Will Remote Work Become A Distant Memory Soon?

The world has a short memory. When the last recession hit, everyone proclaimed they would trade in their SUVs for smart cars. We were going to stop burning coal and oil, and we would make the switch to wind and solar. We sort of tried. It wasn't quite as bad as when America tried to switch to the metric system, as I do see some hybrids and solar panels out there, but I also see many SUVs and high gas prices.

"Maybe if I take a photo of my back yard and put it in my cubicle, it will still feel remote... Nah."

THE ARRIVAL OF REMOTE WORK

One silver lining of the pandemic has been the arrival of remote work. Even in industries that weren't traditionally known for it, we were now commuting from our bed to the coffee pot and then another twenty steps to our home office. Gone was the stress of getting out the door, seeing our families for a few hours a day, and gridlock traffic. We finally had some semblance of work-life balance. You could be working from the comfort of your own home while hearing the joy and laughter of your young child playing off in another part of the house. You had gotten back the three hours a day you had devoted to getting prepared just to get out the door and to the commute itself.

BECOMING FULLY VACCINATED

As the country becomes fully vaccinated and allegedly resilient to this deadly virus, employers are beginning to ask their employees to come back to the office. There are many things we miss from the pre-pandemic era but is this one of them? Slowly but surely, we see that gridlock return. What are we returning to? I have heard reports that everyone will be behind plexiglass, wearing masks, and will do most of the internal office communication via telephone and online chat in the office. Can I ask what the point of that is?

What about those that felt that remote work was here to stay, and sold their homes in congested metros and moved the family out to rural America, or at least tertiary markets? Do they now have to trade in their laptops for tractors and become farmers?

NOT EVERYONE IS A FAN OF REMOTE WORK

I realize there is a large contingent of those who are not fans of remote work. Some are more productive with the structure of the office environment and may even enjoy the daily commute. Those without immediate family around may feel isolated throughout the day and enjoy those water-cooler chats (albeit in a mask) and group lunches out to The Cheesecake Factory and Chipotle. You also have those who are desperately seeking to escape their family!

I like the work-life balance. I'll gladly trade in the hustling to get out the door and the daily commutes for some morning exercise, reading a bit, and quality time with my kids. And I have good news for those that feel the same way. Continue to build your passive income stream plan, and you can remain in control of your schedule. You remain the boss of your life. You don’t have to be told that you have to be here by this time, stay for this long, and can leave when we say so.

TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR ROUTINE BY INVESTING PASSIVELY

If you crave controlling your own routine, remember the roots of Fortress Federation – becoming much less dependent upon that one source of income, and slowly replacing it with passive income. And it doesn’t have to happen overnight. I have laid out a plan where you can divide sources of income streams into Buckets. You allocate passive investments in one, active investments in another, and maybe a new source of income from a new business you're working on in a third bucket. Finally, one bucket is your current job or career. Eventually, you depend on that bucket less and less.

If you are a fan of the daily grind or think that is just the way it is, you stopped reading long ago. If you are a fan of work-life balance, then fear not. You don't have to go back to the way it was. You are in control. It just takes a little planning, and it can be done more quickly than you think. If you haven't already, most definitely sign up for , and we will do our part so that your passive income bucket runneth over.