A MAN who snagged his dream job abroad while taking cats on walks says all was swell until he realised a truth about his new role.
Josh Askew found a secret setback that only belatedly emerged after he launched into a new life overseas in Lithuania, eastern Europe.
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The 28-year-old was enjoying taking his pets for strolls amid sunny skies only to discover fresh difficulties, he revealed.
The new problem is working longer hours than expected, compared to others clocking in and out of offices.
Josh had been regularly travelling between his London home and Lithuanian capital Vilnius where his girlfriend was studying.
And in January this year he opted to move there permanently, making the most of remote working which has become more commonplace following the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.
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The writer, originally from Brighton in East Sussex, was happy with a new lifestyle allowing him to take his two pet Bengal cats out for walks every lunchtime.
A lower cost of living in Lithuania was also an apparent bonus.
But he admitted some downsides to what his days now involve.
Josh told the Mail how he found himself working longer hours because “there’s no escape from it”.
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He said: “I can have quite a decent life here as the rent is very cheap and the cost of living is low – it’s a much gentler pace.”
He described life as being “a bit more leisurely” as well as “flexible” when working from home, adding: “I can take my two Bengal cats out for a quick walk, maybe go to a cafe nearby.”
But he also raised downsides such as never seeing some of his colleagues face-to-face, meaning it’s “harder to make friends”.
And he warned: “It’s very easy to find yourself working overtime.
“Of course you gain more, not having to commute, but then you kind of lose that as you’ll do half an hour here and an hour there – it adds up.”
Tips have been given on making the most of hybrid working – that is, spending some days in the office and others at home.
A recent study showed more Brits now work from home than in any nation other than Canada.
Another report last month suggested remote working was making millions more miserable.
And research just suggested working from home is bad for health because it means Brits eat more and exercise less.
