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Remote Work: A Balance Between Well-Being, Family, and Productivity

October 31, 2024

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Dear readers,

This blog temporarily departs from architecture to focus more on our business model and the tripartite concept that structures the philosophy of LPS Architecture & Management Inc. Through this text, we open a window into our internal workings, presenting our essence and what you can expect from our collaboration.

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Difficult moments, whether they occur in our personal life or at work, are an integral part of our personal and collective evolution. No one is immune to unexpected situations, regardless of their nature. Sometimes, or most of the time, it is the sum of circumstances that produces a complex and potentially destructive mix, confronting us with ourselves and forcing us to rethink our entire lives. However, when we reach such a point, we have generally already gone too far down the slippery slope.

My Story as Inspiration for LPS

In the not-too-distant past, I had just gone through another divorce. I was a single parent with 3 children and a very busy professional life. As tension at work was ever-present in this somewhat chaotic context, I was constantly seeking to improve my situation by applying for positions that interested me.

I was selected as the ideal candidate for a magnificent position, a dream job in every possible aspect. The only problem was that it was in Ottawa while I lived in Montreal.

I tried everything to negotiate remote work, or to have train travel (connected to the office via internet) accepted as work time. However, nothing was enough to convince my potential employers. For them, I absolutely had to be relocated to access this dream job, to build the team, and to achieve a long list of objectives.

Leaving my children was out of the question. So, with a heavy heart, I refused the conditions and prestige associated with this position, which remain difficult to compare to any job, even today.

Following this experience and considering the demands of my life as a single professional father, I promised myself that one day I would create a structure allowing people to have freedom and flexibility in terms of time and space. This structure would enable them to confront their own challenges, take care of their loved ones, while remaining productive and constructive for the economy and society through their work.

It was at this moment that the tripartite concept of Individual-Family-Work of LPS was born in my mind.

When everyone talks about ‘work-family balance’, I can’t help but smile. It reminds me of a chair with two legs… incomplete, or even better, completely unbalanced… Simply non-functional, because the individual is excluded.

I believe that the problems (and their solutions) of the world and modern societies are mainly found between our two ears. Thus, there is no solution that excludes the individual, as they are the focal point and main component of any possible solution, regardless of the problem.

The human being is a very complex entity, difficult to understand and even more difficult to explain. One doesn’t need to be a specialist in the field (I’m not, to be clear) to realize that individuals struggle to understand themselves, and even more so to be understood by others.

That being said, in my humble opinion, I think the best thing we can do to serve others is to try to find what it takes for them to feel a little more comfortable in their own skin.

Over time, I’ve observed that the influences of the modern world, with its technology and a plethora of artificial exchanges on social media for example, lead to the alienation of the individual from themselves. These false friendships don’t help us but rather contribute to our problems.

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I speak for myself: we all go through difficult times, and I remember certain days when Ineeded to be alone to let my tears flow, before being able to breathe and feel a little more ready to face the inevitable situations, the unexpected, and mainly the most undesirable situations at the office.

It was at that moment that I understood the need to recreate spaces where one can be alone. Needing solitude is neither a whim nor a weakness, it’s a fact, and this need can occur during work hours (often against the will of our employers) and definitely before the children return from school.

Once home with my the little angels, the attention, courage, and best dispositions of myself resurged with force, because it was crucial that they’d be spared from any gray cloud that might float over my mind.

Dinner, homework, meltdowns, play, bathtime, and bedtime: the routine repeated continuously, and the Superman cape was always there. Once the children were in bed, it was time for me to get back to work to catch up on projects and tasks that I hadn’t been able to finish during the workday due to my struggles with my own demons. The problem was that I didn’t have my computer with me, nor the plans, but barely a few easily transportable documents.

In conclusion, this combination of circumstances was not at all constructive for maintaining mental health, nor for my children to fully enjoy their father, but even worse for my employer to receive work that met expectations.

In light of this, my intention to create a work model offering flexibility as a means to address life’s demands resonated even more in my mind.

In short, when LPS was born, I already knew that the business architecture had to absolutely include the use of communication technologies, the internet, and trust in those who would be my employees and collaborators.

