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Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work . . . Wherever You Are
You can thrive and excel when you’re working remotely, if you adopt the mindset, habits and tech tools of professionals who are even more productive outside the office: Learn to think like a “business of one,” and that entrepreneurial mindset will transform your experience of remote work.
It’s not enough to stay sane while you’re working from home: You deserve to thrive and excel. But that’s hard to do when you, your boss or your team are still trying to replicate the way you work at the office, enduring an endless series of video calls while pretending that yes, everyone is wearing pants.
Remote, Inc. shows you a new approach, based on the mindset and habits of people who flourish while working outside the office some or all of the time. These are the folks who manage to get even more done at home, even though you know they’ve got kids or dogs underfoot and somehow fit in a daily run at lunchtime.
Their secret? They think like a “business of one.” That’s how productivity experts Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel describe the mindset that lets people thrive when they’re working remotely, whether working from home full-time or spending a few days each week in the office. You can follow their lead by embracing the work habits and independence of an entrepreneur – while also tapping into the benefits of collegiality and online collaboration.
Remote, Inc. maps out the principles that drive this entrepreneurial approach, and translates them into the specific habits and tools that make remote work productive and enjoyable. It shows you how to:
Focus on goals and results instead of the 9-to-5 schedule
Wow your managers by treating them like valued clients
Beat information overload with a system that prioritizes the most important emails and messages
Make online meetings purposeful, focused and engaging
Learn to love your colleagues again by building great relationships through online collaboration
Plan for success in a world in which many professionals will work remotely
Just as important as making you a professional powerhouse, Remote Inc. will help you find a balance between work from home, and life at home.
It’s not enough to stay sane while you’re working from home: You deserve to thrive and excel. But that’s hard to do when you, your boss or your team are still trying to replicate the way you work at the office, enduring an endless series of video calls while pretending that yes, everyone is wearing pants.
Remote, Inc. shows you a new approach, based on the mindset and habits of people who flourish while working outside the office some or all of the time. These are the folks who manage to get even more done at home, even though you know they’ve got kids or dogs underfoot and somehow fit in a daily run at lunchtime.
Their secret? They think like a “business of one.” That’s how productivity experts Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel describe the mindset that lets people thrive when they’re working remotely, whether working from home full-time or spending a few days each week in the office. You can follow their lead by embracing the work habits and independence of an entrepreneur – while also tapping into the benefits of collegiality and online collaboration.
Remote, Inc. maps out the principles that drive this entrepreneurial approach, and translates them into the specific habits and tools that make remote work productive and enjoyable. It shows you how to:
Focus on goals and results instead of the 9-to-5 schedule
Wow your managers by treating them like valued clients
Beat information overload with a system that prioritizes the most important emails and messages
Make online meetings purposeful, focused and engaging
Learn to love your colleagues again by building great relationships through online collaboration
Plan for success in a world in which many professionals will work remotely
Just as important as making you a professional powerhouse, Remote Inc. will help you find a balance between work from home, and life at home.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published April 27, 2021
114 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 6, 2021
Initial thoughts: Offers useful tips both for those who've only started working from home due to Covid-19, and for those who've been working remotely for years already. I fall into the latter camp but still came across some useful advice.
I also found it comforting to know that I'm not the only one who struggles to forget about housework and other errands in order to focus on and do what I need to for work. While prioritising according to high, medium to low importance isn't new to me either, I thought the means with which the authors suggested going about it was especially useful.
I also found it comforting to know that I'm not the only one who struggles to forget about housework and other errands in order to focus on and do what I need to for work. While prioritising according to high, medium to low importance isn't new to me either, I thought the means with which the authors suggested going about it was especially useful.
June 6, 2021
I don't agree with everything, but a lot of excellent ideas and resources.
September 9, 2024
Overview
"Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work…Wherever You Are" by Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel is a guide for adapting to the remote work environment. The book emphasises the importance of shifting one's mindset from a traditional office-based work structure to thinking like a "Business of One." This approach encourages individuals to focus on objectives and outcomes rather than hours worked, fostering autonomy and a better work-life balance. The authors provide practical advice on managing schedules, optimising technology for communication and productivity, and reorganising office habits to fit a remote working model.
The book was written in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced a rapid and widespread shift to teleworking. This unprecedented situation highlighted the need for strategies to effectively work from home, as businesses and employees sought to maintain productivity while navigating the challenges of remote work. Pozen and Samuel's insights are particularly relevant as they address the unique circumstances brought about by the pandemic, such as the need for clear communication, trust-building in virtual teams, and the management of work-life boundaries. They discuss the broader implications of teleworking, including its impact on corporate culture and the potential for a more flexible, results-oriented work environment.
The authors argue that adopting a teleworking model can benefit both employees and corporations by enhancing productivity, reducing overhead costs, and providing flexibility. They advocate for a shift in corporate culture to embrace the advantages of remote work, which has become an integral part of the business landscape due to the pandemic.
Synopsis
The book is organised in six parts and sixteen chapters. They could be summarised as follows.
The Introduction sets the stage for a transformative approach to remote work. It encourages readers to adopt a new mindset that powers up remote work efficiency and effectiveness. The introduction serves as a guide to quickly grasp the book's key takeaways, offering specific guidance for common remote work challenges.
