Unplugged: Navigating Remote Work, Boundaries, and Virtual Life

Rachel and Ella dive into the highs and lows of remote work. They share personal experiences about meeting their remote team in person for the first time, balancing work and personal life, and setting boundaries in an 'always-on' digital environment.

Key topics include:

- The differences between virtual and in-person collaboration
- How remote work impacts productivity and relationships
- The struggle with work-life boundaries when your office is your home
- Tips for staying disciplined and motivated as remote workers
- The importance of setting clear boundaries with clients and coworkers

Whether you’re a remote worker, team leader, or someone managing multiple time zones, this episode offers relatable insights and practical advice for thriving in a virtual work environment.

Listen now and discover how Rachel and Ella navigate the challenges and rewards of remote work. 🎧

Timestamps / Chapters:
0:00 – Introduction and Episode Overview
1:10 – First Time Meeting the Remote Team In Person
3:00 – Differences Between In-Person and Virtual Connections
6:45 – Watercooler Talks vs. Focused Work
9:30 – Managing Distractions When Working from Home
12:00 – How to Set Healthy Work-Life Boundaries
15:00 – Navigating Client Expectations Across Time Zones
18:10 – The Value of Planning for Breaks and Vacations
20:45 – Tips for Staying Disciplined While Working Remotely
24:00 – Why Communication is Key in Remote Work
26:30 – How to Avoid Burnout and Always Being 'On'
30:00 – Wrapping Up: Reflections on Remote Work and Team Dynamics

Transcript

Rachel Strella: Welcome to Untamed Social. I'm Rachel.

Ella Gunnell: I'm Ella.

Rachel Strella: I'm really excited today to talk about, um, remote work and
what that's like. And it's super timely for us right now because we just met up
with our team this week. Um, and we work remote, so like 100 percent remote
team. Everybody is, is somewhere else in the United States. So, um, it's a really
timely topic for us, especially working in social media, as well.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah for a lot of us that was the first time that we have ever met
before. Um, we've just seen each other on zoom meetings. We email a ton. We
Slack some, um, but overall, it was just a really great experience actually being
able to, like, meet people face to face, have conversations and, like, strengthen
the bonds that we kind of already had built online and, like, actually have those
become more solidified. So it was a great experience.

Rachel Strella: Yeah. I think so, too. Um, well, let's talk about, like, some of
the differences, um, with, like, in person versus virtual encounters. Um, it's like,
we're used to working virtually, so it is, it is, it was different having everybody
in the same room. But what was funny is there were times when, like, we were
all, like, on our computers or phones, because, like, that's what we do. But, um,
but yeah, I thought we could talk a little bit about like the differences in the
connection and maybe the collaboration there.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah, totally. Well, I've been thinking about this because one of
the things that I notice, um, my husband works at a bank and sometimes he can
work remote and sometimes he goes into the office. Um, but I feel like when
you work in an office, there is a little more, um, lax and downtime, meaning
like. If you're having a conversation with your coworker, you're still at work and
you're still getting paid to do that. So in between working, like, you're also like
having like the water cooler discussions and like stuff like that, um, which is
something we don't really get, um.

Rachel Strella: Yeah.

Ella Gunnell: And then the other side of that, that we noticed what I was
working with Anna on something and Anna is our graphic designer for anyone
that doesn't know. And she was like working on something for one of my
clients. And I was able to give her like feedback and we were able to like, talk
about something in real time, which was really cool. And like. Something we
haven't been able to do before. Usually we just email back and forth. So I would
definitely say that there's like pros and cons for sure, because you're not, but the
other on the flip side of that, when you emailing with someone back and forth,
you have like, written, um, proof of what's been said. So you can go back and
look and be like, wait, what was said? Oh, yeah, I remember now.

