Remote Work Diaries: Volume 598 – “Lunch Is a Boundary. Apparently.”

Working remotely with a global team means time is a flat circle. One team’s waking up, another’s clocking out, and I’m… still here. Half-awake, half-dressed, and fully booked.

Sleep? Rare. Family time? Scheduled like a dentist appointment. Lunch? I block it off on my calendar like it’s sacred. Naturally, someone sees that and thinks, “Perfect time for a meeting!”

Yesterday I was talking with some coworkers and we ended up laughing—because one of our teammates didn’t show up to a meeting. Just didn’t come. And when someone asked where she was?
“Oh, she’s at lunch.”
Lunch. A mythical, protected break. We were amazed. In awe. Honestly, we respected the move.

Meanwhile, I’m over here answering Teams messages with one hand and reheating food with the other, dodging meetings that could’ve been emails, and hiding my raccoon eyes behind blue light glasses—because I got LASIK 15 years ago and I refuse to let the Teams shadows win.

Yes, I work hard. But I’d also like to chew in peace. Just once.

If you’re juggling time zones, skipping meals, and trying to remember what daylight feels like—you’re not alone. Here’s to setting boundaries, reclaiming lunch, and maybe even taking a breath.