Weekly Review #58 - A Year of Remote Work

'Fix You - Coldplay'

Preface

weekly_review_20240430

This is a record and reflection of my life from April 10, 2024 to April 30, 2024.

It’s already mid-April since returning from Bali, welcoming another major change in life - moving back to Hangzhou from Beijing once again and renting a new place. The rhythm of life has subtly shifted as a result. Coincidentally, it’s been a year since I last moved back to Hangzhou, so I’d like to discuss my year of remote work in this piece.

A Year of Remote Work

sunset

Last March, I experienced a job change, transitioning from commuting to an office to working remotely, and moved back to Hangzhou from Beijing, where I had lived for nearly two years.

At the time, I was eager to escape a busy yet meaningless job, and leaving Beijing was just a change of scenery. For me, although Hangzhou is my hometown, it was merely a temporary stop. I had left this city since high school, and ironically, only spent that half-year at home when the pandemic first broke out. Before that return, I hastily met with a few friends and colleagues to say goodbye. My parents drove to Beijing to bring back me, Nini, and all our belongings. Upon arriving in Hangzhou, we looked at just one or two apartments before deciding, and moved in the next day.

I didn’t expect so much to happen in just a short year. I won’t dwell on the trivial matters, but rather share more about my feelings.

Actually, towards the end of my previous job, due to various factors like the pandemic and work modes, I already had some time when I didn’t need to go to the office. However, because of endless meetings and colleagues’ work hours, it merely saved me from the commute. It wasn’t until I settled in Hangzhou after starting my new job that I truly experienced the freedom of remote work. During that time, I wandered through multiple cities like Wuhan, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Chengdu, and Xi’an for an entire month, attending many events, often working late into the night to ensure complete work hours.

After just a month or two, the novelty of free travel had largely worn off, and I started to swing to the other extreme - staying at home and not going out. During this time, I spent a lot of time learning technologies I was interested in, writing blogs, reading books, and playing with Nini, thoroughly enjoying myself. But gradually, I discovered that although I’m an introvert who relies more on self-dialogue to gain energy, the sense of loneliness and inertia brought by long-term isolation quickly depleted the accumulated energy. Despite having more time, it became harder to utilize the time outside of work properly, and anxiety followed.

Then, as I entered into a relationship, the focus of life gradually shifted, and I no longer confined myself at home. I frequently traveled back and forth to Beijing, gaining more sense of real life beyond work. I would pick up and drop off my senior at work, stroll in the park on nice days, cook together at home, and watch interesting dramas or documentaries while eating. My work and life seemed to have achieved a certain balance due to remote work, appearing enviably beautiful.

But this also had its problems. Just as many people bring work emotions into love or marriage causing conflicts, remote work makes it easier to bring life’s inertia into work. However, while life always has its ups and downs, work, as a socialized activity of team collaboration, requires a more stable state and output. I often found myself in such a dilemma recently. There have been many changes in life in a short period, perhaps needing more time to adjust and reflect, while work has gradually become busier with project launches. I tried to do well on both fronts but fell into a vicious cycle of self-doubt.

To this day, I still haven’t found a perfect solution or balance point, but I’m gradually beginning to face and acknowledge my limited energy. I’m willing to seek help for things I can’t do well at work, and I also give myself moments to relax away from the computer after work or on weekends. Sometimes on Thursdays, I go to Crazy Thursday in Liangzhu to meet different people, and on weekdays, I arrange some undisturbed alone time with my senior, each of us reading, studying, or doing things we like.

I’m also gradually realizing the need to set boundaries for myself and life. Even without punching in or commuting for work, there needs to be a time to get up, dividing time into intervals to arrange tasks, and also needing a ritualistic signal for the end of a day’s work, such as going home for a meal or going out to the supermarket.

I’m still exploring the lifestyle changes brought by remote work and still adapting to this new rhythm of life. But this year has made me focus more on my inner self. Life and home are no longer the cold refuges for temporary rest after work as before, but an extension of myself, and also attempts to get closer to myself.

Second Move

A year later, I’m “moving” back to Hangzhou again. This time it’s due to my senior’s job transfer, and we’ll be based in Hangzhou regularly afterwards. This move seems very different from before, more like moving a home from one place to another, welcoming a new life with a sense of ritual. We’re decluttering many things we no longer need, trying to squeeze wine glasses or trinkets that once carried memories into some corner.

I’m not really that concerned about the city itself and don’t have much sense of belonging to cities. Even this move is just to a familiar place for me, and the process is similar to last year’s. Yet I’m full of more expectations for this move and the life that follows. Perhaps I’m slowly understanding this line from The Little Prince:

“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”

Interesting Things and Objects

Input

Although most interesting inputs are automatically synced in the “Yu’s Life” Telegram channel, I’ll still select some to list here. It feels more like a newsletter.

Books

Duku 2400, I’ve started subscribing to Duku, and the interview in the 0th issue is quite interesting.

Collections

Articles

Videos

Podcasts

EP56 The Story Behind Immersive Translation | Conversation with Founder Owen

Movies

Dune, Poetic and philosophical settings, with a stunning world view of primitive religion + technological civilization + feudal imperial system. The protagonist’s dreams and emotions, prophecies and fanatical superstitions intertwine to drive the plot, giving a sense of grand narrative that unfolds gradually.
Dune: Part Two, I watched parts one and two consecutively, always expecting this part to present more of the world view settings and the core of the plot, but saw more of thrilling confrontations, tests of the protagonist, and war. It seems to focus more on personal changes and growth, but lacks some narrative. I plan to read the original novel to supplement.

TV Series

The Year Earth Changed, An interesting perspective, showing that what human society considers as natural disasters like the pandemic might be insignificant or even beneficial for the entire Earth and other species when human intervention is reduced, peaceful and beautiful.
Spy in the Wild, Viewing the daily life of penguins from their perspective as they migrate, forage, reproduce, and outsmart their predators. So cute!

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Author

pseudoyu

Backend & Smart Contract Developer, MSc Graduate in ECIC(Electronic Commerce and Internet Computing) @ The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Love to learn and build things. Follow me on GitHub

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