Part I: The Business of One dives into the concept of treating oneself as a business entity, focusing on outcomes rather than hours spent working:
* Chapter 1 discusses how to let go of the traditional nine-to-five workday and impress your boss with your remote work productivity, thereby gaining more control over your work life
* Chapter 2 elaborates on setting clear expectations for your work hours and availability, reducing the number of meetings, advocating for remote work to your boss, and creating a personal performance file to track achievements.
* Chapter 3 is about managing a remote team effectively, including establishing success metrics, communication ground rules, using meetings to reinforce company culture, and conducting remote performance reviews.
Part II: Three Key Strategies for Remote Workers of "Remote, Inc." offers practical strategies to enhance remote work productivity:
* Chapter 4 focuses on the importance of setting clear objectives to drive remote work. It guides readers on how to balance professional and personal priorities, ensuring that daily tasks align with overarching goals. The chapter also advises on allocating time effectively to meet the most critical goals.
* Chapter 5 encourages working backwards from the desired outcomes to increase efficiency. It suggests drafting tentative conclusions to avoid wasted effort and conducting mid-flight reviews to maintain alignment with your boss and team. Additionally, it covers the use of pilot tests to gather feedback from customers and experts.
* Chapter 6 deals with overcoming common remote work challenges such as procrastination. It provides tips on how to focus efforts on high-priority tasks, use multitasking wisely during calls, and respond promptly to important requests.
Part III: Getting Organised as a Remote Worker in "Remote, Inc." provides guidance on structuring various aspects of remote work life for optimal productivity:
* Chapter 7 offers strategies to manage your schedule effectively. It covers how to avoid the trap of back-to-back meetings, set clear goals for each call or meeting, establish energy-saving routines, and structure eating and exercise habits to support a healthy work-life balance.
* Chapter 8 delves into the technical setup required for efficient remote work. It provides advice on setting up calendars, task lists, and time tracking systems, selecting the right technology and equipment for a home office, choosing appropriate software for different projects, and creating a personalised remote work dashboard.
* Chapter 9 focuses on the physical workspace. It discusses how to share a workspace with family or roommates harmoniously, find new spaces that facilitate productivity, make the most of coworking spaces, and dress appropriately for a home office environment to maintain a professional mindset.
Part IV: Essential Skills for Remote Workers in "Remote, Inc." equips remote workers with vital skills for productivity and collaboration:
* Chapter 10 teaches how to streamline meetings for remote work. It provides strategies for having fewer and shorter meetings, making online meetings more effective, diplomatically avoiding meetings that don't add value, and ensuring that every meeting ends with clear next steps.
* Chapter 11 addresses the challenges of staying informed and managing reading material in a remote setting. It offers tips on keeping up with industry news from home, overcoming the drawbacks of reading online, incorporating audio tools to increase reading time, and organising articles and information with a read-it-later file and a clipping file.
* Chapter 12 focuses on enhancing writing skills, crucial for remote communication. It guides on using outlines to prevent writer's block, collaborating with colleagues to draft documents online, providing and receiving feedback through online platforms, and selecting the most suitable software for writing projects.
Part V: Effective Online Communication in "Remote, Inc." provides insights into managing digital communication tools efficiently:
* Chapter 13 offers strategies to manage communication channels effectively. It guides on choosing the right mode of communication (email, call, or message), handling email overload through automation, crafting emails that prompt action, and using team messaging platforms to obtain quick responses.
* Chapter 14 focuses on leveraging social media professionally. It discusses building a network of reliable colleagues, avoiding social media distractions, selecting a niche to demonstrate your online expertise, and maintaining an online presence with just three hours of commitment per week.
* Chapter 15 covers the skills needed for compelling online presentations. It includes adapting your speaking style to the digital format, asking the right questions to plan your presentation effectively, creating slide decks suitable for online viewing, and engaging a virtual audience to ensure interactive sessions.
Part VI: Thriving in a World of Remote Work of "Remote, Inc." is about finding the perfect balance in the remote work environment:
* Chapter 16 discusses creating a balanced schedule that optimises both home and office work. It helps readers identify when they need to spend more time in the office for collaboration and social interaction, and when they need to work from home for focused tasks. The chapter also guides on planning a career that accommodates remote work, ensuring long-term satisfaction and success.
Why you should read?
"Remote, Inc." is a valuable resource for both employees and employers navigating the post-COVID work environment.
For employees, the book offers a blueprint for maximising productivity and work-life balance in a remote setting. It provides actionable strategies to manage time, technology, and workspace, which are essential for adapting to the flexibility and autonomy that remote work demands. The guide's emphasis on outcome-based work rather than hours clocked encourages employees to redefine success in terms of achievements, fostering a sense of ownership and satisfaction in their work.
Employers, on the other hand, can benefit from the book's insights into managing distributed teams and maintaining company culture in a virtual space. The transition to remote work has challenged traditional management practices, and "Remote, Inc." offers a balanced perspective on how to evolve these practices to fit the new normal. It underscores the importance of trust, clear communication, and defined objectives to ensure team cohesion and efficiency. Although written during COVID times, the book's principles are enduring, providing a framework for thriving in a work environment that has been irrevocably changed by the pandemic, making it a pertinent guide for the future of work.