Rachel Strella: Yeah, no, I totally agree with you there. And I think that, um.
Like you said, the in person definitely solidified sort of the relationships that
we'd already built online. Um, and it was great because I felt like it was an easy
mesh. I had somebody say to me when they saw the pictures and videos that,
um, like how happy everybody looked and like everybody looks like they
actually connect really well, but it's so weird because we've never actually met
before, you know, and so it just sort of clicked, you know, and I think that's, it's
our culture and that we're really lucky to have that. Um, because I know my
husband doesn't like water cooler talk so like.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah.

Rachel Strella: He'd rather just, he would rather just get work done. Um, but
and I think it's also different with men and women. I think mostly our, most of
our team are women so, and women are generally more social. So I think there's
a difference there too, that we could actually do that.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah, totally. Well, I actually think that's a pro for me. I'm not a
huge fan of water cooler talk. I'm like, if I'm at work, I want to get my work
done and like, I'm not really here make friends with my coworkers. I know that
that's terrible, but I'm an introvert. So, um, for me, that's actually a pro of the
job, um, that, like, I just get to do my work, but somehow I've still been able to
cultivate these relationships with our team, and it did feel natural. Like, I think
that that's maybe a misconception that people have about remote work is we're
all, like, introverts in our cave typing on our computer and then, like, we don't
really interact with each other outside of that. But, the fact that we were able to,
like, mesh so well in person just means that, like, we had already meshed
before. Like, we were just building off of that.

Rachel Strella: Right. No, totally. Well, and I think, um, you know, we have
meetings like I know you guys have a creative meeting. We have one on ones
for certain things. I mean, just today, like implementing, uh, you know, like a
have lunch with another co worker virtually get to know them or, um, I'm like
you too though like when I'm working, I'm in work mode, so I don't really want
to socialize and I'm sort of introvert, like situational extrovert. So, like, when
I'm done working, then I feel like I could turn on, like, the Let Me Be Social
Butterfly type of vibe.

Ella Gunnell: Yes.

Rachel Strella: So, like, when I get things that are, like, not work related during
the day, I just sort of hang on to them.

Ella Gunnell: Me too.

Rachel Strella: Till I get through, because I don't always focus.

Ella Gunnell: No, I feel bad sometimes because as I mentioned before,
obviously I work remote and sometimes my husband does too. And I'm sure you
relate to this, but he'll like, if I'm working and he like says something to me, I'm
like, I don't like, I don't have space for that right now. Like I'm, I'm working
right now. And so I feel kind of bad, but also like. I don't have the mental
capacity for that right now. I'm working. And then, like, give me, like, five
minutes to finish this email, and then I can, like, give that more thought.

Rachel Strella: Oh, it's the same exact thing with me. And now that seen my
house, my, like, office is, is a part of three rooms. So we have the dining room,
the living room. So my husband works from home every other day. And when
he's here, he's just doing whatever. And he'll still do the same thing. He'll start
talking to me. And I'll say, virtual door. I have a virtual door up right now.

Ella Gunnell: Hahaha.

Rachel Strella: I can't process it. And our, our job is so detailed, too, that, like,
it's, it's, you can't focus on that and like listen to another person at the same
time. So, um, the hybrid work model is funny. I don't know if I could do that.
Like in office at home, I would want one or the other, uh, but I'll notice that my
husband is a lot more productive at work when he's here. I feel like he's doing
anything but work. Don't tell this boss, but like, he's like, oh, you know, I'm
going to run the vacuum downstairs and I'm going to drop off the dry cleaning.
Um, I think we could make some appointments for the cat, you know, and I'm
like, babe why don't you just get your work done? And then he finally starts
working maybe sometime in the afternoon and he ends up working late because
he's been kind of messing around all day doing whatever random thing that he
sees. Uh, that's just not how I work. Like when I'm working, I'm working, I
can't just like veer off into like a home project or something.

