The Big Leap: The Pros and Cons of Moving Away
Managing the pros and cons of working 100% remotely from a new state.
In 2020, COVID opened the door for me and many of my co-workers to work 100% remotely for the first time in my career. Life seemed a lot easier not having to drive into the office for work. Instead, I was able to get out of bed, jump in the shower, grab some coffee and work from literally anywhere. After having that taste of freedom, I knew I didn’t want to go back to the normal way of doing things. As I prepared to go back into the office after two years, I had a performance evaluation meeting with my boss. In that meeting, I was recognized for having a performance evaluation that exceeded expectations. My boss then asked, what they as a Division could do for me. I told her that I wanted to work 100% remotely because I wanted to relocate to a different state. After going through the approval process, I was given the green light and in December of 2022, I packed up my car and moved to North Carolina.
As can be expected, moving to a new state while working remotely from another location has its pros and cons. One con has been my experience with my dental insurance coverage in a different state. I had to have an emergency root canal. Due to the extensive work that had to be done, I was referred to a specialist. Unfortunately, I had to pay the expense up front and wait to be reimbursed for a percentage of the cost. While that was frustrating, I am grateful that I have been able to utilize my medical insurance coverage for some routine visits, at no cost. Another plus with everything being automated has been easy access to the IT personnel. When it comes to computer issues, I’m able to click a button and give the IT personnel remote access so that they can assist.
Being single and living in a new state continues to push me out of my comfort zone, in a good way. I’ve been eager to meet new people, so being able to work remotely gives me the opportunity to work from coffee houses, restaurants, and other venues, allowing me to meet new people. I remember being in the airport months ago, sharing some work experiences with two people who were working through a similar process. I was able to help them work through some of their issues on the spot. Had I not stepped out of my comfort zone to relocate, I probably would never have been confident enough to share my work experiences with strangers in an airport. Although I’ve only been in North Carolina for about eight months now, I’m very excited to experience the endless possibilities that await me in my new state!
Authored by Kia Reaves, Administrative Officer for Research
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
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