of course! She has traveled to and worked from Los Angeles, Bali, Rio, Mexico, London, Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and more. She even met her now boyfriend during a six-week exchange in LA.
Michelle shares some tips for arranging home exchanges for remote work.
- Consider a longer term exchange (a month is ideal). Find tips to arrange a long term exchange here.
- Look for an area with similar culture, weather, and the same language to start. This is not a vacation, but your regular life in a new location.
- Keep time zones in mind, or you may find yourself regularly on Zoom calls with coworkers at odd hours.
- Explore locally when you are not working. Just a short train trip or even a weekend home exchange in a different part of the city is a good way to get to know the area.
- Make sure your hosts have good WiFi, or ask them for suggestions of a nearby cafe you can work from.
If you're interested in a long-term exchange, consider joining the “Long-term exchangers” group (under "My Profile"). In that group, you can easily find members who are also interested in long-term exchanges— and they can find you and send proposals!