Critics and review
The book has been well-received by critics, who praise its timely and practical guidance for remote work. The book's approach to treating oneself as a "Business of One" and its actionable strategies for productivity and work-life balance have resonated with readers and reviewers alike. Critics highlight the book's relevance, which has made remote work a necessity for many. The insights provided by Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel are seen as valuable for both individuals and organisations adapting to the new normal of work.
Critics have also noted the book's timely publication, coming at a point when remote work has become a staple for many due to the pandemic. The strategies and tips provided by the authors, Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel, have been praised for their relevance and applicability in a variety of work settings. The book's advice on creating routines, managing online meetings, and dealing with information overload has been seen as valuable for enhancing productivity and maintaining work-life balance.
Verdict
The book emerges as an indispensable guide in the evolving landscape of work. With its insightful strategies and practical advice, the book serves as a beacon for those seeking to navigate the complexities of remote work with confidence and efficiency. The authors' expertise shines through in their recommendations, making it a must-read for anyone looking to excel in the remote work environment.
About the authors
Robert C. Pozen is a distinguished figure with a rich background in finance, public policy, and academia. He is the former chairman of MFS Investment Management, the oldest mutual fund company in the United States, and was previously the President of Fidelity Investments.
As an author, he has contributed to the discourse on productivity and financial systems with books like "Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours" and "Too Big To Save? How to Fix the US Financial System."
His academic credentials include a summa cum laude graduation from Harvard University and a J.D. degree from Yale Law School, where he also earned a doctorate for his thesis on state enterprises in Africa. Currently, he is a senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Alexandra Samuel is an expert on the digital workplace and a seasoned data journalist. She has previously authored "Work Smarter with Social Media: A Guide to Managing Evernote, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Your Email." Samuel's work spans over two decades of experience as a technology researcher and strategist.
She has been a vice president at Vision Critical, a customer intelligence software provider, and the founding director of the Social + Interactive Media Centre at Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
Her academic achievements include a B.A. from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University, where her dissertation focused on hacktivism as a form of online political participation. Samuel has contributed to various publications and projects, offering insights into the digital economy and social media's role in modern communication and business practices.
Read my bi-weekly reviews on https://booksilike.eu
"Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work…Wherever You Are" by Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel is a guide for adapting to the remote work environment. The book emphasises the importance of shifting one's mindset from a traditional office-based work structure to thinking like a "Business of One." This approach encourages individuals to focus on objectives and outcomes rather than hours worked, fostering autonomy and a better work-life balance. The authors provide practical advice on managing schedules, optimising technology for communication and productivity, and reorganising office habits to fit a remote working model.
The book was written in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced a rapid and widespread shift to teleworking. This unprecedented situation highlighted the need for strategies to effectively work from home, as businesses and employees sought to maintain productivity while navigating the challenges of remote work. Pozen and Samuel's insights are particularly relevant as they address the unique circumstances brought about by the pandemic, such as the need for clear communication, trust-building in virtual teams, and the management of work-life boundaries. They discuss the broader implications of teleworking, including its impact on corporate culture and the potential for a more flexible, results-oriented work environment.
The authors argue that adopting a teleworking model can benefit both employees and corporations by enhancing productivity, reducing overhead costs, and providing flexibility. They advocate for a shift in corporate culture to embrace the advantages of remote work, which has become an integral part of the business landscape due to the pandemic.
Synopsis
The book is organised in six parts and sixteen chapters. They could be summarised as follows.
The Introduction sets the stage for a transformative approach to remote work. It encourages readers to adopt a new mindset that powers up remote work efficiency and effectiveness. The introduction serves as a guide to quickly grasp the book's key takeaways, offering specific guidance for common remote work challenges.
Part I: The Business of One dives into the concept of treating oneself as a business entity, focusing on outcomes rather than hours spent working:
* Chapter 1 discusses how to let go of the traditional nine-to-five workday and impress your boss with your remote work productivity, thereby gaining more control over your work life
* Chapter 2 elaborates on setting clear expectations for your work hours and availability, reducing the number of meetings, advocating for remote work to your boss, and creating a personal performance file to track achievements.
* Chapter 3 is about managing a remote team effectively, including establishing success metrics, communication ground rules, using meetings to reinforce company culture, and conducting remote performance reviews.
Part II: Three Key Strategies for Remote Workers of "Remote, Inc." offers practical strategies to enhance remote work productivity:
* Chapter 4 focuses on the importance of setting clear objectives to drive remote work. It guides readers on how to balance professional and personal priorities, ensuring that daily tasks align with overarching goals. The chapter also advises on allocating time effectively to meet the most critical goals.
* Chapter 5 encourages working backwards from the desired outcomes to increase efficiency. It suggests drafting tentative conclusions to avoid wasted effort and conducting mid-flight reviews to maintain alignment with your boss and team. Additionally, it covers the use of pilot tests to gather feedback from customers and experts.
* Chapter 6 deals with overcoming common remote work challenges such as procrastination. It provides tips on how to focus efforts on high-priority tasks, use multitasking wisely during calls, and respond promptly to important requests.
