Working Remotely in Montserrat, but at New York Speed
Obviously, the struggle is real when talking about the pace of work in New York City. However, working at that pace while remote on the island of Montserrat creates a unique opportunity to keep from burning out.
Nyc: Hustle, Hustle, Hustle, Hustle
My schedule working in New York went something like this.
Wake up at 6AM to the sound of snarled traffic outside my window and bang out a roughly six-mile run through the industrial parts of Brooklyn. Then, at 7:00, it’s time to get the kids together and out the door.
By 8, I’m at my desk powering through emails and organizing the day. Then, around 9, all the meetings begin. Meeting. Meeting. Meeting. Meeting. All while simultaneously fielding a barrage of Slacks, Teams, and notifications from various communications applications.
By 12:30, if possible, a break for lunch. More likely? Pushing through lunch with my camera off while I feed my face.
The rest of the afternoon? Second verse is the same as the first: pinballing from meeting to fire to notification to checking in on team members to catching up on issues that were de-prioritized to tackle the latest fire. By 7PM, the family comes together for dinner. Kids get bathed. Teeth are bushed. And eventually, kids are tucked into bed.
With the house finally quiet, I get to squeeze in a little quality time with the wife. Then last looks at work turn into another spree of digitally driving initiatives and fielding requests.
Somewhere around 11PM, the wheels come off, the eyes start to droop, and I stumble to bed.
The next day we rinse and repeat.
Montserrat: Hustle, Breathe, Hustle, Breathe
To be honest, my remote working schedule in Montserrat is pretty similar, with one game-changing difference: moments to breathe.
I actually wake up earlier now. And usually sit and listen to the soft sounds of nature outside my window.
Once work starts, whenever I need to think or find myself waiting on a Zoom call that’s starting late, I look up. Lush green treetops in the foreground give way to sparkling blue seas, and I gauge the quality of the day by how clearly I can see the island of Redonda on the horizon.
Somewhere around lunch, as it begins to get warmer, I try to squeeze in a quick dip in the pool. Even if it’s just in, submerge myself under the cool, clear water, and out. That moment is enough to recharge after the morning’s exertions.
During the afternoon, I also steal moments where I soak in the view between putting out fires a thousand miles away.
Soothing Sunsets Cap the Work Day on Montserrat
But around 6PM, the light begins to transform. I see it on my face in the infinite stream of Zoom calls. At this point, I start stealing glimpses towards the left. There, the sun is sinking slowly towards the sea. And as it does, my heartbeat slowly sinks to its lowest rate of the day.
I try not to schedule any calls at 6:30. This is my time.
Around now, my wife usually materializes with a glass of wine or a little rum. So when that last Zoom call mercifully ends, we stop. No screen. No notifications. The only fire we’re interested in is the one blazing across the sky.
Work. Recharge. Achieve. Repeat.
Yes, working remotely in Montserrat is still working. But if anything, it has allowed me to work harder without burnout. Take moments to distance myself from problems and return with new perspectives. Find a little more time with my family.
And how are the weekends? In short, they feel like full-blown mini-vacations. All the wonders of the island, including beaches like Rendezvous Beach, hikes through the Center Hills, and the close-knit community, all combine to make New York working feel worlds away.
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