Hello, flexible friends,

Quick question: when was the last time you stepped away from your laptop mid-day?

Not to refill coffee. Not to check Slack from your phone.
A real break.

Somewhere along the way, many of us replaced our former commute with… more hours of screen time.

Here’s the upside of remote life: you can reset when you need to. And it might be the most productive move you make all day.

This week, we’re talking about the mid-day reset. A simple pause that sharpens your thinking, boosts creativity, and reminds you why you chose remote work in the first place.

Let’s get into it.

— Ric & Shellie

P.S. Know a remote worker glued to their chair right now? Send this before their “break” becomes another meeting. 🙌🏼

By Rob Manne

The most productive part of my workday doesn’t happen at my desk. It happens outside. 

When our remote team started building “daily resets” into our schedules, everything changed — creativity, collaboration, even our moods. 

The missing ingredient wasn’t discipline. It was the commute we no longer had.

If you work remotely, this might change your routine: Read more. →

✅ The Crucial Case for Lunch Breaks: Why Remote Workers Need Them Too

✅ Remote Work Mental Health: How to Keep Your Team Healthy and Happy

✅ Micro-breaks at work and the quiet science of sustained performance

By Jen Aly

In Oaxaca City, I'd bolt from my desk to watch bright green parrots land in the trees. 

Now in Guanajuato, my fifth visit in two years, I have to force myself up to the rooftop despite the stunning view. 

This is the slomad's paradox: we engineer location freedom, then stop using it. 

Here's why your brain makes paradise invisible, what the science says about strategic breaks, and how to reclaim your mid-day reset before burnout reclaims you. 

Read how Jen treats breaks like her infrastructure →

🔆 7 ways AI tools can make remote work more productive (and help you avoid burnout). These essential tips can help improve your remote working habits.

🔆 Better time management starts with 3 hard truths. Time ownership is not about doing more. It's about deciding what matters and having the courage to protect it.

🔆 AI Could Help Make Work Even More Flexible And Productive. Productive success relies on maximizing work hours, not extending them.

Next week: The Portfolio Career- Build income streams aligned with your expertise so you're never held hostage by a single employer.

Coworking in Durham. Waterfall hikes in South Carolina. Slope sessions in the mountains. Comedy shows. Women in business mixers. AI workshops over beer.

This week's packed with reasons to leave your desk and meet actual humans who get the remote life.

Pick your vibe. Show up. Make it happen.

Find your people (they're pretty cool) →

🧰 Creator’s Toolbox : Where creatives get their news. Free tools, news, and resources in your inbox

☕ Curse and Coffee : Opinionated world news that respects your time. One bold take, the best counter, and the receipt that proves it — in six minutes.

🖥️ Workspaces : Discover workspaces that inspire productivity