Part III: Getting Organised as a Remote Worker in "Remote, Inc." provides guidance on structuring various aspects of remote work life for optimal productivity:
* Chapter 7 offers strategies to manage your schedule effectively. It covers how to avoid the trap of back-to-back meetings, set clear goals for each call or meeting, establish energy-saving routines, and structure eating and exercise habits to support a healthy work-life balance.
* Chapter 8 delves into the technical setup required for efficient remote work. It provides advice on setting up calendars, task lists, and time tracking systems, selecting the right technology and equipment for a home office, choosing appropriate software for different projects, and creating a personalised remote work dashboard.
* Chapter 9 focuses on the physical workspace. It discusses how to share a workspace with family or roommates harmoniously, find new spaces that facilitate productivity, make the most of coworking spaces, and dress appropriately for a home office environment to maintain a professional mindset.
Part IV: Essential Skills for Remote Workers in "Remote, Inc." equips remote workers with vital skills for productivity and collaboration:
* Chapter 10 teaches how to streamline meetings for remote work. It provides strategies for having fewer and shorter meetings, making online meetings more effective, diplomatically avoiding meetings that don't add value, and ensuring that every meeting ends with clear next steps.
* Chapter 11 addresses the challenges of staying informed and managing reading material in a remote setting. It offers tips on keeping up with industry news from home, overcoming the drawbacks of reading online, incorporating audio tools to increase reading time, and organising articles and information with a read-it-later file and a clipping file.
* Chapter 12 focuses on enhancing writing skills, crucial for remote communication. It guides on using outlines to prevent writer's block, collaborating with colleagues to draft documents online, providing and receiving feedback through online platforms, and selecting the most suitable software for writing projects.
Part V: Effective Online Communication in "Remote, Inc." provides insights into managing digital communication tools efficiently:
* Chapter 13 offers strategies to manage communication channels effectively. It guides on choosing the right mode of communication (email, call, or message), handling email overload through automation, crafting emails that prompt action, and using team messaging platforms to obtain quick responses.
* Chapter 14 focuses on leveraging social media professionally. It discusses building a network of reliable colleagues, avoiding social media distractions, selecting a niche to demonstrate your online expertise, and maintaining an online presence with just three hours of commitment per week.
* Chapter 15 covers the skills needed for compelling online presentations. It includes adapting your speaking style to the digital format, asking the right questions to plan your presentation effectively, creating slide decks suitable for online viewing, and engaging a virtual audience to ensure interactive sessions.
Part VI: Thriving in a World of Remote Work of "Remote, Inc." is about finding the perfect balance in the remote work environment:
* Chapter 16 discusses creating a balanced schedule that optimises both home and office work. It helps readers identify when they need to spend more time in the office for collaboration and social interaction, and when they need to work from home for focused tasks. The chapter also guides on planning a career that accommodates remote work, ensuring long-term satisfaction and success.
Why you should read?
"Remote, Inc." is a valuable resource for both employees and employers navigating the post-COVID work environment.
For employees, the book offers a blueprint for maximising productivity and work-life balance in a remote setting. It provides actionable strategies to manage time, technology, and workspace, which are essential for adapting to the flexibility and autonomy that remote work demands. The guide's emphasis on outcome-based work rather than hours clocked encourages employees to redefine success in terms of achievements, fostering a sense of ownership and satisfaction in their work.
Employers, on the other hand, can benefit from the book's insights into managing distributed teams and maintaining company culture in a virtual space. The transition to remote work has challenged traditional management practices, and "Remote, Inc." offers a balanced perspective on how to evolve these practices to fit the new normal. It underscores the importance of trust, clear communication, and defined objectives to ensure team cohesion and efficiency. Although written during COVID times, the book's principles are enduring, providing a framework for thriving in a work environment that has been irrevocably changed by the pandemic, making it a pertinent guide for the future of work.
Critics and review
The book has been well-received by critics, who praise its timely and practical guidance for remote work. The book's approach to treating oneself as a "Business of One" and its actionable strategies for productivity and work-life balance have resonated with readers and reviewers alike. Critics highlight the book's relevance, which has made remote work a necessity for many. The insights provided by Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel are seen as valuable for both individuals and organisations adapting to the new normal of work.
Critics have also noted the book's timely publication, coming at a point when remote work has become a staple for many due to the pandemic. The strategies and tips provided by the authors, Robert C. Pozen and Alexandra Samuel, have been praised for their relevance and applicability in a variety of work settings. The book's advice on creating routines, managing online meetings, and dealing with information overload has been seen as valuable for enhancing productivity and maintaining work-life balance.
Verdict
The book emerges as an indispensable guide in the evolving landscape of work. With its insightful strategies and practical advice, the book serves as a beacon for those seeking to navigate the complexities of remote work with confidence and efficiency. The authors' expertise shines through in their recommendations, making it a must-read for anyone looking to excel in the remote work environment.
About the authors
Robert C. Pozen is a distinguished figure with a rich background in finance, public policy, and academia. He is the former chairman of MFS Investment Management, the oldest mutual fund company in the United States, and was previously the President of Fidelity Investments.
As an author, he has contributed to the discourse on productivity and financial systems with books like "Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours" and "Too Big To Save? How to Fix the US Financial System."
