S2 Ep 12. Confessions of a Remote Worker & Former Teacher

Three years into my career as a UX researcher after leaving the classroom, I'm reflecting on the realities of remote work and what I miss about in-person connection. While I don't regret my career change and appreciate the freedom of working remotely, I'm experiencing unexpected challenges that have me considering a hybrid approach.

• Communication has transformed from reading a room to deciphering slack messages and emojis
• Brainstorming has lost its spontaneity, becoming scheduled rather than organic
• The isolation of remote work creates a void after years in the socially rich teaching environment
• Professional visibility requires intentional effort rather than natural presence
• The sense of belonging and community is harder to maintain in virtual environments
• Experimenting with hybrid work may provide the perfect balance of structure without suffocation
• In-person UX research sessions have reignited creative energy that was missing

I'd love to hear from fellow teachers who've transitioned to tech roles - is remote still working for you? Are you thriving in the quiet or craving connection? Would you consider hybrid work? Text me through the link under the podcast, DM me on Instagram, or send me an email with your thoughts.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome and Personal Milestone
• 1:41 Communication Challenges in Remote Work
• 3:59 The Loss of Spontaneity
• 4:58 Isolation and Missing Connection
• 6:09 Visibility and Belonging Issues
• 8:37 Finding Balance with Hybrid Work
• 10:26 Closing

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello teacher friends, welcome back to the UX Teacher Prep Podcast. I'm your host, zee, and I'm so happy you tuned in today. So quick personal milestone I just hit my three-year anniversary as a UX researcher. Three years outside of the classroom, it feels great, especially when I had folks telling me I wouldn't even make it and I'd go running back to the classroom. Today's episode is going to be a little different from what you're used to. Normally I keep things pretty serious and professional around here and we dive deep and we stay focused, but today I want to switch it up a little bit. I'm experimenting with some more personal and more real and maybe a little bit more juicy content. I've got some confessions I want to share with you, things I've been reflecting on since my transition, things that I actually haven't said out loud before. So it's vulnerable, it's unfiltered and I think it's time. So if you're here for something a little bit more behind the scenes, this one's for you. Stay tuned.

Speaker 2: 0:58

Welcome to the UX Teacher Prep Podcast, the ultimate destination for educators who aspire to break into the field of user experience and product design. Your host, z Arnold, a 15-year teacher turned UX researcher, is here to guide, coach and mentor you through every twist and turn as you make your career transition into tech. If you're ready for a more satisfying career and lifestyle and you want the balance to unleash your creativity, this podcast is for you. Now for the show.

Speaker 1: 1:41

So I've been doing a lot of reflecting Because, let's be real, going from teaching a job where your entire day is basically a live performance to remote work has been a journey. Honestly, when I left the classroom, remote work felt like the prize. I felt like I earned my peace, I earned the quiet, I earned the right to work in leggings and house slippers without a single fire drill and for a long time. I really honestly had a great two years out of the classroom and I loved it. And I think that's because I needed that break, something new, and I needed to fully recharge after all the burnout and reimagine what my career could look like. But lately something has been creeping in. At first I blamed it on needing a new project, or maybe just my switch from caffeine to decaf, but now that the sun's out longer and I'm walking outside, I'm really thinking a lot and I think I'm ready to say it I kind of miss being around people, not the chaos, not the politics, but the presence, the passing conversations, the energy, the humanity. So today's episode is called Confessions of a Remote Worker and it's exactly that Some honest reflections on the real highs and lows I've experienced working from home full time. So I have five confessions I want to share with you today.

Speaker 1: 2:59

Confession number one Communication is not the same anymore. I used to be really good at reading a room. Now I have to kind of read a Zoom screen with boxes of people's faces. When you're a teacher, you learn to spot a mood shift from across the hall and across the classroom. You know if someone's having a bad day, you pick up on energy like it's your superpower. Now I have to read Slack messages and think about are they mad or are they just typing fast? Communication has become this weird, slightly passive-aggressive puzzle Like did that period mean they're annoyed or did it mean something else? Why'd they use that emoji? Are we good? There's no hallway to chat to clear the air. There's no facial expressions to soften a comment, just words, punctuated cold, delivered via notification. And it makes me wonder am I actually losing my people skills or am I just communicating differently? Now? Maybe it's both.

Speaker 1: 3:59

Confession number two nothing is spontaneous anymore. Let's talk brainstorming. I miss the days when someone would shout what if we just? And the ideas would start flying in a real-time conversation at a teacher's meeting with actual faces in the room. Now brainstorms happen in a shared document or a mural board, and it's slow. Maybe possibly with a circle back next week on the calendar. Nothing kills creativity faster than let's follow up on next Tuesday's sync. The magic used to feel alive and now it feels scheduled. I feel like when you're in person and you're brainstorming, everything just seems to flow and people's ideas are jumping off each other. But something about this computer screen, something about this monitor and this laptop just feels like everything is so distant. Confession number three isolation is real, guys.