Ella Gunnell: No. Me either. I'm, like, in my mode, and that's it. And then once
I'm done, I can switch modes. But I think that that is part of the reason why I
enjoy remote working and probably you as well. I, I genuinely think that there's
some people and they'll admit this. They say, I cannot be a remote worker
because I don't have, the motivation. I can't just sit down and be self motivated
to get my work done. And I will admit, like, you definitely have to be
motivated. I am definitely a serial procrastinator. I was huge procrastinator
college, but you kind of, you can't be that way when it comes to remote work,
especially I think in our business, because well, maybe any business stuff, stuff
comes up, like that's just the nature of it. And so you have to make sure that
your work is done. So that way when stuff does come up, you're not like
stressed and having to work all day and things fall through the cracks.

Rachel Strella: Right. What we do is very timely. So you know, it's up to the
minute with certain things and with certain clients. So you, if you have waited
to do something, it's too late when something else happens. Um, but that's
interesting what you say because you do have to have a certain level of
discipline. And drive, I think, to able to do this. Like, my dad said that he would
never want to work in an office, never want to work in front of a computer. You
know, he was a dock worker and he drove truck. Like, that's a whole different
line of work. You know, for me, I would never want to do that. I'm happy being
in front of a computer. And I think that, like, you just have to have discipline.
Like, for me, I don't have, I don't turn the TV on until I'm done working. I might
have music playing in the background, but like, there are just certain things I
don't do while I'm working, because I'll get distracted. I'll get hooked on a
Netflix show, and then I won't want to go back to work.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah. Totally.

Rachel Strella: So, it's probably a good time to talk about balancing, kind of,
work and life. Because, um, it's not like, hey, it's 5 when we're leaving the
office. We, we're really, it's our home. So, it's hard sometimes to separate that.
Um, and I think there's also an expectation that we're always supposed to be
available. And that's really hard too, especially when we have people like that
are procrastinators on their end, like a client or somebody, and then they wait till
the 11th hour and it's Friday at five and they're like, hey, I need a post done.
Um, it's just, it's hard cause you do feel like you need to be available 24/7. So,
um, I thought we could just talk about that a little bit, how it's affected you, like
what, how you've set boundaries, work through it.

Ella Gunnell: Totally. Well, again, I might have mentioned this earlier, but my
husband works at a bank, so his hours are 9 to 5. And when the bank closes, he's
done. Like, maybe he gets a random email in the evening, but it's because
someone else is working late, but he doesn't have to answer it.

Rachel Strella: Yeah.

Ella Gunnell: Our line of work is very different from that, because, like you
mentioned, we we get contacted at all hours. We have 1 client who loves to
email us at 2 a.m. Don't know why we have clients on the West Coast. So
they're are 3 hours behind us. So when it's 5 p.m. for us, it's only 2 p.m. for
them. So I would again, say that, like, you have to kind of know yourself and
know, like, is that something that I can deal with? Because not everything is an
emergency. And so I think you have to determine, like, this can wait, but there
are some things that we do have to deal with outside of working hours. Um, and
so that's just kind of the nature of the work. And if you understand that and it
can accept that, then that's good. But that doesn't mean that there's not ways for
you to, like, balance in the meantime, like you shouldn't always be on call.
That's not good for anyone's mental health.

Rachel Strella: I, I like what you say about working hours though, because
working hours is kind of different for everybody on our team, depending on the
nature of our work and also just how we work. And that's, the good thing is we
have that flexibility. To say I think I want to work during these times for the
most part. Of course, you have to be prepared for certain things that fall out of
that time. But generally speaking, like, we could set our hours. I know for me, I
like to start earlier before it gets busy. And then I'll take like a break in the
afternoon, and I'll come back a little bit later in the afternoon and finish stuff
through the early evening. I'd much rather that than like being stuck in like a
block for six, seven hours straight. This helps me refresh a little bit. Um, but
again, you have to have a discipline because if you break away to do something,
you could easily say, I don't really feel like going back to work. You know?

Ella Gunnell: Easily.