Despite numerous criticisms and the disbelief of many, we embarked on this adventure with this structure aimed at freedom and remote work. Shortly after, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the entire world to adopt our unconventional beliefs and practices. Since then, our once-criticized model has become the norm for most people.

Today, six years later, it is with great pride that I speak of a model which, like any other choice in life, offers both advantages and challenges.

Here are some observations from our own experience:

Advantages

  • Remote work as an ally of well-being: When used correctly, remote work can become a true ally for our mental health and personal balance.
  • No more time wasted in transportation, making way for family breakfasts or morning meditation sessions. Remote work offers us the possibility to reinvest this time in activities beneficial for our well-being.
  • No more traffic jams: No need to get frustrated with that driver who doesn’t know how to use their turn signal. Your commute now consists of just a few steps to your computer. Significant savings are made on fuel, maintenance, repairs, and everything related to travel.
  • Flexibility: You can finally take a walk or do a household chore between two Zoom meetings, or before diving into an uninterrupted period of concentration for work.
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  • Quality over quantity: In-person meetings become rarer, but also more valuable. It’s like fine wines, we appreciate them even more when they’re occasional.
  • Master of your time, master of yourself: Remote work offers us the opportunity to become the architects of our own day. It’s a chance to ask ourselves: “When am I most productive? How can I organize my day to be effective while preserving my well-being?”
  • A new form of connection: Remote work can strengthen certain bonds. Video calls bring us into intimacy (Ah, the famous cat passing in front of the camera or our children becoming part of our meetings), sometimes creating more authentic and lasting connections, and integrating our little ones into the adult world.
  • An environmentally friendly model: Let’s not forget the ecological aspect of remote work. Less travel means fewer CO2 emissions.
  • Reduction in expenses: Office work substantially increases expenses such as clothing, visits to the hairdresser, lunches at restaurants with colleagues, birthday gifts for these same colleagues, and transportation costs. On the other hand, the most important investment for many people, their home, remains unoccupied and unused for long hours and days when working at the office.

Challenges

  • The loneliness of the remote worker: Sometimes, we catch ourselves talking to our houseplants. If they start answering, it might be time to take a break!
  • Screen overdose: Between video conferences, emails, and instant messages, our eyes are screaming “Help!”
  • Remote work: a tool for empowerment. Our employees and collaborators must be leaders, responsible and disciplined. We give them the power to manage themselves instead of playing the role of guardian.
  • The importance of active breaks: Working from home makes it easier to incorporate active breaks into your day. A short walk at noon, some stretches between two video conferences… So many opportunities to take care of yourself.
  • The work-life boundary blurs: When your office is also your living room, your kitchen, and your gym, it becomes difficult to “leave” work. I hesitated a lot to present this idea as a challenge because I consider it more of an advantage. In an era where work is no longer confined to the factory and we no longer depend on tools located in one place, today’s work constantly happens in our brain. We are in a service economy where growth potential depends on the ability to exercise and stimulate our brain capacity. Not only does this optimize our creative and decision-making power, but it also gives us a means to access freedom. Of course, for this to be true, our colleagues, employees, and collaborators must be responsible and professional leaders.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, as with many things in life, the key lies in balance. Remote work is neither a panacea nor a plague. It’s a tool that, when used well, can improve our quality of life and productivity. Despite its challenges, remote work can be a formidable lever for emancipation and empowerment. It pushes us to rethink our relationship with ourselves, with our loved ones, and with work. It opens the door to a whole dimension where we can balance our lives while contributing to the environment, our work, and the economy in general.

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About the Author

Leonardo Pena

Leonardo is an architect with over 20 years of experience in project management across Quebec, South Florida, and Bogotá. A member of the Ordre des architectes du Québec since 2013, he has worked with major firms and organizations, overseeing significant construction and renovation projects in low-income housing and the education and health sectors. Leonardo believes in empowering individuals for positive societal change and values equality, hard work, and excellence. A devoted father of three, he embraces a humanistic and spiritual approach to life, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and self-discovery.