People & Blogs

3 steps to stop remote work burnout | The Way We Work, a TED series

Too much screen time, too many video calls and too few boundaries make working from home hard for all of us. Podcast host and writer Morra Aarons-Mele shares honest advice on what you can learn from the introverts in your life about protecting your energy and your limits. The Way We Work is a TED…

Published

6 years ago

November 2, 2020

CYBER TECH TV

The Way We Work is a TED original video series where leaders and thinkers offer practical wisdom and insight into how we can adapt and thrive amid changing workplace conventions. (Made possible with the support of Dropbox)

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33 Comments

Wes Green

November 2, 2020 at 11:33 am

Thanks for the advice, Rocky Dennis. I feel better now.

Reply
simo96 rajaoui

November 2, 2020 at 11:46 am

learn english

Reply
bubba g

November 2, 2020 at 11:52 am

Love remote work. Best thing to happen

Reply
Google Discovery Channel

November 2, 2020 at 12:00 pm

S.O.S. The Unsinkable Titanic Is Sinking!!! I Am A Forward Area Alert Scout From Germany!!! Please Help Me. Please!!! Dot, Dot, Dot, Dash, Dash, Dash, Dot, Dot, Dot…—… Please! Help! @@ See. They Are Blocking Me!!! Help, I Need Somebody!!!—…— Help! I Need Anybody!!!!…—…—…—…—…—…—…—…—… I Am —- About It…—…—…—…—…— S.O.S…—…—…— Unsinkable Titanic Is Sinking! …—…—…—… S.O.S. !!!!! –> —- Go, Go, Go Help Help Help …—…—…—…—…—…—…— H.E.L.P….

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Jen Klen

November 2, 2020 at 12:31 pm

Why does she remind me of Gretchen Whitmer? ????????‍♀️????

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TL

November 2, 2020 at 1:12 pm

Literally don’t agree with any of this. I am an introvert and this absolutely is my dream. I don’t like making small talk with people in an office. We don’t even do video chats at all so I’m not sure why she assumes remote work involves video chats. We do everything over the phone and computer, I wouldn’t agree to do video in my home. Also if I did have to go on video that would be less social anxiety for me since it’s not in person and I can close the video if I did feel it.

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- niccolom
  
  November 2, 2020 at 11:03 pm
  
  The good things that you listed are exactly what extroverts hate about remote work.
  
  Reply
ALEXANDRE MARTINS - 7 BASES DO SUCESSO

November 2, 2020 at 1:18 pm

Três excelentes dicas para os dias de hoje, onde a maior parte das pessoas já mistura tudo, trabalho, casa, família. Ter uma estratégia fará com que as pessoas sejam mais equilibradas emocionalmente.

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aalhashmi90

November 2, 2020 at 1:23 pm

I don’t understand why people focus on video conferences.
I work in one of the biggest companies in my country and since covid started no one is using video 99.99 % of the time.
We only use voice calls in Teams.

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emy w kosha

November 2, 2020 at 1:51 pm

Sweetest lake for the nicest channel.????????????????

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Doggo Dandan

November 2, 2020 at 1:55 pm

You all complaining about still havinga job and being safe at home?

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- niccolom
  
  November 2, 2020 at 11:01 pm
  
  IKR?
  They should switch places with those who lost their jobs.
  So ungrateful.
  
  Reply
Bob Meyers

November 2, 2020 at 2:25 pm

I’ve stopped studying for tests, it’s getting bad. I also stopped exercising because I literally have no time

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Lorraine Zea

November 2, 2020 at 3:10 pm

zoom exhaustion is real

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Aqua will purify Corona

November 2, 2020 at 3:44 pm

I can apply this to my online classes. Thanks Ted!

Reply
The Daily Dose

November 2, 2020 at 3:45 pm

A timely piece.

Reply
- The Daily Dose
  
  November 2, 2020 at 3:45 pm
  
  Great piece.
  
