Remote Work After 5 Years: What Actually Works

I've been working remotely since 2019—before the pandemic made it mainstream. Five years later, I can't imagine going back to an office.

But remote work isn't the paradise some people imagine. It took me two years to figure out how to be productive, healthy, and happy while working from home.

Here's what actually works.

The Office Setup

Your Chair Matters More Than Your Monitor

I spent $1,200 on a Herman Miller Aeron. Best purchase I've ever made. Before that, I was using a $100 office chair and wondering why my back hurt.

You're going to sit in this chair 8+ hours a day. Don't cheap out.

The Minimum Viable Setup

• Chair: Something ergonomic (Herman Miller, Steelcase, or a good mesh chair)
• Desk: Anything stable. Standing desk optional but nice.
• Monitor: External monitor at eye level. Your laptop screen destroys your posture.
• Keyboard/Mouse: Separate from laptop. Wrists will thank you.
• Lighting: Don't work in the dark. Get a desk lamp.

The Nice-to-Haves

• Second monitor (useful, not essential)
• Webcam (laptop cameras are terrible)
• Good microphone (Blue Yeti or similar)
• Noise-canceling headphones

The Routine

Start at the Same Time Every Day

"I'll just start whenever" leads to rolling out of bed at 11am and working until midnight. That's not flexibility—it's chaos.

My schedule:

• 8:00 AM: Coffee, check emails/Slack
• 8:30 AM: Deep work (no meetings)
• 12:00 PM: Lunch away from desk
• 1:00 PM: Meetings if needed
• 4:00 PM: Wrap up, plan tomorrow
• 5:00 PM: Done

The specific times don't matter. Consistency does.

The Commute That Doesn't Exist

I missed the mental separation between "work" and "home." The solution: fake a commute.

Before work: 15-minute walk around the block. After work: Same walk in reverse.

Sounds silly. Works surprisingly well.

Protect Deep Work

The office had interruptions, but remote work has more interruptions. Slack is always on. Email never stops. Someone's always in a different timezone.

I block 2-3 hours every morning for deep work:

• Slack set to DND
• Email closed
• Phone in another room

The important stuff can wait 3 hours. If something's actually urgent, people will call.

Communication

Over-Communicate Everything

In an office, people see you working. Remote, they don't. You have to make your work visible.

Starting: "I'm picking up the auth refactor today"
Progress: "Auth PR is up for review, tackled the session edge cases"
Blockers: "Waiting on API spec from backend team before I can continue"
Done: "Auth refactor merged, here's what changed: [link]"

This isn't bragging. It's keeping people informed.

Write Better Than You Speak

Most remote communication is written. Your writing is your professional image.

Bad:

hey can u look at this thing when u get a sec its kinda broken i think

Better:

Hey! Could you review the auth PR when you have time? 
I'm seeing an edge case with expired sessions that I'm not sure how to handle.
Link: [PR link]
No rush—EOD tomorrow is fine.

Clear, contextual, actionable.

Default to Async

Not everything needs a meeting. Not everything needs immediate response.

"Can we hop on a quick call?" → Send a Loom video instead
"Quick question..." → Write it out fully so they can answer later
"Let's sync up" → Propose a specific agenda

The fewer real-time interruptions, the more everyone gets done.

But Sometimes, Just Call

Written communication fails when:

• There's conflict or tension
• Something is nuanced and requires discussion
• You've gone back and forth 3+ times without resolution

At that point, get on a call. 10 minutes of talking beats 50 messages.

Health

Move Your Body

I gained 15 pounds my first year of remote work. Turns out, walking to meetings and taking stairs actually counts as exercise.

Now non-negotiable:

• Morning walk (fake commute)
• Afternoon break outside
• Actual exercise 3-4 times a week

It's not about fitness. It's about not feeling terrible.

Eat Like an Adult

The kitchen is 10 feet away. All day. The temptation to snack constantly is real.

What worked:

• Structured meals (not grazing)
• Healthy snacks within reach
• Junk food not in the house at all

If I buy chips, I eat chips. So I don't buy chips.

The Mental Health Part

Remote work can be isolating. No water cooler conversations. No spontaneous lunches. Days can pass without human interaction.

What helps:

• Video on during meetings (yes, really)
• Casual Slack channels (#random, #pets, etc.)
• Weekly 1:1s with teammates just to chat
• Local coworking space 1-2 days a week
• Non-work social activities

The loneliness is a real risk. Address it proactively.

Boundaries

Have a Work Space

If possible, a room with a door. If not, at least a dedicated desk.

When I'm at the desk, I'm working. When I leave the desk, I'm done.

Working from the couch or bed blurs the lines. Suddenly you're never really working and never really resting.

End the Day Deliberately

No physical departure means no mental departure. You have to create that boundary.

My end-of-day ritual:

1. Write tomorrow's todo list
2. Close all work apps
3. Shut the laptop
4. Leave the room
5. Don't come back until tomorrow

The laptop stays closed. Slack goes unread. Work will be there tomorrow.

It's Okay to Ignore Things

You don't need to respond to every Slack message in 5 minutes. You don't need to be "available" 12 hours a day. You don't need to feel guilty about having a life outside work.

Set expectations with your team:

• "I check Slack at X, Y, Z times"
• "DMs work better than channel messages for urgency"
• "I don't work weekends except for actual emergencies"

Most teams are fine with this. The ones that aren't are probably bad teams.

The Reality Check

It's Not for Everyone

Some people need the office. The energy, the structure, the separation. That's valid.

I know engineers who do their best work in a coffee shop, surrounded by strangers. I know others who can only focus in complete silence. Remote work rewards self-awareness.

It's Work, Just From Home

Remote doesn't mean easier. It means different. The expectations don't drop. The deadlines don't disappear.

If anything, you have to be more disciplined because no one's watching.

The Good Parts Are Really Good

No commute. Flexible schedule. Custom environment. Focused time. Living anywhere.

I can work from my apartment in North Carolina or a coffee shop in Austin. I can schedule work around life instead of life around work.

That freedom is worth the challenges.

The Bottom Line

Remote work is a skill. Like any skill, it takes practice and intentional effort.

The default doesn't work. You have to build systems—for productivity, for communication, for health, for boundaries.

Five years in, I've got systems that work. They took two years to develop. If you're struggling with remote work, give yourself grace. It's harder than it looks.

But once you figure it out? There's no going back.

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Working remotely since 2019. Living in my pajamas until noon is optional but recommended.