Sure, it was novel when the world finally woke up to remote work. Pandemic aside, people could enjoy some simple pleasures of working from home—no commuting, wearing pajamas, and eating whatever they want from their fridge.
But fast-forward to 2022, and some of the initial charms of remote work have worn off. People are tired of Zoom and wistfully long for the water-cooler conversations (something I don't remember being a "thing," but that's a topic for another day...)
So, as I was thinking about ways to encourage others to be more "adventurous" in their working-from-home routines, I stumbled upon the adventurer Alastair Humphrey. His past adventures have been the “capital A” kind of adventures, like cycling around the world for FOUR years and walking across southern India. Big stuff. Memorable stuff. Things that make a memoir.
But eventually, Alastair’s life caught up with him—he married and had children. Soon, his big adventures came with a big loss. So he traded in multi-year bike rides for a thing he's coined "microadventures." Essentially, he ordered a map of his town, divided it into half-square miles, and then went out to explore the quotidian —from thistles to bees.
It's funny that despite how remote work has removed constraints, we still operate as if we're in an office. We work 9-to-5 hours and circle from meeting to meeting, albeit on Zoom.
But what would it look like if you stepped out of your remote work comfort zoom and incorporated a micro-adventure into your routine? Maybe that looks like trying the top 10 cafes in your town or deciding to co-work with a friend at your kitchen table on Fridays.
If not, what’s stopping you? Often it comes down to trust, not only in others but yourself.
As remote work advocate Darcy Boles told us in an interview for our book:
“I think it takes six months to two years to fully trust yourself to work remotely, like truly remote. Getting on a phone with somebody instead of a video call takes a certain amount of trust.”
Darcy then suggested a remote worker challenge: to do something scary in the middle of the day—even if it’s simply a mid-day walk. Otherwise, you’ll fall back into the familiar 9-5 pattern.
In conclusion, the next time you feel stifled by your WFH routine, we challenge you to call on your inner Alastair or Darcy Boles. Who knows what I’ll find…
Reflection Questions:
When do you feel low-energy at work?
What would happen if you took a break instead of powering through the slump?
How could you incorporate a micro-adventure to shake up your WFH routine?