Coming to you with lots of love, snarky-ness, and a whole lotta home-office energy —
Because if we can’t laugh at the outdated myths about remote work… we’ll cry. In our stretchy pants. While crushing deadlines, leading teams, and redefining what success looks like.

I’m Shellie. I’ve been working remotely since some of you were still asking your mom for snack money. And no, I’m not horizontal with a glass of wine and an open laptop pretending to work. That’s called Friday.

Here we go! Let’s unpack the top 10 remote work lies keeping outdated managers awake at night—bless their little micromanaging hearts

10. “Remote workers aren’t really working.”

Oh no, we’re absolutely working. We just happen to be doing it without someone hovering over our shoulder asking if we “have a quick sec.” (FACT: I never do. You're never quick. And it’s never a sec.)

9. “Freelancers are just between jobs.”

Right. And Beyoncé’s just between girl groups. Many of us chose this. Voluntarily. Like adults. Because commuting, office birthday cakes, and mandatory fun are soul-crushing and not the peak of human fulfillment.

8. “You can’t build a strong culture remotely.”

Oh totally—because nothing builds culture like forced fun at 4 PM birthday parties and passive-aggressive fridge notes about missing yogurt. Remote teams are building actual trust and connection without the sheet cake.

7. “Remote workers are harder to manage.”

Translation: “I can’t tell if you’re being productive unless I can physically see your face pretending to care during this meeting that should’ve been an email.” We’re doing fine. You’re the one with trust issues.

6. “Remote work is just a trend.”

Like baggy jeans, it’s back, and it’s not going anywhere. Sorry, CEOs who invested in glass conference rooms and inspirational wall decals. We’ve seen the light. It’s natural. And it comes through our home windows.

5. “Remote workers are lonely and sad.”

Okay, first of all, everyone’s lonely and sad. But remote workers just do it in sweatpants while snuggling a dog. So really, we’re winning.

4. “You need to be in the office to get promoted.”

If being in the office were the secret to success, every guy who microwaves fish at 11:30 would be running the company by now. Promotions don’t come from loitering near your boss’s desk—they come from delivering results, showing initiative, and not forwarding 17 “per my last email” threads before lunch.

3. “People slack off when no one’s watching.”

You know who’s slacking off? People who need to be watched. Remote workers are running their lives with the precision of a NASA launch. Meanwhile, in the office, Karen is still figuring out the printer jam.

2. “Remote workers wear pajamas all day.”

Sure—if by “trend” you mean a full-blown cultural shift that makes life, work, and mental health better. We've tasted sunlight, and we’re not going back to beige.

1. “Real work happens in the office.”

Totally. Just ask anyone who's survived an entire day of "quick questions," random fire drills, and breakroom birthday cakes. Meanwhile, remote folks are finishing projects before that office coffee finishes brewing.

Bottom line? Remote workers are not checked out—we’re all in. We’re building careers with intention, living lives that align with our values, and proving every day that impact isn’t tied to a desk.

So if anyone tells you RTO is on the rise, just smile politely and remind them that Netflix was once laughed out of the room by Blockbuster execs. And we all know how that turned out.

Stay thriving, stay remote, and yes, we’re keeping the sweatpants.

—Shellie
Co-founder, Thrive Remotely
(Definitely working. Just not near Steve from Accounting.)

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