Disappeared for a month. Got married in Ireland. Took my first real break since starting Remotivated.

By “real break” I mean:

didn't even check if the wifi was good

actually took full weekends off

deleted socials

was present at my own wedding (novel idea)

It’s not rude to get straight to the point—it's transparent and efficient! Sure, include all the pleasantries you want, but also include your ask in the same message.

Unsolicited webinar invites are not cold outreach. This would be like if junk mail companies just sent an envelope of glitter, there is only one possible response.

Under Preferences you can also direct for your samples to be disposed (default is to be stored) and just for good measure I also went through and revoked permission for everything else before requesting that my data be deleted.

PSA: If you don't love the idea of your DNA being sold at auction, you can log into 23andme - Settings - 23andme Data and permanently delete your data.

Remote Communication Pet Peeve: The Dreaded "Hi" Message

"Hi"
...
[3 minutes later]
"Do you have a minute?"
...
[20 minutes later]
"Sure, what do you need?"

So much time wasted. It's not rude to get straight to the point—it's transparent and efficient!

🎉 It's Employee Appreciation Day TODAY and no, you can't just ask your team to appreciate each other! Gratitude cannot be delegated.

If you're a leader who hasn't planned anything yet, don't panic. Here are three things you can do right now that actually matter:

California's forcing state employees back to offices 4 days/week with the same tired narrative: "collaboration improves, innovation thrives." 🙄
That's the same low-effort spin we've heard from Dell, JPMorgan, and "DOGE." Different letterheads, identical thinking.

Companies ignoring remote work are fighting against the free market itself.
This isn't one of my "hot takes"—it's basic economics. 📊

Only 10% of job postings are remote, yet they attract 40% of all applications.

The labor market largely follows the same principles as any other.

Me getting ready to reply with peer-reviewed research every time someone posts 'remote work is dead' 🤭 📚

The rebranding of layoffs needs to stop. Firing 5% of your workforce in one day (by email...) is a layoff and a cowardly one.

Performance based firing should be a constant process, not an annual purge. Branding people you're laying off as "low performers" is an unnecessary and cruel PR stunt.

They said it couldn't be done. They said that the magic of the office water cooler could not be replicated in a remote setting. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.

"So... seen any good squirrels lately?"

Have a better caption? 👇

Even Michael Dell doesn't believe his current talk track. In the same article (and in his book) he's discussed the benefits of remote work. The only thing that's changed is his priorities.

One visa to rule them all, and in a co-working space bind them 🧙‍♂️💻
New Zealand has joined the fellowship of countries offering remote work visas!

Visitors can now stay up to 90 days while working remotely for an overseas employer.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

See you in The Shire?

Meeting ends. *𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴* Check Slack. *𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴* Answer email. *𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴* Try to remember what you were doing. *𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴*
Here's what that's doing to our brains:

🤔 96% of companies believe employer brand and reputation can positively or negatively impact revenue, yet only 44% monitor that impact. Why?

Companies meticulously monitor everything else that can impact revenue. Maybe they don't want to know the answer? Maybe they just don't know how?

POV: When you hop on the Zoom call from your perfectly curated home office and see the other person is in a cubicle. Kidding, but you know... not really.

#remotework #meme

I'm loving the blank canvas vibes of a social media platform that hasn't been destroyed by it's own algorithm. 🌅