Many of us tend to do just about anything to avoid conversation or even eye contact with strangers. And smartphones make it easier than ever to do that. A recent study found that phones can keep us from even exchanging brief smiles with people we meet in public places. But a body of research has shown that we might just be short-changing our own happiness by ignoring opportunities to connect with the people around us.
In this episode, Stephen shares with host Matt Mullenweg — another remote CEO — his perspective on the value of geo-distribution, and the processes his partially-distributed company uses to make world-changing software.
Where you are is partially defined by where you are not. When you’re somewhere, you’re not somewhere else. But when you use your phone, you’re everywhere. You keep in touch with friends. You hear what’s going on at home. You see the screen exactly as you do anywhere else. It’s wonderful to be cut off from everywhere else — to be more fully only there.
I’ve been reading up on this and other offshoring while getting ready to move again. I think I have a viable use case for myself, which I’m about to implement once the E-residency card is available for pickup.
This is often why we see remote and distributed companies invest in human resources functions earlier on. consequently, these businesses articulate their values sooner. They are more deliberate about their internal communication at far younger stages. They typically run meetings in more structured and formal ways.
In this episode, Jason Fried, co-founder of Basecamp, shares his beliefs around achieving business success in a modern world which tends to disproportionately focus on the massive success stories (the outliers) … Perhaps most importantly, we get really deep into all aspects of work-life balance and what it really means to “work hard”.
These stories are indicative of a larger trend: call it the “creator stack” or the “enterprization of consumer.” Whereas previously, the biggest online labor marketplaces flattened the individuality of workers, new platforms allow anyone to monetize unique skills. Gig work isn’t going anywhere—but there are now more ways to capitalize on creativity. Users can now build audiences at scale and turn their passions into livelihoods, whether that’s playing video games or producing video content.
‘Do you have any questions for me?’ is a make-or-break moment.
I often advocate people surrounding me to build their own side projects. I believe they can fulfill you in so many ways: for your career, your relationships, or your independence.
This is my last official week as a DN. I lasted 2.5 years. I start a new job in November that is not remote friendly. I’m excited and terrified about the drastic lifestyle change I’m about to have. For 6 years, I’ve been working as a remote employee. The past 2.5, I’ve been a digital nomad. I’ll miss so many things about this lifestyle … So why in the world am I throwing all of this away?
The findings put pressure on airline regulators to take stronger action to fight climate change as they prepare for a summit next week.
WeWork is the ultimate manifestation of this bad idea. Its rise is a sign that we have no good way, in modern life, to value and guard private, distraction-free spaces. Our online lives are crammed with distraction, and our work lives are no different, either. WeWork? At best, WeTry.
I’ll be honest — the first few months were bleak. I didn’t have any projects lined up when I made the leap to freelance, so I spent months playing video games and started questioning everything. I contacted everyone I knew, eventually landed a project, and began figuring out how to make it all work.
My wanting to share every waking thought became eclipsed by a desire for an increasingly rare commodity — a private life.
The impostor syndrome, a phenomenon that manifests when people feel like frauds even if they are actually capable and well-qualified, affects people both in the workplace and in the classroom. A new study from researchers at BYU reveals that perceptions of impostorism are quite common and uncovers one of the best — and worst — ways to cope with such feelings.
Building a company culture that assumes your team can’t be trusted is like playing basketball with one hand tied behind your back: you might be able to do it, but you’re never going to reach your full potential. The companies that empower their workers are going to win over companies who monitor them. The future of work is trust, not tracking.
We’re remote because people stopped showing up. In the beginning, there was no office because it was me in the Netherlands, Marin, in Serbia and Dmitriy, in Ukraine. Later on, I had two desks next to each other. But the Dutch team member who just joined after a few days didn’t show up because you could just work from home and everyone else was doing that. It was natural
“Hacking” your work only works if you’re a person who would be congratulated for your ingenuity. If you’re not, here’s what to try instead.
Travellers are well used to these: the strange cover charge in the tourist-trap restaurant; the outrageous price of the hotel minibar and WiFi; those painful fees for flying with luggage. (Does it cost more to carry your bag on to the plane, or to put it in the hold? I lose track.)
Passion or love doesn’t have to be part of the work/job equation. The value of work is that you get paid to do it, not that you’d do it even if you didn’t get paid. It even bothers a lot of other writers that my main reason for being a writer is that I get paid to write. Sure I like it, but I don’t like it more than my other hobbies.