His academic credentials include a summa cum laude graduation from Harvard University and a J.D. degree from Yale Law School, where he also earned a doctorate for his thesis on state enterprises in Africa. Currently, he is a senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Alexandra Samuel is an expert on the digital workplace and a seasoned data journalist. She has previously authored "Work Smarter with Social Media: A Guide to Managing Evernote, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Your Email." Samuel's work spans over two decades of experience as a technology researcher and strategist.
She has been a vice president at Vision Critical, a customer intelligence software provider, and the founding director of the Social + Interactive Media Centre at Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
Her academic achievements include a B.A. from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University, where her dissertation focused on hacktivism as a form of online political participation. Samuel has contributed to various publications and projects, offering insights into the digital economy and social media's role in modern communication and business practices.
Read my bi-weekly reviews on https://booksilike.eu
April 25, 2022
I think this book offers certain alternative perspectives and some good ideas. It's not a revelation and I did not expect it to be one.
I have been struggling personally with the sudden movement to remote working and wanted to see what I could pick up from this.
A decent read for someone who has found it challenging working from home. It's not going to change your life but you could pick a thing or two.
I have been struggling personally with the sudden movement to remote working and wanted to see what I could pick up from this.
A decent read for someone who has found it challenging working from home. It's not going to change your life but you could pick a thing or two.
September 25, 2021
I got maybe 25% something out of this. I am self-employed and I own my own business, thus I work for myself. I don't work in the corporate world and I do not have a team under me. So great percentage of this book doesn't apply to me. But what I did glean from this book which is a quarter of the way through (same point I almost DNF'd this book) it did talk about how to break down your task, projects and manage your priorities. Which in any business it is beneficial to learn.
This book is very generated towards remote workers who are in management in the corporate world. So if that's you, this is a great resource for you. If not, I would not recommend this book to you.
This book is very generated towards remote workers who are in management in the corporate world. So if that's you, this is a great resource for you. If not, I would not recommend this book to you.
February 18, 2024
Considering that this book came out during the height of the pandemic when work life changed all of a sudden, it has been written comprehensively, taking into account the present time and future implications of remote work.
For those who share that a lot of what is written is obvious, I think it is obvious now, or to those who have been working remotely before it became mainstream, as well as those who have the experience of time and working for several years. Although, some (a lot) of it may be common sense, I never underestimate how uncommon common sense is and that this book really was written to serve as a guide during a confusing and unpredictable time.
Remote, Inc. provides readers with new ideas and fresh takes on old ways of doing things, and can be reassuring of systems one may already have in place that allows them to be productive and efficient.
For those who share that a lot of what is written is obvious, I think it is obvious now, or to those who have been working remotely before it became mainstream, as well as those who have the experience of time and working for several years. Although, some (a lot) of it may be common sense, I never underestimate how uncommon common sense is and that this book really was written to serve as a guide during a confusing and unpredictable time.
Remote, Inc. provides readers with new ideas and fresh takes on old ways of doing things, and can be reassuring of systems one may already have in place that allows them to be productive and efficient.
July 6, 2021
Author mixes up concepts of remote work and asynchronous work. Had some good ideas about collaborating asynchronously. And a few ideas about culture and how to convey it during team meetings. I found it less useful than I expected, but likely it was because I've been working remotely and semi-asynch for 4 years.
November 3, 2021
1. Consider drafting & adding additions to define workplace culture/expectations for remote environment. Ex: The common working hours where everyone is expected to be available. Each team member's work hours and contact info. How and when to reach you or other colleagues in an emergency(and what counts as an emergency)
Meetings:
- How to structure and circulate meeting agendas and follow-up notes
- When to turn on your video and when it's OK to go audio only
Email & Messaging
- Shared structure/shorthand for subject lines
- How quickly team members ned to reply to email or team messages
- Whether, when, and how often team members should check or reply to messages outside of business hours
- Whether it's OK to email/message/call after hours
- When to email, when to slack, when to text, and when to call
Onboarding a Remote Team Member
1. Give a newbie a digital welcome pack that includes
^ground rules similiar to above and contact info for all the colleagues w/ their preferred contact channels. In sending the remote welcome basket, -> ideas: assortment of tea/coffee + a mug bearing organization's logo
2. If at all possible arrange for some kind of in-person time to help your new hire get a feel for the firm's culture. The best case scenario is for them to do a few weeks or months at the office either full-orpart-time, but if that's not possible, aim to meet up for a walk, a team picnic, or(if all else fails) some just-for-fun team hangouts online.
Lack of team bonding is a major obstacle to the success of virtual teams, according to a survey of HR managers (Virtual Teams Used Most by Global Organizations, Survey Says)Society for Human Resource Management, July 19,2012
^ Something as simple as picking a day/or two each week when you'll have morning coffee together, over video, or it could take a more elaborate form like an online game night or a virtual cocktail party.
Remote Work: Prioritizing Your Goals
- Projects are the big ticket times on your to-do list that might take days, weeks or months to complete. A project is made of many tasks, so prioritizing a single project translates into prioritizing a whole sequence of tasks.
- Get a feel for a worker's priorities:
Boss
Personal
Professional
^ From there -> LInk Enable Tasks & Projects
Let's say you're a senior member of the marketing team for a consumer packaged goods company
Your high priority goal: Increase sales revenue for company's cleaning products.
