Remote Work Practicalities and Coworking

Working remotely from another country sounds simple: open the laptop and log in. In practice, the job depends on a few things that are easy to take for granted at home: a reliable connection, a quiet place, overlapping hours with your team and access to the systems you use. This guide covers each.

It does not cover visas or taxes. For the visa side in Brasil, see The digital nomad visa. For US tax questions, see US taxes from abroad.

Time zones

The time difference with your team shapes your day more than anything else.

• Map the overlap. Write down the hours when you and your team are all awake and working. Protect those hours for meetings and quick answers.
• Watch daylight saving time. The US changes clocks twice a year. Your overlap can shift by an hour without warning. Put the dates in your calendar.
• Show your time zone in your calendar and chat profile, so colleagues know when you are available.
• Write things down. In a distributed team, a clear written update replaces many meetings.

Internet, with a backup

• Test before you sign a lease. Ask the landlord or neighbors which providers serve the building. Run a speed test during a video call, not just at midnight. See Utilities and condominium fees.
• Have a backup. A mobile data plan with enough data to tether your laptop for a day is the simplest. An eSIM can be added in minutes. See Staying connected abroad.
• Protect against power cuts. A small uninterruptible power supply for the router can keep you online through short outages.
• Know a fallback place. A cafe or coworking space you can reach quickly if the home connection fails.

A place to work

Working from home every day can get lonely, and some apartments are not built for it.

Coworking spaces offer desks, meeting rooms, reliable internet and other people. They usually sell:

• Day passes, good for trying a place.
• Hot desks, any free seat, for a monthly fee.
• Fixed desks or private offices, for more privacy.

Before you commit, visit at the time you would work. Check the noise, the chairs, the call booths, the air conditioning and the internet speed.

Cafes work for a few hours of focused work. Buy something regularly, avoid the lunch rush, and do not take calls in a quiet cafe.

Access and security

• Company policies. Some employers restrict where you can work from, or which networks you can use. Check before you move, in writing.
• Logins from abroad can trigger security blocks. Keep your US number and two-factor methods working. See US mail, phone number and two-factor codes.
• Public networks. Use your company's VPN, or your own, on cafe and coworking networks.
• Hardware. A laptop failure abroad takes longer to fix. Back up your work and know where you could buy or repair a laptop locally.

Ergonomics

Furnished apartments rarely come with a good desk and chair. A laptop stand, a separate keyboard and mouse, and a decent chair make a big difference over months. Buying locally avoids voltage problems; see Voltage, plugs and power outlets.

Routine

• Keep regular start and stop times.
• Get out of the apartment every day.
• Build local connections outside work; coworking events and language classes help.

Checklist

1. Map your overlap hours with the team.
2. Note the US daylight saving dates.
3. Test the internet before you sign a lease, and set up a mobile backup.
4. Try a coworking day pass.
5. Confirm your employer's policy on working abroad.
6. Set up a proper desk and chair.

Common questions

Is coworking worth the cost? For many people, yes, for the reliable internet and the routine. Try a day pass first.

Should I tell my employer where I am? Yes. Working from another country can have legal and tax effects for the employer as well as for you.

Mistakes to avoid

• Signing a lease before testing the internet. Test during a call, at the hours you work.
• Forgetting daylight saving time. Your meeting times can move by an hour.
• Working from the bed or sofa for months. Your back will notice. Set up a real desk early.
• Having no plan for an outage. Know where you would go within thirty minutes if the connection drops.