Speaker 1: 4:58

Listen, I consider myself an ambivert. I think I'm introverted at times and extroverted at times when I need to be. I'm not trying to go back to staff lounges, but even I have days where I look around and I realize this is the quietest job I ever had. I went from the chaos of 30-plus students needing me every single second, 30-plus middle school students, to entire days where my only conversation is within a Word document. I really miss walking past my work, bestie, and if you're listening, you know who you are. I miss the accidental conversation that turned into side jokes. I miss the student versus teacher basketball games and, yes, I've absolutely started a Zoom meeting early just to have a bit of small talk with my co-workers. It's crazy. It just feels like things are starting to shift for me Now. I just want to jump in here to say that I'm not telling you all these things to scare you if you're leaving the classroom and trying to be fully remote, but I just want to be upfront and honest with you all about how I'm feeling today, three years after being out of the classroom in a fully remote position. As things change, I'm sharing them with you.

Speaker 1: 6:09

So confession number four visibility is so much harder now. You know how, in school, just being present in the room gave you this kind of authority, a vibe, a leadership presence. That is completely gone. Now I advocate for myself through email or a carefully crafted bullet point in a Slack update. And, yeah, I miss being seen literally being seen because I feel like out of sight, out of mind, and that's a real feeling. If I'm not there in the room with you, I feel like I don't have that presence. I don't have that pizzazz that I usually have when I'm in the classroom or even walking through a school building. So on the computer screen and through email, it just feels a lot different.

Speaker 1: 6:49

Confession number five I miss the belonging. This one is deeper. In-person was messy, it was loud, sometimes it was frustrating, but it was a shared experience. Remote work is very tidy, it's efficient, but it can feel a little transactional the Zoom meetings, the Outlook emails, the Slack messages and for those of us who came from teaching, where connection was everything, this part hits hard. There's just something about it where you just don't feel fully connected to the community. So those are my five confessions, things that I've been thinking about for the past few weeks, and I really feel like the energy around my new career is shifting. So I'm just wondering is this a career crisis or is this just like a vitamin D deficiency? Here's the thing I don't think I'm having some. Is this a career crisis or is this just like a vitamin D deficiency? Here's the thing. I don't think I'm having some giant philosophical reckoning. I think I'm just a New Yorker emerging from winter, maybe.

Speaker 1: 7:45

But this feeling it didn't start with spring. It started a few months ago, actually, when I started going into the office once a month for these fun days that we have team events and just random connections with people in the office. And then I took it a step further. I agreed to do a few in-person sessions, actual real-life research studies, with participants and with my co-workers live, not on Zoom and y'all. They have been bringing me back to life, doing UXR in person, with real participants, brainstorming with my colleagues in the same room, bouncing ideas off each other without worrying about lag or mute buttons. It reminded me of how energizing that kind of creativity and that kind of flow can be. I feel like it's oxygen to part of my brain that I forgot existed. So here's what I think Remote work isn't the problem.

Speaker 1: 8:38

Isolation is, and that's the nuance I'm starting to realize. Remote work has been amazing for my health, my peace and my creativity. I've been able to rest in a way I could never when I was commuting over an hour each way, lesson planning and grading all those English essays. I've been able to make more time for my family, my hobbies and my personal health and well-being. But even peace and quiet can get too quiet, especially for those of us who are wired for community. So here's where I'm at right now. I might play around with hybrid work-ish. I'm thinking about going into the office once or twice a week, not because I have to, but because I want to, because freedom doesn't always mean staying home. Sometimes freedom means choosing when to show up and when to pull back. So I'm thinking maybe hybrid is the sweet spot Structure without suffocation, presence without pressure. So I may try this out and see how I feel about it, but I'll keep you guys posted.

Speaker 1: 9:37

So let's open this up. I want to hear from you, especially my fellow teachers who transitioned to tech or any remote field Is remote still working for you? Are you thriving in the quiet or are you craving connection again? Would you consider hybrid, or is that a hard no? And for those who are still looking for a new position, are you considering remote work or is that not even something you'd entertain? Talk to me. You can text me by clicking the link under the podcast. You could send me a DM on Instagram, email me, whatever works. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this because I don't think I'm alone. I think a lot of us are quietly whispering the same thing. I love remote work, but I kind of miss being in a building with other people. Let me know, we'll talk soon.

Speaker 2: 10:26

Hey, thanks so much for tuning in. If you like this podcast, hit, follow and scroll down to leave a five-star rating. Then share it with a friend. If you're looking for resources to help you on your tech transition journey, head over to uxteacherprepcom. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram at uxteacherprep for daily tips and motivation. Have a topic you'd like to hear addressed on the show? Send us a DM on Instagram. If you're listening on YouTube, like, subscribe and share. Until next time, be well.