Rachel Strella: Um, but I, it is, it is a business. I tell people, you know, that are
considering going into this business. This is not, you know, it is not for
somebody who just wants to work a nine to five. Well, you can set your own
hours. It is very hard to be away. Um, it like truly be away, especially when
you're like client facing, you know, and the client's used to coming to you. So,
and we're one of our core values is communication. So we don't want to just
leave the client hanging. If like they reach out and they need something, but we
might be away or we might be making dinner. And I'm so used to that now. It's
almost like it's a weird day when I don't get something, after hours, you know?

Ella Gunnell: Yeah, you're like is something wrong?

Rachel Strella: It is, it's tough, but I've seen people do it well. And I think you
made a good point about setting boundaries. Um, and also, like, knowing what
takes, what can be responded to now, and what is something that, like, can wait.
And I know, like, Laney does a really, really good job. Like, Laney is our EVP.
And she does not respond to emails, texts, or Slacks or anything on the
weekend. Um, or when she's off on vacation, she's like the only person I've ever
known. Like you're like, whoa, she's gone. And, and she means it. Um, she may
get those messages because I know when emergencies happen. She'll still reach
out, but she's like, I don't need to respond to that. And I, I really appreciate that
discipline too, because for me, it kind of hangs over my head that like. I really
just want to get that off my plate, you know, respond to it or handle it, you
know, but it's, it, there's nothing that's ever fallen in the cracks with her model.
So I, I know I should adopt it. I think I'm just set in my ways after doing this for
so long.

Ella Gunnell: I know. Well, yeah Laney is really that and I feel like she's kind
of empowered me to do a better job at that because there was time period where
it was like no matter what time I got a Slack I was gonna answer it because I
wanted to be, like, there for the client and, like, it was fine, but it's a lot better
when you can just say, you know, shut the laptop unless there's an emergency.
This can wait until tomorrow. Um, and especially, I think that a lot of that does
take planning, especially with vacations, which is something that our team is
really good at. So, like, we make sure to let the client know, I will be gone from
this date to this date, and if you need something, contact this person. We set on
our Slacks that we're away. We put automatic email responses. We make sure
that someone on our team is, like, prepared to handle stuff.

Rachel Strella: Yes.

Ella Gunnell: While we're away. So, like, it does take some preparation as well,
um, but it's definitely worth it. So that way you can be fully, like, present in
whatever else you're doing.

Rachel Strella: Yes. We do have that down. I feel bad for people who are
solopreneurs. They don't have team members to rely on. Uh, and I remember a
time when I had just started my business and, uh, maybe a year or so in, so it
was just mostly me. And I have one guy who never talks to me, suddenly wants
something. And he was relentless about it. It bothered me. I was literally on a
three or four day vacation. That was, it, wasn't anything super long, but like it, it
ruined my vacation. Um, I didn't have somebody to just delegate it to. I couldn't
just say, okay, so well, I'm out. Ella can handle it. Uh, so I do feel bad for those,
those people, but they could still set boundaries. I mean, communication is
everything being upfront with the customer. Like I'm going to be gone this time.
This is the expectation. That way, if a customer does bother you, especially if
it's something non urgent. You told them you're going to be away, so you don't
have to feel obligated to respond to that.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah and it kinda sets that expectation for them, too, because I
know that, um, sometimes we've had clients go on vacation, and that's not
something that they communicate with us, and so we're emailing them about
stuff, and we're not getting responses, and we're like, okay, going on? Um, but if
we can kind of establish that, like, boundary and, like, the expectation going
forward, they're also more likely, to follow it with us and let us know when
they're not going to be answering stuff, right? Or maybe they, we can contact
someone else when they're out. So, it's just good to always, it does take
planning, but like, it's going to make your life so much easier. I promise.
Rachel Strella: Yeah. But, I mean, let's talk about being always on, because
that's kind of how it feels. And I feel, I've been doing this, this particular job,
like well before everybody started working from home. So, like, this has been
15 years that I've been working from home. Um, but I was one of, like, I'm
somebody who likes to be on top of things, so if I would get a message, I would
want to make sure I responded. But one of the things that I've done now is I
don't have any notifications on anything except one person on Slack and, and
text, and they don't ding or anything, like, I'll see the number. But I don't have
notifications on my phone for email, for Facebook, for anything else. Um, and I
even silence a lot of people in text too. Um, cause I, you know, I'll feel
obligated to respond. Um, but that's helped me a lot. The only thing I have to be
careful of is like, I'm at the gym or whatever. I'm like, I'm just gonna peek and
see if I have any emails. I'm gonna see if there's any Slacks waiting for me. You
know, that's I get sucked in. I need to just not do it.