Here's your to-do list:
1. Brainstorm new marketing ideas
2. Analyzing Customer Surveys
3. Testing out new pricing models
4. Creating a social media campagin
5. Launching a new website for one of the product lines
6. Developing improved packaging for another
7. Introducing a lunch & learn program for junior members of the marketing team
8. Running a market research study on paper products line
9. Launching a social responsibility blog
Any tasks left off the list? Yes - you omitted the goal of improving retention on your team; that's why you wanted the lunch-and-learns. So you add staff retention to your medium-priority list and keep lunch-and-learns on your task list.
if you can't tie a task or project to any of your high/medium-priority objectives, you should presumptively cut it from your schedule.
To move away from hours worked to results accomplished, you need to think carefully about your objectives and priorities. That way you can get really clear on what you want to achieve.
Rethinking time as a remote worker
Long-term remote workers will tell you that the real magic of remote work lies in having long, uninterupted blocks of time when you can think deeply about your projects and strategically about your job.
To handle crises large and small, you should keep at least one hour open every morning, and one hour every afternoon. But if you have work that requires deep concentration, that may not be enough: programmers, writers, architects, designers, and other people responsible for preparing complex documents or products may need much bigger chunks of time to get into a groove.
Make sure to establish daily/self-care habits:
The more boring and repetitive you are when it comes to the little things, the more inspiration and creativity you'll have for thinking about the big things!
Sharing a workspace:
Virtual Meetings:
Make use of the tools to your advantage. Using polls will get instant feedback from your audience.
Managing Social Media in Three Hours a Week
As a remote worker, you can maintain a very thoughtful, engaging social media presence in two or three hours a week.
Using tools like a newsreader to conglamerate all sources into one and a social media dashboard(like Buffer) -> to manage multiple social media presences.
LinkedIn has been pretty pivotal for me, too. I'm the same person that I was a year ago but because I have been using LInkedIn a lot more often and letting people know what I'm doing, all of a sudden people are perking up and giving me kudos or reaching out or asking me to be on panels. People just recognize you as an authority in the space a little bit more. It's one of those uncomfortable, but unavoidable things where yuou've got to toot your own horn a little bit.
Conclusion: 7 quick wins for remote workers:
1. Only handle it once: Embrace the OHIO rule for email
2. The two-sided calendar: Start making a daily practice of noting your goals for each meeting on your cal
3. Ask for an agenda - for meeting invites
4. Create a couple of daily routines -> find recurring decisions you can automate or eliminate by converting them to routines.
5. Start using a digital notebook: to centralize all your notes into a single note-taking app
Meetings:
- How to structure and circulate meeting agendas and follow-up notes
- When to turn on your video and when it's OK to go audio only
Email & Messaging
- Shared structure/shorthand for subject lines
- How quickly team members ned to reply to email or team messages
- Whether, when, and how often team members should check or reply to messages outside of business hours
- Whether it's OK to email/message/call after hours
- When to email, when to slack, when to text, and when to call
Onboarding a Remote Team Member
1. Give a newbie a digital welcome pack that includes
^ground rules similiar to above and contact info for all the colleagues w/ their preferred contact channels. In sending the remote welcome basket, -> ideas: assortment of tea/coffee + a mug bearing organization's logo
2. If at all possible arrange for some kind of in-person time to help your new hire get a feel for the firm's culture. The best case scenario is for them to do a few weeks or months at the office either full-orpart-time, but if that's not possible, aim to meet up for a walk, a team picnic, or(if all else fails) some just-for-fun team hangouts online.
Lack of team bonding is a major obstacle to the success of virtual teams, according to a survey of HR managers (Virtual Teams Used Most by Global Organizations, Survey Says)Society for Human Resource Management, July 19,2012
^ Something as simple as picking a day/or two each week when you'll have morning coffee together, over video, or it could take a more elaborate form like an online game night or a virtual cocktail party.
Remote Work: Prioritizing Your Goals
- Projects are the big ticket times on your to-do list that might take days, weeks or months to complete. A project is made of many tasks, so prioritizing a single project translates into prioritizing a whole sequence of tasks.
- Get a feel for a worker's priorities:
Boss
Personal
Professional
^ From there -> LInk Enable Tasks & Projects
Let's say you're a senior member of the marketing team for a consumer packaged goods company
Your high priority goal: Increase sales revenue for company's cleaning products.
Here's your to-do list:
1. Brainstorm new marketing ideas
2. Analyzing Customer Surveys
3. Testing out new pricing models
4. Creating a social media campagin
5. Launching a new website for one of the product lines
6. Developing improved packaging for another
7. Introducing a lunch & learn program for junior members of the marketing team
8. Running a market research study on paper products line
9. Launching a social responsibility blog
Any tasks left off the list? Yes - you omitted the goal of improving retention on your team; that's why you wanted the lunch-and-learns. So you add staff retention to your medium-priority list and keep lunch-and-learns on your task list.
if you can't tie a task or project to any of your high/medium-priority objectives, you should presumptively cut it from your schedule.
To move away from hours worked to results accomplished, you need to think carefully about your objectives and priorities. That way you can get really clear on what you want to achieve.
