What being out sick reminded me about remote work.

Last week I was out with the flu. I went from OOTO at my worst to WFH when my fever and hacking subsided. When I started to respond to emails and dial into meetings, I felt distant. And I thought a lot about working remotely and how it impacts people and companies.

1. Working remotely can be healthy. It can afford you much-needed time away from your team. Distance, or in this case, sickness, does indeed make the heart grow fonder.
2. It can allow you to focus on your work. If some horrific contagion doesn’t completely knock you out, it’s a sad truth that being home can be more productive than a day in the office. Without a flurry of meetings or non-emergency emergencies to attend to, it’s incredible what you can get done.
3. Telling people exactly what you need is wildly efficient. I hate asking for anything. I’d prefer those around me to magically intuit my needs and expectations and spend much less time qualifying or apologizing for requests. When you’re out sick, you tell people what needs to get done because you lack the energy to try and take it on yourself.
4. You’re reminded of how capable and committed your team is. If you’re like me, you work with a pretty awesome crew of talented people. Their ability to carry on and their willingness to help out is humbling. Shocking…but the world doesn’t fall apart when you’re away, and that’s something to take comfort in and be proud of.
5. Being ‘present’ is invaluable. Yes, from your sofa or home office, you can give direction, set priorities, and give feedback on work. But if you’re not studying the faces on the screen or looking into someone’s eye, you can miss their frustration or the feedback that confuses them. You may miss the chance to share an “I got your back” look during a rocky presentation.
6. You must work just as hard to bring energy to a room remotely. Have you ever heard someone try to motivate or inspire a roomful of people via a conference call? It often feels out-of-touch, like they said their lines and then went back on mute, assuming it had the desired effect. To lead, you have to be one with the team and be on the field — fully present.
7. You need to remember to ask who needs your help. As managers, helping others focus their efforts and clear obstacles is part of our job. When we’re not there to see the distractions in action — the coworkers hovering around with ad hoc requests or the pile of work someone is struggling to dig out from — we don’t always know what to mitigate. It’s our job to ask how we can help.
8. You have to create space for relationships. When you are OOTO, most conversations are scheduled and focused on a specific project or topic. This precludes us from wandering into conversations and banter that build human connection. Chatting about Korean food or kittens may seem trivial, but it builds camaraderie and culture. Staying on topic is essential, but a little small talk is essential, too.
9. You have to nurture the exchange of ideas. It can seem easier to inspire collaboration when you can schedule it. You can set up meetings and whiteboard sessions and use tools like Notion and Miro to promote the exchange of ideas. But as a leader, you must still be present and committed to soliciting and nurturing the great ideas hiding in the quiet corner of a brainstorm. This is much harder to do on camera.
10. A “good morning” always makes the day better. Simple gestures punctuate our day and bring humanity to it. It’s when we acknowledge and respect the multifaceted creatures we work alongside — and the partners, pets, and friends they go home to. We don’t just hire workers; we hire human beings. A simple end-of-the-day or start-of-the-weekend chat can help create a culture that values people’s life.
11. Let your absences remind you to ask more of others. When working remotely, you become hyper-aware of the little things you can or should rely on others for. The trivial tasks you haven’t offloaded become much more daunting when you are sick or need to take care of something in your personal life. Don’t deny your team the opportunity to help you or to take on more. Thank them, and return the favor when needed.
12. Create space for debate. Email and virtual meetings leave us inclined to tone down the back-and-forth, the differing opinions and discourse we know are healthy. A remote meeting can make it too easy to let your perspective be dismissed or killed; a muted mic can make it too easy for the more hesitant person to speak up.

When you aren’t in person, you have to work twice as hard to create space for meaningful discussions, debate, and creativity. You must look, hear, and feel through video screens to tease out unspoken ideas, concerns, and frustrations. When you do have to be remote, be attuned to your team's highs, lows, and collective energy—and be as fully present as possible.