Ella Gunnell: Just don't even check them. I have tried that before and it
actually, I feel like, has the opposite effect for me because then I'm like, oh my
gosh, what if I got an email that's important. I need to check my email versus
like if I just had the notification on, then I would know that I didn't get an
important email. So I’ve tried it both ways. And for me, I do like to have my
notifications on. Um, but I have limited my notifications a lot, and I don't know
if that's just because we're social media managers, but, like, the amount of
notifications that I could get if I let them all in is probably like hundreds a day
between all of the clients, like Facebook updates and, like, all the emails and all
the Slacks, like, it can get very overwhelming. And so anything that's, like, not
important. Like I go through and I shut off a lot of Instagram notifications,
Facebook notifications. Because they can get very overwhelming.

Rachel Strella: I turned it all off. Like.

Ella Gunnell: There was client of ours that started blowing up a while back and
getting a bunch of messages and I had them on, um, and I was seriously getting,
like, probably hundreds just from them every day. So I had shut it off. Can’t do
it.

Rachel Strella: The fear of missing out is real. It really is. In this industry.
Because it would be that one time that you feel like, I'm just not going to, you
know, turn anything on and shut down. That something would happen.

Ella Gunnell: Literally.

Rachel Strella: Uh, but you know, every, everybody has to do what works for
them. And you know, I've done it all different ways. I'm still somebody even on
vacation. I'm checking in and I'm the company owner though, like that. That's
not always the expectation for everybody that from home, especially working
for traditional company and they work from home. Like, that's not the
expectation. That's something I put on myself, you know, as, as the owner,
because I, I, ultimately it's, it ends with me. So I want to make sure that like
everything's taken care of. It usually is, but I just don't like anything falling in
the cracks.

Ella Gunnell: I know I get the same way.

Rachel Strella: So let's talk about since we work in social media and we work
remote, um, how it kind of differs in real life, like our use of social media
versus working in social media. I know for me, I personally really am not on
social media much at all for my personal use. And it's almost annoying because
I have to use it for business. And then like people that are like my personal
friends are sending me stuff and I'm like working and like with Facebook, you
can see that they saw it and they're probably like, why did you ignore it? Uh,
but like I'm working right now and I'm in work mode so I can't respond right
now. But I really only use social media to like go to all the clients stuff and like
it every day or whatever or make sure everything's going okay. Or if it's
something that like I get hooked on, um, like I'm a big reality TV junkie, so I'll
start following people on TikTok or Instagram and wanting to know updates and
things like that. But other than that, I absolutely do not really use it. I don't
scroll through stuff every day and like look to comment.

Ella Gunnell: Oh, man, I am kind of half and half. I am a, a silent social media
user, as they say. So, like, I am...

Rachel Strella: A lurker! Ha ha.

Ella Gunnell: I'm, I'm scrolling a lot. But when it comes to, like, managing my
own social media and, like, posting updates on my personal profiles, it's not
happening like, I've just made 10 posts today for clients, I'm not also not
making a post for my personal account. You know what I mean? So, um, I, my
social media maybe gets like 1 or 2 posts a year and that's all you're getting
from me. And I, I, that's all I can handle. Really.

Rachel Strella: And that's okay. It can be a chore. I know for me I have to
consciously like do it. Um, it's a chore. But I don't do it as much as I used to. I
mean, I used to update Facebook constantly. Now it's like maybe once a week,
every other week. I don't know. It doesn't really matter. But just so people know
I'm still here and I'm alive.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah.

