The Remote Dream—and the Reality Check

When remote work became the new normal, a lot of us thought we’d discovered the holy grail of modern employment. No commute, more freedom, the chance to do your job from a beach in Portugal or a kitchen table in Brooklyn—it sounded perfect. And in many ways, it was a huge leap forward. But as the dust settled, something became clear: while the location of our work changed, the culture around it didn’t. If anything, it got messier.

I’ve been working remotely for years, and while I’m grateful for the flexibility, I’ve also seen firsthand how the systems we’ve built around remote work often fail the people doing it. We traded in office politics for digital overload, and in many ways, we’re still acting like we’re in cubicles—even when we’re working across time zones.

Over-Communication Is the New Micromanagement

One of the biggest problems I’ve noticed is the pressure to always be online. Managers who used to peek over your shoulder in the office now expect instant replies on Slack. Just because we can ping each other at all hours doesn’t mean we should.

In theory, remote work should empower us to work when we’re most productive. But instead of trusting people to get the job done, a lot of companies have doubled down on constant check-ins, long video meetings, and endless email chains. It’s performative productivity. You’re not being measured by your results—you’re being judged by your “green dot” status.

From my own home office in Brooklyn, I’ve had days where I’m in back-to-back virtual meetings from 9 to 6. The irony? I barely had time to do any actual work. If that’s what remote culture looks like, then we haven’t really solved anything.

The Isolation No One Talks About

Let’s talk about loneliness. Remote work can be incredibly isolating, especially if you’re a solo freelancer or working on a distributed team where no one else lives nearby. There’s no casual banter in the hallway, no spontaneous lunch outings, no shared energy of a buzzing office.

Sure, we have Slack channels and virtual happy hours, but those can feel forced or superficial. When you’re working from home day after day, it’s easy to feel disconnected—not just from your coworkers, but from your work itself. You start to question if what you’re doing even matters, or if anyone would notice if you disappeared for a few days.

I’ve been lucky to have a home base in Brooklyn with friends and other remote workers nearby, so I’m not totally cut off. But even with that, I’ve had stretches where I didn’t speak to a colleague in real time for days. And that’s not healthy—for anyone.

Burnout Doesn’t Look the Same Anymore

Another issue? Remote work has made burnout harder to recognize. When you’re working from home, there’s no clear end to the day. The lines blur. You take one more call. You answer a few emails at dinner. You finish that slide deck before bed.

Because you’re physically “home,” it doesn’t always register that you’re overworking. There’s no visible exhaustion, no packed subway to signal the end of a long day. But it builds up. And before you know it, you’re mentally checked out, running on autopilot.

The remote culture of today doesn’t do enough to protect against that. Most companies still celebrate overachievement and “going the extra mile” without asking what it’s costing people. When productivity is measured by output, but no one’s tracking wellness, burnout becomes invisible.

So, How Do We Fix It?

First, we need to let go of the idea that presence equals productivity. Just because someone responds quickly on Slack doesn’t mean they’re doing their best work. We need to shift the focus from being constantly available to being meaningfully engaged. That means fewer check-ins and more trust. Give people the freedom to own their time and the space to work deeply.

Second, companies need to be proactive about connections. Don’t just toss people in a virtual “watercooler” channel and call it culture. Create space for real conversations—mentorship, peer support, even just informal chats that aren’t tied to deliverables. Encourage people to take breaks, to unplug, and to be human.

And third, normalize boundaries. No one should feel guilty for logging off at 5 or muting notifications on weekends. Leaders need to model this too. Culture starts at the top. If your boss is sending emails at midnight, it sets a tone—whether they mean to or not.

Reimagining Remote Culture

Remote work is here to stay, and that’s a good thing. But we’re still figuring out how to make it sustainable, supportive, and truly empowering. It’s not just about working from anywhere—it’s about working in a way that respects people’s time, energy, and mental health.

I believe we can get there. But we have to be honest about what’s broken. And we have to be willing to do the hard work of rebuilding—together.

From where I sit in Brooklyn, remote work still feels like one of the most liberating shifts in modern work life. But freedom without intention doesn’t always feel like freedom. We’ve got to rethink how we communicate, how we connect, and how we care for each other—even from across the world.