Rethinking time as a remote worker
Long-term remote workers will tell you that the real magic of remote work lies in having long, uninterupted blocks of time when you can think deeply about your projects and strategically about your job.
To handle crises large and small, you should keep at least one hour open every morning, and one hour every afternoon. But if you have work that requires deep concentration, that may not be enough: programmers, writers, architects, designers, and other people responsible for preparing complex documents or products may need much bigger chunks of time to get into a groove.
Make sure to establish daily/self-care habits:
The more boring and repetitive you are when it comes to the little things, the more inspiration and creativity you'll have for thinking about the big things!
Sharing a workspace:
Virtual Meetings:
Make use of the tools to your advantage. Using polls will get instant feedback from your audience.
Managing Social Media in Three Hours a Week
As a remote worker, you can maintain a very thoughtful, engaging social media presence in two or three hours a week.
Using tools like a newsreader to conglamerate all sources into one and a social media dashboard(like Buffer) -> to manage multiple social media presences.
LinkedIn has been pretty pivotal for me, too. I'm the same person that I was a year ago but because I have been using LInkedIn a lot more often and letting people know what I'm doing, all of a sudden people are perking up and giving me kudos or reaching out or asking me to be on panels. People just recognize you as an authority in the space a little bit more. It's one of those uncomfortable, but unavoidable things where yuou've got to toot your own horn a little bit.
Conclusion: 7 quick wins for remote workers:
1. Only handle it once: Embrace the OHIO rule for email
2. The two-sided calendar: Start making a daily practice of noting your goals for each meeting on your cal
3. Ask for an agenda - for meeting invites
4. Create a couple of daily routines -> find recurring decisions you can automate or eliminate by converting them to routines.
5. Start using a digital notebook: to centralize all your notes into a single note-taking app
August 26, 2023
A solid guide to being effective as a remote worker. Geared for early career readers, it covers all the basics including how to respond to emails, how to manage projects, how to manage your work calendar, and all that. I would recommend this book to folks who are early career and looking to more effectively onboard into a remote-first or hybrid remote workplace.
January 26, 2024
Very resourceful book with lots of practical tips and tricks to help make your remote life easier. I would recommend this to anyone who works remotely or in a hybrid model. The author not only makes a case for this type of lifestyle, but looks at both sides of the coin and weighs up the benefits of both to make sure that you can get the most out of your life.
I really liked the practical tips around organizing your time and setting up your day so that one activity naturally flows into another. I also found the tech tools that she mentioned to be helpful suggestions, even for someone who has been working with the latest tools for the past ten years. There's always something you can learn to make your life more efficient.
There are many helpful tips on how to run video calls, what protocols to follow and what to implement in your business, as well as anecdotes from successful people who have done this in the past and are living this lifestyle. The author encourages readers to see themselves as a "business of one" to take action, evaluate their goals against the company goals, and to take complete ownership of their work life.
I really liked the practical tips around organizing your time and setting up your day so that one activity naturally flows into another. I also found the tech tools that she mentioned to be helpful suggestions, even for someone who has been working with the latest tools for the past ten years. There's always something you can learn to make your life more efficient.
There are many helpful tips on how to run video calls, what protocols to follow and what to implement in your business, as well as anecdotes from successful people who have done this in the past and are living this lifestyle. The author encourages readers to see themselves as a "business of one" to take action, evaluate their goals against the company goals, and to take complete ownership of their work life.
June 25, 2022
Not for me. I read a lot of this sort of thing to collect ideas and connect them to others, and while this book had a few interesting bits here and there, it so completely lacks vision that I found it pretty trite.
Remote work shouldn't be the way we worked in the office but with video calls and a few little shifts in personal productivity and team practices. Remote Inc. tries to break out of that mould at times but, in my opinion, ultimately fails to cover anything more than the most basic ideas.
What's most useful to me as someone that works on software for this space is the reminder that ideas like outcomes > outputs and people aren't work-execution robots are still innovative ideas in the knowledge workspace more broadly.
Would recommend it as a starter book for people early in their journey thinking about remote work.
Remote work shouldn't be the way we worked in the office but with video calls and a few little shifts in personal productivity and team practices. Remote Inc. tries to break out of that mould at times but, in my opinion, ultimately fails to cover anything more than the most basic ideas.
What's most useful to me as someone that works on software for this space is the reminder that ideas like outcomes > outputs and people aren't work-execution robots are still innovative ideas in the knowledge workspace more broadly.
Would recommend it as a starter book for people early in their journey thinking about remote work.
August 18, 2021
I finished this a month ago and have been totally putting off this review. That might show my excitement about it…
Some parts about productivity were useful. I think freelancers will get the most out of it. For people like me, a junior at the end of the food chain in my company, the book kind of lost me when it started suggesting ways to change the office dynamics. They might work well with managers and established professionals, but in my case I can spend three weeks calling my boss until I get an answer different from “sorry, I have a call on the other line. I’ll call you back.” And then he doesn’t.
In short, I hate my job and I wish I could be a freelancer and still pay my bills. Maybe in fifteen years I get to live my dream.