Rachel Strella: Um, but I try to keep things updated, but it is a lot, and there
are so many channels now. Um, but, look, I've got enough content with the
podcast, having a team, you know, there's always stuff going on. It's just one
more thing to do sometimes.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah. I always wonder, okay like with other careers, if you're in
another career, maybe let us know. But like chefs, for instance, they spend all
day cooking these elaborate meals. When you get home, I doubt that they're
cooking themselves an elaborate meal. I bet they're just throwing themselves
something together. I kind of feel like that's, what we do, like, after spending all
day doing this, we just don't, like, our own stuff gets neglected just because
we've, we've already devoted all of that mental capacity to it all the rest of the
day.

Rachel Strella: What's that saying, uh, the cobbler's son doesn't wear shoes, or
something like that? Like, it is so true. And I know we really got intentional this
past year on the Strella accounts, like, making sure that we were a lot more
intentional than you just, like, throwing random whatever. Um, but that's, I think
that's kind of key with everything with social media. It should be intentional,
really. And so, if you don't have anything to say, you don't have anything to say.
It's like, maybe you don't. Twice a year is fine. Everybody knows I'm going to
get something from Ella twice a year.

Ella Gunnell: If you're lucky.

Rachel Strella: Right? Yep. Oh, all right. Well, I know we're going to wrap up
soon, but I thought we could play a little game of remote versus ridiculous. So
we're going to run through a couple scenarios and we could both kind of chime
in on what, what we think. All right. So using Zoom filters for every meeting,
even serious ones.

Ella Gunnell: Luckily, this isn't something that I've seen a lot. Um, I have had
clients that always have like a background on, but I don't, I don't find that too
weird or distracting. I feel like, they probably just do that because of their own
background. It maybe isn't very neat or orderly. I think that that's been
normalized enough that it's not weird. What do you think though?

Rachel Strella: I, I agree with you there, but I think there's like some, I've seen
people in some meetings where they're so blurry that it just seems like their
head is floating and their hair is kind of in the backdrop and I'm like...
Ella Gunnell: You're right. That does happen sometimes.

Rachel Strella: It looks really strange. So I think it's okay as long as it's not
super like, um, crazy filter, you know, like it can still be blurred background and
be professional in my opinion.

Ella Gunnell: I agree.

Rachel Strella: All right, next one. Taking a midday nap during work hours to
boost productivity.

Ella Gunnell: I mean, I don't know if I'm against that.

Rachel Strella: I think it's great.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah.

Rachel Strella: I really do. I think, um, I mean, the studies have been done on
this. Like a 20 minute nap is like really, really good for you. I just don't nap.
Like I, I don't.

Ella Gunnell: I'm not napper either.

Rachel Strella: It takes me 45 minutes to even try and then I might get a five
minute snooze. And then I'm grouchy anyway. So. For people who can just nap,
I give them a lot of credit, um, but I can’t. So I'm cool with this though.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah, if that’s what you need to do, great.

Rachel Strella: Okay. Um, attending virtual meetings while cooking lunch in
the kitchen.

Ella Gunnell: I already know what you're going to say about this, but, um, I
don't like that either. If you've planned a meeting, even if you work from home,
I feel like you need to be there and be present and devote your time to that
meeting. I've had a meeting. I can't remember if you were there or not. It was
with, um, someone that we were looking to collaborate with with one of our
clients and she just showed up like, super casual. Like, she was in her pajamas.
She was walking around doing stuff. She was like, leaning on her kitchen
counter talking to us. And I was like. Holy cow, like, can you just, like, sit down
and talk to us for a second?

Rachel Strella: Yeah. Like unfocused is probably a great word to use to
describe people that do that. I get multitasking cause that's like I'm chronic. I'm
a chronic multitasker, but I, I would struggle with having full attention to the
meeting if I'm like cooking or whatever I'm doing. Another example. I saw
some other ones in here, like taking meetings on mute while you're working out
at the gym. Like, um, to me, like, I, you know how I feel about people driving
and taking a meeting, no, like get out of your car and like be focused in the
meeting or don't come to the meeting at all.

