Anne Helen Petersen, along with Charlie Warzel (both journalists), would talk about the possibility of moving to their destination whenever they went on trips. Petersen explained that “it would happen when you went to Santa Fe or to the Catskills.” It was all of them.”

They were unhappy in New York. “Sometimes, people’s tolerance of living in New York just exhausts them,” she stated.

She and Warzel pitched an idea together to their bosses in 2017. Could they both work remotely? They were granted permission to travel to Missoula in Montana with the hopes of daily hiking and skiing.

Their dreams of remote employment were mostly crushed. Petersen lived a life that revolved around work, even more so than in New York. Warzel and Petersen write, “The background was just more beautiful.” Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from HomeAlfred A. Knopf published the following month:

Petersen, Warzel and others saw the frustrations of working at home during the pandemic. The problem was that working from home is not the best way to work.

Petersen was interviewed about her book. This exchange was edited for clarity.

Annie Nova: I’m often asked by my friends about remote working and the benefits it has brought to our lives. However, you also write about the benefits that this arrangement has for companies. What is the secret to this?

Anne Helen Petersen: The productivity rate has risen across all industries. It’s probably because of times of precariousness in any industry, or worldwide, many people feel the need to fight that precariousness.

An: Since the outbreak, many companies have delayed their return to work dates. This was most likely due to the recent omicron virus. How do you feel this affects workers?

AHP:Psychologically, people prepare mentally for their date. Then it’s all over and the whole thing is a mess. No matter how you feel about work, it is clear that you are preparing for change.

AN: Your bosses use online communication to monitor us and incentivize us into doing what we are supposed to do. If productivity is rising, why does it still matter if workers don’t do their jobs well?

AHP:Part of this is a old-fashioned belief that people aren’t doing what they should. However, people have to continue working. They have to complete the tasks that they are expected to.

AN: Managers should not be constantly watching workers. What is a better way to gauge productivity?

AHP: It felt as though I needed to say something on Slack in order to prove that I was working. But, what would really be valuable for my work? I would rather be reading long chapters of a book than concentrating on it. So I believe the paradigm shift that is needed to make this big change is only a fundamental one. This is less about productivity, but more about what you are producing.

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AN: Your argument is that we can be less productive and more creative. What ways?

AHP:As a Mad Men viewer, I can remember thinking, “Oh Don! Don’t have such a difficult job.” He takes naps all day and then goes to the movies. That’s how his brilliant ideas came about. Even if your brain isn’t actively working on something it still works hard on that task. It can’t do this kind of background processing if it isn’t staring at the computer. Your brain subconsciously works on the subject so you will have more ideas when you come back.

An Answer: Can people work less, but with more meaning?

AHP:Your workplace rewards and incentivizes work more than it rewards, which can lead to burnout. Protecting yourself against workaholism can be as simple as recognizing the demands of your system and then asking: Is that what my future is?