A Game-Changer for Creativity and Flexibility: Two Months of The Boathouse in Jamaica

Mar 113 min read

In December 2024, I traded the cold winter of England for the warmth of Mandeville in sunny Jamaica. I’d like to share my incredible two-month remote work experience with you.

What started as a mere conversation about going to Jamaica for Christmas 2024, became two months working remotely from Jamaica!

I was both excited and a little nervous about the whole thing. It was something new for everyone and my anxiety reminded me everyday. Thankfully, the Boathouse was incredibly supportive of not only the idea, but also allowing me to spend precious time with my family.

Little did I know that this experience would not only enrich my personal life, but also bring fresh innovation and creativity to our organisation.

There's a five-hour time difference between Jamaica and England. “How is this going to work?” I would ask myself. Well, we quickly adapted to Asynchronous working, or ‘async work’. This setup allowed everyone to work independently without needing to be online at the same time.

In preparation we transitioned to the platform Slack as it was going to be our main source of communication once I was away. This framework gave me more flexibility, to balance work commitments with quality family time. More importantly, it grew the culture of trust and efficiency within our team. At the end of my working day, which was 10pm in the UK, I would share a daily report of the tasks I had completed and what was outstanding.

While async working provided structure, we didn't want to lose the in-person connection we’d built as a team. To maintain that bond, we scheduled weekly catch-ups. These virtual meet-ups weren’t just about discussing work, they helped us stay connected on a personal level, reinforcing our relationship as not just colleagues but work family. It was also really nice to see one of my colleagues was online, drop them a message to ask if they were up for a quick huddle.

Sometimes, we would catch up outside of our scheduled meetings with an impromptu chat. From time to time I would share just how sunny and beautiful it was outside. A lot of the times the joke didn't go down very well. The temperature was in the minuses at the time in the UK so I totally understood why! Overall, it made the experience feel like I was still in the office, laughing and joking, rather than being hundreds of miles away.

Being in a different environment opened our eyes to fresh perspectives and creative ways to approach work. The change of scenery sparked new ideas for The Boathouse. We experimented with different ways of engaging with clients and rethought aspects of our workflow to make them more efficient. One of the most unexpected breakthroughs was introducing virtual tours of our studios. This meant I was able to stay involved in the bookings side of the organisation. By introducing this we were able to offer clients the same smooth experience they would get when visiting the studios in person.

With the flexibility and breathing room of async working, I found myself diving deeper into my digital marketing role. Without the usual office distractions I had the space to strategise, create, and refine our marketing efforts in a way I hadn’t before. The experience reinforced how important it is to have dedicated time to focus on one task at a time, something that traditional office structure can make challenging.

This experience was a game-changer. It proved that with the right structures, mindset and support, remote work can be just as, if not more productive and inspiring than working in an office. I love being in the office and it’s great to be back, but this experience gave me the chance to maintain my family bonds while continuing to contribute meaningfully to my team.

It also showed that the future of working at The Boathouse doesn’t have to be tied to a physical location. Who knew? With the help from technology, incredible trust, and adaptability, we were able to unlock new ways to continue thriving as an organisation!

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to my Boathouse family for supporting this incredible opportunity. Being able to spend two months of quality time with my son, especially over Christmas, was truly priceless. This experience not only allowed me to grow professionally, but also gave me memories with my family that I will cherish forever. And for that I will be forever grateful.