Every week, we share the story of an inspiring Remote Worker and Remotive reader, here's Kevan's story:
1.- Can you please tell us a bit more about: Who are you, and what do you do? :)
Hi there, my name is Kevan. I create content for Buffer, writing blog posts and emails and tweets and social media updates. I am a husband to an incredible woman and a father to a fascinating son. I am the third-smartest person in my household.
2.- Why do you work remotely, and how does it feel?
My main motivation for finding remote work was to be present in the life of my son.
I've been fortunate to be hanging around the house as he's gone from a two-year-old to a three-year-old, and my heart gets refilled every day I get to spend hours with him and my wife.
Along the way, I also realized that working remotely was the absolute ideal way for me to get work done. I can write in solitude.
I can connect to a worldwide team at the touch of a button. I fly through tasks distraction-free, I have no commute, and I can get a bulk of my work done at any time of day and in any state of having showered (a value I've come to appreciate as a be-at-home dad).
Now that I've been in the remote work flow for about a year, I can't ever picture going back. My son and I have figured out a great system together - I work while he sleeps, play while he plays, and when my wife comes home we share meals and adventures together as a family.
I'm supremely grateful for the flexibility of remote work and for the amazing opportunity to do so with Buffer.
3.- What software do you use?
For software, we connect as a Buffer team over Sqwiggle (video chat), Hipchat (text chat), idonethis (achievement sharing), hackpad (collaborative docs), and Gmail (transparent email).
Our blog runs on WordPress, which is where I write all my drafts and make all my edits. For images, I'll hop into Canva) or find great free photos at Death to Stock Photo, Unsplash, or Startup Stock Photos. Everything I share to social media, either personally or for Buffer, happens via my Buffer dashboards. They save me hours every week.
As for hardware, I get work done on a 15-inch Macbook Pro with an external, wireless Logitech keyboard and a $7 Amazon two-button mouse. I nabbed my wife's iPhone earbuds, which I place in my ears whether I'm listening to something or not. When I jot down notes, I do it in a mini Moleskine (for daily to-do lists and random thoughts) and a standard Moleskine (for monthly lists and larger ideas).
4.- What would be your dream setup?
Buffer's been so great in helping me get set up with the tools I need to work my best. I love everything I've got.
I'd be super curious to try working with a MacBook Air for a day, and I'd be super curious to try working with an iMac or a Thunderbolt for a day. The MacBook Pro seems like the perfect compromise between the two. :)
I've often dreamed about working remotely from a ski lodge, hopping in and out to take a few runs whenever I pleased.
So since I've literally day-dreamed that before, I guess that could be a dream setup. :)
Thanks Kevan! You can find him on Twitter over here :)
Would like to start a conversation about sharing your story? Let us know over here- thanks :)
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