I come to you this week from Sydney, where I’m sending a huge thank you for joining Remote Squad! 🚀

I’m thrilled to see you guys jumping on board already. To show my appreciation, I’m giving you all a free remote work e-guide! (No strings attached.) You’ll find details at the end of the email. 💛

This week, I’ve been reflecting on my time in one of my favourite places in the world - Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka. 🌴🥭🏄

My husband, George, and I spent a month remote working, 💻 spotting wild elephants 🐘, and learning to surf on Sri Lanka’s east coast in 2019. 🌴 But, was Arugam Bay a perfect remote work spot? Absolutely not!

The WIFI was sluggish (lucky we had our SIMs with huge data plans). There were plenty of power cuts. We had bed bugs (yes, for real). Rats visited us in the bathroom. And we were plagued with mosquitos. (I won’t be sharing a link to our Airbnb). 😅

Yet, with all our challenges, Arugam was one of the most picturesque, laid-back, and nature-filled places we’ve ever visited – and we loved it! 🌴

While the Canggu’s and Chiang Mai’s of this world attract the most remote workers for good reason, I’m a big believer in visiting some of the more off-grid spots too. Maybe this will inspire you to do the same (with a data-loaded SIM of course).

Read on for more about Arugam Bay, a lesson my surf instructor taught me, and your free e-guide below. 🙌

After kicking off surf lessons in Sri Lanka, I surfed in The Philippines and then Bali. (Something I desperately need to get back into!)

It was in Bali that I learned a powerful lesson. 🌴🥭🏄

Adam, my surf instructor taught me all the usual stuff. Paddling, balance, foot positions.

But, right before we headed out, he paused to tell me something.

And it was a game-changer.

Life is supposed to be fun

He said, “the most important thing is to go out there and have fun.”

What a concept.

It sounds simple. Boring even. But up until that point I’d been fighting with surfing. I was desperate to be good. I defined a surf based on how many times I’d been able to get up. And I was anxious about it.

Adam helped me chill out.

He told me: “The best surfer is the one having the most fun.”

What a relief!

It’s hard to be the best surfer. Hard to get the most waves. Hard to stay on the board when the wave is driving down on you.

But it’s simple enough to go out there, mess around and have fun.

The paradox of non-effort

While having fun on the waves, I had my best surf yet. 😎

That’s the paradox of not trying. Without the pressure to be good, I remembered why I was out there: to have a good time. 🤙

And that was my lesson. Not just for surfing. But for life.

It’s easy to forget, but aren’t we here to enjoy our lives? The way I see it, the only way enjoy life is to take it less seriously.

That might mean giving up the the impressive job role that’s actually making you miserable. Taking the leap to live a life you love. Or it might just mean bringing more play and fun into your current routine.

Whatever it is you’re doing, try to bring an aspect of fun to it. That non-effort might just bring you the success you’ve been seeking. 🏄

Chanel enjoys a number of aspects about remote work – namely the flexibility and ability to better manage time. Given that Chanel has ADHD, the office environment can be highly-distracting too. On the other hand, Chanel is a believer in connection and wouldn’t want to work remotely 100% of the time. She’s found a balance between going remote and getting in those important social connections too. 🤙

As a thank you for joining Remote Squad, I’m sharing a free e-guide.

I’m all about adding real value here. With that in mind, this guide distills some of the key habits I’ve noticed in myself and other remote workers. I hope it’s useful.

Click the link to view, download, and share with whoever you like!

The 5 Habits of Top-Performing Remote Workers.

Have suggestions? Or want to feature as a success story? Feel free to email me: [email protected]

Until next time,
Chloe 👋