HBR Guide to Remote Work

CHAPTER 5

Staying Motivated in a Remote Job

by Alison Buckholtz

Those of us who work from home might not always admit it, but let’s be honest: We often miss the office. Even the too-talkative, too-messy, or too-cutthroat colleagues you willed yourself to ignore when they sat near you can seem endearing when you’re toiling away to the ticktock of your kitchen clock.

I’ve been working from home for almost 15 years. Sometimes it’s been across oceans and time zones (we were a military family), and sometimes it’s been across town (the office was short on space; I was ruled by my children’s schedules; the whole operation was virtual). At this point in my career as a writer-editor and consultant, I’ve worked for multinational corporations, international ...