Some parts about productivity were useful. I think freelancers will get the most out of it. For people like me, a junior at the end of the food chain in my company, the book kind of lost me when it started suggesting ways to change the office dynamics. They might work well with managers and established professionals, but in my case I can spend three weeks calling my boss until I get an answer different from “sorry, I have a call on the other line. I’ll call you back.” And then he doesn’t.
In short, I hate my job and I wish I could be a freelancer and still pay my bills. Maybe in fifteen years I get to live my dream.
August 23, 2025
Only a small portion of this book is about Remote work. It is mostly a book on time and resource management and throws in more suggestions about creating presentations than writing reports sprinkled with some personal beliefs that feels like an agenda is being pushed. I like the idea of treating your employer as a client and being a business of one; however, again, it has nothing to do with working remotely.
It falls short of any helpful working remotely techniques and the general working advice is probably only helpful to junior employees. You'd probably be better off watching a few Ted Talks.
It falls short of any helpful working remotely techniques and the general working advice is probably only helpful to junior employees. You'd probably be better off watching a few Ted Talks.
June 15, 2025
My workplace seems to be heading towards lowering the flexibility in remote work arrangements by increasing the minimum # of days per week we will need to be in-person. This is making me anxious as I really appreciate my current remote work schedule and I wouldn't want to change it. This book has given me useful strategies for productivity in remote work, and helped me think through some arguments I might make, if necessary, to try to convince my employer that my current arrangement is just fine as-is.
May 27, 2021
Decent read with mostly productivity tricks. I rescue all the information when it comes to leveraging of your value for the company to negotiate with your leaders your remote work situation, and even how to increase or at least maintain some of those remote benefits now that people is going back to office. Definitely home office is the new office for a nice portion of the working force. Hopefully you are one of those lucky workers.
September 7, 2021
Si vous ne possédez pas ou peu d'expérience sur le marché du travail, c'est un livre très intéressant. Les auteurs présentent leur méthode afin de développer de bons réflexes au travail en télétravail et répondre aux attentes de son supérieur. Au fil des pages, le lecteur pourra prendre connaissance de plusieurs approches ou stratégies afin de livrer ce qu'il est attendu de lui en tant d'employé ou membre d'une équipe.
September 8, 2021
There is nothing new under the sun. Mostly tips for boss, project, email management. I would say the best wfh tip is to think of yourself as owning your own enterprise - the premise of the book and hence the title. Instead of counting hours, set goals and deliverables. Also, reflect on how you’ve been spending your time, which I found to be a good reminder. You may be super busy all day but all those tasks may not be what counts towards your KPIs.
December 31, 2021
This is the Emily Post of today's Remote Work Culture. It's, at best, a snapshot syllabus of today's work from home culture.
If this was a course guide, sure, it would read as a guidepost for further discussion and reading. However, as a standalone book, do not expect big things. This is, again at it's best, a book which can get you started on a remote workplace scenario.
Five years from now, this will be outdated....if it even lasts that long.
If this was a course guide, sure, it would read as a guidepost for further discussion and reading. However, as a standalone book, do not expect big things. This is, again at it's best, a book which can get you started on a remote workplace scenario.
Five years from now, this will be outdated....if it even lasts that long.
September 16, 2022
I'm not someone who usually enjoys reading or listening to business books, but I appreciated the clear layout, specific suggestions and examples, and general attitude of this book. But it definitely exists for a very specific subset of people. To be fair, it acknowledges this, but still, I found it hard to connect with some of the idealized descriptions and assumptions of Super Dedicated and Productive People using remote work to create Super Balanced and Fulfilling Lives.
October 16, 2021
The only thing that I do want to actively remember is to ask for the agenda of any meeting you are invited to.
If they can't make one, the meeting won't have a clear purpose and you better skip it if you can.
If they can't make one, the meeting won't have a clear purpose and you better skip it if you can.
October 29, 2021
Kind of a general productivity book with tips on being efficient with your time, interacting with colleagues, and writing effectively. I liked the last chapter where he describes the pros and cons of working remotely and gives a framework for recommending a hybrid model with your boss.
February 4, 2023
3.5*
Covers how to conduct one's self in a remote environment and touches on managing others and how to set expectations. Initially rated a 3 but since I don't have an half star option, we'll bump it up to 4*.
Covers how to conduct one's self in a remote environment and touches on managing others and how to set expectations. Initially rated a 3 but since I don't have an half star option, we'll bump it up to 4*.
January 9, 2025
Work read - basic concepts, and the examples were tough. I personally wouldn’t share with my manager that I need 2 hours off I would just go and bring my work phone. Okay subjects in the beginning but didn’t continue after ch.10
May 22, 2021
Some good advice for working remotely, but this book is also a trojan horse for some woke intersectional nonsense
July 15, 2021
Parts 1, 2, and 6 are worth reading. The middle is mostly information that can be found in a variety of productivity books, and the most important points are summarized in the conclusion.
November 28, 2021
Great for improving and evaluating your remote working situation.
December 23, 2021
It give a lot of useful ideas, definitely got my mind running. But it's really better for higher level employees who have a lot more day in how they work.
January 21, 2022
Great book for those of us working remotely. I highly recommend it for anybody who is telecommuting, working hybrid, or wanting to go in that direction. It's also very good for managers.
February 28, 2022
Good info for almost any industry. Although it was just wrote, some of it already felt outdated.
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