  Reply
sqlb3rn segfavlt

November 2, 2020 at 3:57 pm

#4 – Get laid off.

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Expo98

November 2, 2020 at 4:40 pm

Possibly? MOST DEFINITELY

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Anthuan Juarez

November 2, 2020 at 4:59 pm

Morra Aarons-Mele! ⭐️

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Amachtinger

November 2, 2020 at 5:08 pm

Also, recall your governors in these dem states

Reply
Dario Poggi

November 2, 2020 at 5:58 pm

I love this series. Like, pure love.

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vegan feminist

November 2, 2020 at 6:42 pm

amazing content by Morra and those illustrations!!!!

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TheBagelBoy Jr

November 2, 2020 at 8:01 pm

I needed this so much, thank you

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Jabby

November 2, 2020 at 8:17 pm

I love working from home.

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- niccolom
  
  November 2, 2020 at 10:52 pm
  
  introverts love it
  
  Reply
Matt Henry

November 2, 2020 at 9:50 pm

1:38 I stopped my 9-5 with the help of, *p a i d t o b e h o m e .c o m*

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niccolom

November 2, 2020 at 11:20 pm

This is not a well-executed TED talk.

This lady had an interesting point to make that is different from most other similar videos, which is that the extroverts should ask introverts about what a remote work day should be like. However, the message was obscured among all the rehashed suggestions that we’ve probably have seen a dozen times in other videos by a wide range of Youtubers.

The central idea is that, introverts LOVE remote work because they can finally work in serenity, but extroverts hate it because they don’t get to socialize. The problem with many companies is that the extroverts force social interactions by having long zoom sessions amongst other things, which ruins the whole remote work experience for the introverts. Another reason for that to happen is that the managers do not trust the employees to do their jobs and think that they slack off all the time, such that they had to implement constant surveillance via video calls.

As an introvert myself, I have absolutely no problems with the “disembodied heads on the screen” and I don’t need “real human interactions” at all as far as work is concerned. It is the extroverts that cause a problem when they are so demanding about “real human interactions”.

The entire burnout is caused by extroverts. They burn out because they don’t get to interact with people. Introverts get burnt out because the extroverts keep forcing us to interact with them.

So yes, extroverts should learn from us introverts and stop being so needy and spend your lives depending on other people.

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naiko koila

November 3, 2020 at 6:46 am

0:48 I quit my work thanks to, *p a i d t o b e h o m e .c o m*

Reply
- rb93077039
  
  November 3, 2020 at 1:29 pm
  
  I also quit my work thanks to, *s p a m b o t s*
  
  Reply
Nandan Hegde

November 3, 2020 at 10:20 am

the rare emphasis on introverts in this video is really satisfying.

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rb93077039

November 3, 2020 at 1:28 pm

Let’s see… No commute to work, able to get up later, no commute home, and so able to spend more time enjoying doing non-work things.

Be glad you’ve still got employment, and that you have the luxury of working from home without supervisors and managers looking over your shoulder.
You’re in a FAR better position than having to commute to a workplace every day.

Let’s face it (and this has been known for decades): for a lot of folks, working from home is an excuse to take it easy.

Reply
Raquel Mandocdoc

November 4, 2020 at 2:46 am

Thank you for sharing, Camille.

Reply

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We’re Keeping the Ocean Wild — and You Can Join Us | Sylvia A. Earle | TED

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1 day ago

June 8, 2026

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In 2009, marine biologist Sylvia Earle stood on the TED stage and made a wish: to build a global network of “Hope Spots” and protect the ocean before it’s too late. Seventeen years later, she’s back to report on what’s happened since — and the picture is both more urgent and more hopeful than you might expect. From 100,000 fur seals saved from near-extinction to coral reefs rebuilt clam by clam, Earle says we already know exactly what needs to be done; the only thing left is to find the will to do it. (Recorded at TED2026 on April 17, 2026)

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