☕️ (R)emote Expresso #22

Hi (R)emotes,

☕️ (R)emote Expresso is your weekly dose of creator insights on remote collaboration designed to fuel your day - Once a week in your inbox 💌

Hey Remote Rebels and Digital Daydreamers,

This week, we’re raising our coffee mugs to the ones who gave up commutes, cube walls, and the endless drone of fluorescent lighting - not because we had a crystal ball, but because we saw the glow of our laptop screens and said “this could be it.”

In this issue, I’m getting personal. We’re digging into the remote lifestyle - how I landed in it back in 2006 (before it was cool), what people still get wrong about it, and why I wouldn’t trade it for all the ergonomic chairs in WeWork. Plus, I’ll share a core skill to help you thrive from wherever your WiFi connects.

Let’s bust some myths, sprinkle some magic, and celebrate the glorious life of pants-optional professionalism. ✨

🧘‍♀️ The Lifestyle: Built by Choice… and a Dash of Chaos

Let’s be honest: I didn’t swan-dive into remote work with a vision board and a five-year plan. 

I stumbled into it with a bruised ego, a ticking clock, and a desperate need for something that fit.

I’d just been fired - gently escorted out of a job I never should’ve taken with a company that was about as aligned with my values as a raccoon is with a fine dining menu. The money was running out, so I did what many of us do when life gets scrappy: I took the first decent paycheck I could find. It was an on-site role at a big-name benefits provider. Beige walls. Breakroom donuts. Existential dread.

And then, a glimmer.

Less than a month in - after several interviews for other roles and a whole lot of “please, Universe, anything else” energy - I got a call. A recruiter was looking for an HR Consultant for Accenture, my former employer. The best part? Remote. Gloriously, deliciously remote.

I took the job. That one decision kicked off a 17-year streak of remote work, where I thrived without a commute, a dress code, or the soul-sucking fluorescent buzz of office life. It wasn’t always easy, but it was mine. It was intentional. It was real freedom.

Then came 2024. A layoff. (Hi again, plot twists.) But instead of crawling back to on-site life, I bet on myself and launched The Unexamined Mind.

The remote job market might be tougher right now - with companies yanking people back to the office like it’s 1998 - but I’m still here. Still remote. Still living the lifestyle I built with grit, grace, and a good Wi-Fi connection.

🕵️‍♀️ The Myth: It’s All Flexibility and Freedom

Let me bust this myth wide open like a piñata full of sticky notes.

Yes, remote work can be freeing - no commute, fewer awkward breakroom birthday cakes, the power to mute meetings. But people forget it also takes real structure. Otherwise, your “flexible schedule” turns into “I blinked and it’s 7 PM and I haven’t eaten and why is my Slack still going off?”

Remote isn’t about doing less. It’s about designing your life on purpose - which sounds simple until you realize the only person managing your energy, calendar, and snack drawer is you.

(And let’s be honest: past-you is not always the most reliable assistant.)

✨ The Magic: Living in Alignment

Here’s where it gets a little woo-woo and a lot true.

Remote work gave me the ability to align my environment with my energy. It let me be creative when I’m peppy and quiet when I’m deep-thinking. I stopped pretending I was an extrovert, embraced my pajama-loving introvert self, and discovered that I do my best work when I’m allowed to be myself.

The real magic? I reclaimed my time. I found joy. I made room for purpose, not just productivity. And now I help others do the same - because that spark you feel when your life and work are no longer at war with each other? That’s the good stuff.

🧠 Skill of the Week: Asynchronous Communication (aka The Art of Not Driving People Bonkers)

Want to thrive in a remote world? Master async like your career depends on it - because it does. Async is the love language of remote work. It’s respectful, it’s efficient, and it saves everyone from unnecessary calendar clutter (and 7 AM meetings that should’ve been a voice note).

Here’s what async pros do:

• Write clearly - not like they’re auditioning for “America’s Next Top Buzzword.”

• Give context - enough so people don’t have to channel Sherlock Holmes to figure out what you mean.

• Time-zone empathy - your 2 PM may be someone’s 2 AM. Don’t expect instant replies unless you’re also sending snacks.

Async isn’t ghosting. It’s thoughtful communication with breathing room.

And the real trick? Knowing when async isn’t enough. If you’re five messages deep and still confused, it’s time for a call - or at least a meme-laden Loom.

Async is the difference between “we need a meeting” and “we need a brain.”

Be the brain. Be the breath. Be the blessing your coworkers didn’t know they needed. 🫶

🤯 EVENT SPOTLIGHT: Competing Pressures - Designing for Behavior Change

📅 Thursday, April 17 | 🕛 12–1 PM CDT | 💻 Live + interactive on Miro

🎤 With special guest : Matt Wallaert

What if your next big product win wasn’t about features - but behaviors?

We’re diving deep into the heart of behavioral strategy with the one and only Matt Wallaert, behavioral scientist, founder of BeSci.io, and walking TED Talk in cowboy boots.

You’ll learn:

• Why changing behavior is more than wishful thinking

• How to move from insight to actual impact

• What your team is probably missing (and how to fix it)

• Why even the janitor needs a behavioral lens (yep, really)

Expect real talk, usable frameworks, and a hands-on Miro playground to test your thinking - not just another lecture.

👀 This is for you if…

• You’re sick of building products that don’t stick

• You facilitate, lead, or design (and like a little magic with your methods)

• You’ve ever asked “Why don’t people just do the thing?”

• You want to bring behavioral science into your work without needing a PhD

🌈 BONUS: Part of the We Are The (R)emotes series - proudly presented by R Generation, Miro, and Butter - this monthly session is where creative rebels and virtual leaders come to play, learn, and grow together.

🎟️ Join the Session, spots are limited, so save yours now !

Ready to step in ? The doors to (R) Generation are wide open - no deadlines, no pressure, just a 30-day free Pioneer trial to explore the community, drop into convos, and see if this remote playground feels like home. Join us. Co-create with us. Or just lurk with intention (we see you, introverts 👀). We can’t wait to see what brilliance you’ll bring to the table. Until next week, may your Wi-Fi be stable, your prompts be clear, and your remote be unstoppable.

See you next week for another hot cup of (R)emote Expresso 💜

👨‍💻 Big Desk Energy : Our biggest startup insights & stories

👩‍🎤 Increadible : Our most influential news in business & tech

🤖 MarketingAlec : AI tools & ready-to-use prompts that boost your performance

💬 Speak Tech English : Our tech inspiration to learn English and tech at once !

🔴 Creator Spotlight : Our favorite inspiration for world class creators journeys

R GENERATION is a dynamic global community where remote professionals, creators, and digital nomads come together to reimagine the future of work. We bridge cultures, time zones, and creative frontiers, uniting around a shared passion for innovation and meaningful connection.

Through engaging events, hands-on workshops, and exclusive access to cutting-edge AI tools, we’re transforming remote work into a space for bold experimentation, open knowledge-sharing, and limitless growth.

Join us in a collaborative and empowering environment where your ideas spark innovation, your curiosity fuels lifelong learning, and your ambition shapes the future of remote collaboration.

May your WiFi be strong and your boundaries stronger 💻🚪