Lauren Schaefer - Does remote work really work? - PyCon 2019

"Speaker: Lauren Schaefer

With nearly nine years of experience as a remote employee across three different companies, Lauren knows the ups and downs of remote work. In this session, Lauren will dive into what the research says about remote work and share her personal stories of failures and successes.

You'll walk away from this session knowing why remote work is awesome, empowered to convince your boss to let you work remotely, and armed with the tools you need to be a happy, successful remote employee.

If you've been thinking about making the transition to working remotely, you're a manager of people who are or could work remotely, or you've made the leap to remote work and are struggling to make it work, this is the session for you!

[Allen_lena]

2020 has given definitive proof that remote work works for many people. I think many people won't ever go back to work on location.

[anantharamaniyer]

Thanks for the lovely talk highlighting the perils and benefits of remote working for employers as well as employees. I particularly relate and value your points on how one can over work while being remote and how one should actively avoid burnout.
Thank you.

[nikitasid]

Starts at 39:20 really. Common words on distraction and self-discipline and etc., too many memes and too much information on someone's private life. "Researches" usually study things on average and don't prove anything. Agree, though, on regular breaks and switching the stuff off on time.
What one must remember is that remote work is still WORK and requires almost exactly the same seriousness as in the office. The thing that nobody thinks of is that "news guy" could as well be sitting in his underware underneath the table. And you know what I mean.
So:
– have a separate place in your house for work. Call it "office". A room, a corner or at least another chair. It's a mental switch between "work" and "no work" states. Never work from your bed or where you usually rest.
– you won't agree at first probably, but dress as you would do for office work. Maybe just a bit relaxing. Clothes do discipline one.
– stick to the schedule, obey your working hours and make brakes as mentioned.
– distractions are tricky thing, you may try not avoid them sometimes but increase instead. Try deliberately sitting in loud crowded uncomfortable place with your monitor exposed to the others, like cafe or kitchen. Sometimes works if nobody touches your personally.

It's all in your hands now – time to grow up a bit and take it seriously, that's all one can say about the topic.