How these MOOsters Work From Anywhere

At MOO, we get to spend a month working from anywhere we fancy. So, would you rather start that renovation project at home, visit family or go on an adventure? Here’s what these MOOsters did.

At home in Stockholm

Ebba Long is our head of brand marketing. She used MOO’s Work From Anywhere scheme to get some family time and satisfy her Swedish cravings.

Where did you go?

I went to Stockholm, Sweden – home of IKEA, meatballs, ABBA and the inventor of the zipper. It’s where I’m from, so it was nice to spend some extra time with family and friends, and just chat away in Swedish.

What was your favorite thing about Work From Anywhere?

I loved being able to pretend I lived there for a month. Becoming a local again is such a treat. MOO is also incredibly generous allowing us to have flexible work schedules. That means I had time to take a walk in the woods and enjoy the surroundings. It really invigorated me – and therefore my work as well.

What’s the most unusual place you’ve worked?

Honestly, I think that would be my mum’s kitchen where I worked for two days. She LOVES to be included in every single email I send, read every Slack notification I receive and eavesdrop on my Zoom meetings. Perhaps not so unusual but rather “respectfully annoying”.

How did your work routine change?

Oddly, it didn’t change too much. I ate prawns, salmon and Swedish cakes more often. With the slight time difference (one hour ahead of London), I enjoyed a quieter morning. It allowed me to think my day through and get some uninterrupted thinking time (unless I’m in my mum’s kitchen).

Any fun anecdotes from your experience?

I caught myself SEVERAL times writing back in Swedish to email and instant messages. You could also say I’m spreading the Swedish word – literally. Hej!

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring “digital nomad”?

If you think that one converter plug is enough, you are sadly mistaken.

What’s the one thing you were looking forward to coming back?

A second screen! Oh, how I took that for granted.

Portuguese expedition

Helen Daglish is MOO’s social media manager. For her remote adventure, she visited Portugal to squeeze some surf lessons in between her Zoom calls.

Where did you go?

I traveled to Portugal for two weeks. I worked one week in Porto and one week in Peniche, which is further down the coast. I decided to go when I found the hostel chain Selina, which is dedicated to remote workers and digital nomads. When MOO announced the Work From Anywhere initiative, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try out the digital nomad life.

After looking at different locations, I decided on Portugal as I could split my time between the city and the beach and fit in some surf lessons. It was also a big bonus that Portugal is in the same time zone as the UK – no weird working hours.

What was your favorite thing about Work From Anywhere?

One of my favorite things was to experience living and working in a new country. I felt like it really improved my work-life balance. During the day, I was focused on work, but in the mornings and evenings I could fully switch off and enjoy my “holiday”. I found that working in a new location helped motivate me and bring new inspiration.

What’s the most unusual place you’ve worked?

I worked an afternoon from the hostel’s roof in Peniche. I wouldn’t say it’s unusual but sitting in the sun with a view of the Atlantic was definitely a change from normal office life.

How did your work routine change from your regular workday?

I definitely felt more productive in the morning before work. When working from home, I unfortunately tend to fall into the trap of becoming quite lazy before starting my workday. While working from Portugal, I’ve been feeling more energized and excited to start the day!

Any fun anecdotes from your experience?

One morning when working from the hostel in Peniche, I got up to the coworking space pretty early and was the first one to arrive. About 15 minutes into working, I heard a rustling noise from the other side of the room.

Turned out I wasn’t alone! Someone obviously hadn’t made it back to their room the night before and was sleeping on the beanbags. If I ever needed a reminder that I was working in a hostel, that was it!

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring “digital nomad”?

Book at Selina Hostels – they’re built for the digital nomad life. You’re surrounded by similar people, and there is no need to worry about WiFi speeds or a practical place to work for the day. And also remember: take more than one plug adapter!

What’s the one thing you were looking forward to coming back?

Cooking my own meals again. Eating out is great, but costly!

Bali adventures

Georgia Grant is a marketing data analyst. With Work From Anywhere, she was able to finish the trip she had to cut short when the pandemic started.

Where did you go?

I went to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore but I only worked from Bali. I was traveling when the pandemic started so I missed out on visiting Bali, North Vietnam, and Singapore. I decided to use Work From Anywhere to finish my trip. I’d also heard that Bali is a hot spot for digital nomads, so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

What was your favorite thing about Work From Anywhere?

The thing I loved the most was being able to work outdoors. Thanks to the hot climate, I rarely ever worked inside. Even the co-working spaces are all open there. It made what would have been a stressful day of work much more relaxed which actually helped my productivity.

What’s the most unusual place you’ve worked?

One of the cafés I worked from. It was in the middle of a rice field!

How did your work routine change from your regular workday?

I was working UK hours, so I didn’t start my day until the afternoon. This gave me the freedom to explore in the morning, read a book by the beach and find the perfect spot to settle into and start my work. It was a change not having a big monitor but I adapted to that very quickly. I actually rarely use my monitor now that I’m back.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring “digital nomad”?

Ask if there is WiFi before you order anything from the place you are working in (I learned that the hard way). Always take a small extension cable with you. Finding plugs can be difficult in some places! When working from abroad, use an e-sim card in case you need your phone number to authenticate logins.

What’s the one thing you were looking forward to coming back?

Coming to the new London office for the first time. And also cheese and wine.

Want to join the MOO crew? Connect with us on LinkedIn and check out our current vacancies here.