Remote but Not Removed
Ever have a week where you feel like you're sinking in mud? Call it post-vacation blues or something else entirely, but last week (my first week back from vacation) was rough. It was a vacation that didn’t quite feel like one. Sure, I got my daily walks in, hand-in-hand with my husband, which I loved. But mentally, I struggled to unplug. Instead of leaning into the out-of-office mindset, I got swept up in email turnaround times and the pressure of deadlines. I showed up to work each morning, and one day, I even sat at my computer for five straight hours. Can you believe that? I didn’t practice what I preach. I didn’t recharge.
Fast forward to Sunday (full week post-vacation) and I found myself experiencing Sunday Scaries for the first time in a long time. But instead of letting them take over, I reminded myself to return to the habits that make life easier: sticking to my bedtime routine, getting out of bed when my alarm goes off, working out before the day fully starts, and taking advantage of my telework space. I also made a point to engage with people just for the sake of connection. Leaning into habit stacking has helped me push through the mud of the past two weeks. I’m grateful to have that tool in my pocket.
But all of this got me thinking. Gallup released stats earlier this month showing that exclusively remote employees are more engaged at work (31%) than their hybrid (23%) and on-site (19%) peers. Yet, they’re thriving at a lower rate, just 36% compared to 42% for hybrid and on-site remote-capable workers.
“These findings suggest that being a fully remote worker is often more mentally and emotionally taxing than working on-site or working in a hybrid arrangement. ”
As I processed that data and reflected on my own experience running my own business and working remotely. I realized what was missing, daily collaboration. After a tearful Sunday and a phone call with my sweet cousin, it hit me. I thrive on connection, and lately, I’ve felt like I’m on an island.
So today, after stacking my habits and jumpstarting my day, I opened the Fount and Flourish app to see what events were coming up; ways to connect, to strike up a conversation, to feel part of something again.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade my remote autonomy for anything. But I’ve realized that I need to make space for purposeful connection if I want to feel refreshed.
So now I’m curious: What gives you the Sunday Scaries? And what do you do to tackle them?