You know this so-called remote work, right… It was everywhere for a while, like a magic wand. I also had a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of excitement during that period… I kept saying to myself, ‘Alright, my life is about to change!’ I thought all the hustle, stress, and traffic at the workplace would be left behind. No more waking up early to go to work, work wherever you want, live a more beautiful life! Isn’t that great?
Initially, everything seemed perfect. I wake up in the morning, grab my coffee, look out the window (which in Bursa, by the way, had a different view sometimes, Uludağ appears, but let’s stick to the main topic 🙂 ). Then I turn on my computer, check my emails, have my first meeting. Everything was working smoothly. When lunchtime comes, I go to the kitchen, prepare whatever I want, sometimes order from outside and enjoy myself. In the evening, when work ends, I am immediately home, and I have plenty of time to spend with my family. Wasn’t this a perfect routine? I think it really was for a while.
However, I realized over time that this job also has a flip side. As the saying goes, every beautiful thing has its flaw, right? When I started working from home, the line between work and home life suddenly blurred. One moment I’d find myself still at the computer in the evening, and the next, I would wake up in the same position in the middle of the night. The body gets lazy suddenly, that ‘perfect’ flexible work style can turn into unmanaged chaos. What can I say… I can admit that my own schedule has failed me in this regard 🙂
For example, my biggest problem was not being able to disconnect even after my working hours ended. When my phone rings or I get a notification, I say, ‘Let me just see what it is?’ and then I find myself talking about work for half an hour more. What does this do? It cuts into the time I could spend with my family in the evening, and then I get annoyed with myself saying, ‘Enough already!’ Self-promises go flying around. And I think this situation isn’t limited to just me; I have many friends around who experience similar things. It’s as if work is calling you back all the time.
Another issue is the lack of a ‘social’ environment. When working in an office, those quick chats during tea breaks, gatherings during lunch… they weren’t just about passing time. They strengthen communication, boost motivation, and sometimes help you solve a tricky piece of code instantly. What happened now? All communication shifted to digital platforms. Emails, messages, video calls… all have their limits. Face-to-face conversations and jokes are different, of course. While there are benefits to this setup, the downsides shouldn’t be overlooked.
Now, what’s the solution after describing all these problems? Well, that’s where some technical details come into play. I think the most important trick of remote work is to clearly define boundaries. Establish your work area, stick to working hours, and most importantly, turn off the computer completely when the workday is over and take a full break from that life. It’s not that easy, but it’s worth trying. For example, I now follow a routine: I wake up, get ready, as if I’m going to work. Then I go into my dedicated workspace. When I finish work, I turn off the computer and leave the room. Isn’t it simple? But believe me, it really works.
Also, communication needs to be managed well. Using tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams is helpful. But it’s not just about using them, it’s about using them effectively. Turn off unnecessary notifications, use Do Not Disturb mode, and keep meetings short and to the point. Additionally, developing your own motivation methods is essential. Maybe set weekly goals, reward yourself when achieved… I don’t know, you have to learn the best way through trial and error.
The Intricacies of Remote Work
Now, let’s get into some technical details. While working remotely, we rely on certain tools. For example, I usually develop REST APIs with C# and use Dapper. For databases, I prefer PostgreSQL. This trio provides a fast and flexible development environment. The performance of Dapper especially shines when working with large datasets.
Moreover, for managing projects remotely, we use various methods. While some projects are simple enough with a basic ToDo list app, others require more complex project management tools. For instance, a friend recently recommended Trello. Its simple interface and flexible structure are impressive. If you want to manage your projects more efficiently, check it out: Google search for Trello.
Sometimes, you write a piece of code that works, but you wonder, ‘Could it be better?’ The same applies to remote work. For example, if you write an API endpoint that sends the same data repeatedly, you can try different approaches to optimize the code. Maybe add a cache mechanism, or find a more efficient way to send data… these improve performance and make both your and your users’ jobs easier.
Let me give you a simple example. Suppose you are fetching a list of users. The initial code might look like:
// WRONG CODE EXAMPLE public async Task GetKullanicilar() { var kullanicilar = await _dbConnection.QueryAsync("SELECT * FROM Kullanicilar"); return Ok(kullanicilar); } This code works, yes. But instead of fetching all users every time, if you want only specific users or apply filters, you can optimize this. How about using parameters? Here’s the correct way:
// CORRECT CODE EXAMPLE public async Task GetKullaniciById(int id) { var kullanici = await _dbConnection.QuerySingleOrDefaultAsync("SELECT * FROM Kullanicilar WHERE Id = @UserId", new { UserId = id }); if (kullanici == null) { return NotFound(); } return Ok(kullanici); } As you can see, by using the @UserId parameter, we send a value to the database. This prevents security issues like SQL injection and ensures only the desired data is retrieved. It’s kind of like… you work less on the system, get it? 🙂 If you want more details, you can check out Dapper’s official documentation. It was around here somewhere: Dapper Documentation.
Ultimately, remote work can be fantastic if we take the right steps. Let’s set boundaries, use communication tools properly, and be honest with ourselves. Otherwise, that ‘dream’ can quickly turn into a nightmare, just remember that. Take care of yourself, keep coding! 🙂