#remote-work

#remote-work

Today's 'screenagers' have grown up against a backdrop of crises, but they get their work done at 'incredible speed' The country is "grinding to a halt", thundered Digicel founder Denis O'Brien in a speech to the Business Post Economic Outlook Forum last week, holding forth with all the bluster of a Dickensian industrialist. Remote working was a "mistake". Most "troubling" of all, he said, was a "decline in our work ethic".

The idea of getting paid to move abroad sounds too good to be true, yet it's becoming a reality for many people. Around the world, countries and smaller regions are offering financial incentives to attract new residents. Whether it's to fight population decline, stimulate local economies, or revitalize rural towns, these programs are creating opportunities for adventurous individuals and families in 2025. For many, this isn't just about a paycheck-it's about lifestyle.

If you were born between 1965 and 1980, you might be tired of the corporate chaos and endless commute. If so, you're not alone. After decades of hard work and climbing the proverbial corporate ladder, the chance to work from home offers the ideal mix of flexibility and peace of mind many Gen X professionals are looking for. Whether you're seeking a slower pace or simply want more control over your schedule, these 10 low-stress jobs make it easier to balance work and life.

Working from home has its perks, but staying organized takes some effort. For me, the biggest challenge isn't distractions-it's keeping track of everything I need to do across different projects and deadlines. I'm not naturally the most organized person, so I rely on a handful of tools to keep things running smoothly. Over time, I've settled on five productivity tools that work well together without overwhelming my workflow. They range from note-taking apps to a simple physical timer that helps me focus.

Sitting at a desk for at least eight hours a day is the reality for most remote workers today. But what if you could keep moving while working? That's exactly the question that inspired Johannes Kettmann, a software developer from Berlin who knows firsthand the challenge of hitting those 10,000 steps per day while working a remote desk job. The result is the Office Walker, a minimalist walking pad designed for simplicity, silence, and long-lasting durability.

Imagine finishing your morning espresso on a sunny terrace while the church bells echo through a centuries-old town square. Around you, the cost of living is a fraction of what you'd pay in the U.S., and the locals smile when you tell them you've decided to stay. It sounds like a dream but for many Americans, it's a dream that foreign governments are actively trying to make come true.

A medical transcriptionist in Atlantic Canada, Tessa (who has been granted a pseudonym to avoid any conflict with her employer) works remotely, spending her days alone with doctors' voices and diagnostic codes. Fusion, the platform she uses, logged her inactivity in detail, and Microsoft Teams displayed an "Away" status just five minutes after her last keystroke. Her employer had set a target: transcribe at least eighty minutes of audio dictation per shift. Falling short could raise questions-especially if the inactivity logs suggested too much downtime.

Microsoft confirmed it will shut down Skype this May, slipping the news into an update with all the fanfare of a software patch. A flat note: "Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue your calls and chats in Teams." No grand farewell. No tribute to one of the most culturally significant tech brands of the internet era. And that silence is telling.

Remote work has boomed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and it's still going strong. Even though more companies have been calling employees back to the office, a large share of Americans continue to work from home. In 2025, that's roughly 32.6 million people, about 22% of the national workforce. While many say remote work is flexible, budget-friendly, and overall healthier, it turns out it's not just changing people's routines. It's changing their pets' routines, too.

"One of the problems that is being faced right now in Chicago is that for so long downtown has been centralized for businesses and now in a post-COVID world, where more and more companies realize that remote work is possible, you suddenly have people wondering what is there downtown to be offered," Estabine told The Center Square. "There has been some return to the office, but a lot of companies are opting to remain remote."

As workplaces have evolved, billionaire executives have quickly upgraded their luxury travel options to be fully equipped for remote work. This has included dedicated office space, high-speed satellite internet connections, board rooms, and even additional desk areas for support staff on yachts. "After Covid, working remotely became easy for everyone, and there's no reason you couldn't do it from a yacht," said yacht charterer Dimitris Angelakos, per the Wall Street Journal.

According to a survey conducted by Self.com earlier this year, 45% of Americans have a side hustle, with 10.5% of side hustlers noting that they earn over $1,000 monthly from their gigs. The survey also found that the average side hustle brings in $688 per month and that the highest proportion of those with a side hustle (36.2%) spend five to 10 hours per month on their side gig.

If your giftee would rather not have more cables strewn about their desk, a wireless charging stand like the Belkin UltraCharge Pro might be a better buy. This sturdy little stand can refill an iPhone, Apple Watch and pair of AirPods at the same time, supplying up to 25W of power to the phone via the Qi2 standard. There's a built-in fan to help keep your phone cool while it tops up, and the stand's MagSafe-compatible mount makes it easy to align the device correctly. It also just looks clean, with a compact shape and a foldable puck that lets you flip your phone's screen out of the way when you want to minimize distractions. It's not cheap, but if you're shopping for someone who is all-in on Apple, it should be a useful addition to their workstation.

When technology executive Logan Maley returned to the office after her first child in 2018, she had an ideal setup: She worked four days a week in a private office with a mini fridge and blackout blinds so she could pump milk at her desk, but her heart still broke being away from her infant daughter. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. She could have breakfast and lunch with her daughter and put her down for naps.

Recent polls from Gallup and Pebl suggest 90% to 98% of employees want to continue to work from home, or at least in a hybrid setup, but many employers are pushing back. Popular or not, businesses are tightening the reins on remote work-and it's about to become even easier for your company to track whether you're at the office. That's because there's a new feature being released on a program that millions of workers use every day to communicate.

I was one of millions of people who transitioned to remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic. I'm fortunate that I was able to do so, but that has meant that I'm constantly close to my liquor cabinet. Without a commute or a chunk of time spent in the office, alcohol has been within extremely easy reach. Sure, back in the good ol' days, I'd sometimes stop after work somewhere to have a few drinks.