Ella Gunnell: Yep.

Rachel Strella: Alright, replying to emails from the bathtub. I do that all the
time. Mostly the sauna.

Ella Gunnell: I'll reply to emails anywhere.

Rachel Strella: Yeah, I mean, hello, you know what job we're in here. We gotta
respond no matter where we are.

Ella Gunnell: Well you know what? Sometimes. Actually, well most of the
time, my showers happen in the middle of the workday. So, like, I take like a
random half hour in the middle of the day because usually I have to film like a
video in the evening or the next day. So I plan out my hair wash day and I'm
like, okay, I have, you know, 30 minutes on this random Thursday afternoon to
take a shower. And so if I get an email, I'll just respond to it.

Rachel Strella: I get it, I'm the same way. I like my sauna time, but I have to
sauna and shower back to back. So that's like a good, like, hour and a half thing.
So, that's a long time. That's like a lifetime in the social media business. So, if
I've seen emails come through, I'm probably going to respond as long as I can
keep it professional.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah, hahaha. They’re never gonna know. It’s okay.

Rachel Strella: Well, they'll know it's remote. They just don't have to know
from where. Okay. Let's see. Let's pick another one here. Um, okay. Bringing
pets to meetings and introducing them as co workers. 

Ella Gunnell: I mean, I love pets. Bring your pets. But.

Rachel Strella: I think it's adorable, I mean, as long as your pets aren't
obnoxious. Like, if you have like a big dog that's like barking and drooling all
over the place. Like, no, probably not a good idea. But, but, we've got, my cats
just, they just, cats do their own thing. So they'll come to the meeting whether
they're invited or not. So they may as well be co workers. And know, we got a
guy who has a hedgehog. A hedgehog on the team named Rosie. And it's so cute
and everyone loves Rosie. So I'm cool with that.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah. For me personally, I have dogs. I love my dogs. But if I
know I'm going to be in an important client meeting, I will make sure that my
dogs are taken care of. Because if doorbell rings, they're going to bark. If they
see another dog outside, they're going to bark, and I don't want that interrupting
the meeting. So, if depending on the nature of meeting, I'll make sure that my
dogs like, my husband has taken them or they're shut upstairs somewhere. So
they're not interrupting things. But if your dogs aren't obnoxious, like mine, I
would love to meet them.

Rachel Strella: I'm totally cool with the pets. That's I mean working from
home, that's just a staple. As long as they're quiet. Alright, we'll do one more.
Okay. Assigning your plants official roles like mood manager, oxygen officer,
and giving updates on their progress. So, I have a hydroponic garden named
Bianca. And I, I have a whole highlight reel on Instagram for Bianca. Cause I'm
fascinated with it. Um, I don't know that I would actually give them official
roles, but I've seen that and it's really cute. Like, the place I go to um, to get like
vitamin supplements, like they have titles for the dog, they have titles for the
person at the front. She's Chief Chaos Officer. I think that's cute, and it gives
you, like, a slice of company culture.

Ella Gunnell: That is cute. I wasn't quite sure where this one was going, but I'm
good with that. I know sometimes on the Strella story, I've, I've talked about my
dogs being my assistants.

Rachel Strella: Mm hmm. Yep.

Ella Gunnell: Just cause they're always around and they're always there. And
when you work from home, sometimes you need to, you don't see other people
throughout the day, really. So.

Rachel Strella: Yeah, you have companionship, yes.

Ella Gunnell: Yeah, and your garden is very cool, by way.

Rachel Strella: Thank you. I, I call my cats like, um, productivity specialists or
quality assurance animals because like they're there and they're overseeing
everything. And they'll like yesterday Frankie sat right on my laptop and I'm
like, I'm just trying to work right now. Sometimes they bite themselves, but, it's,
it's, it's fun. All of this stuff is fun. Um, I think that you could have a good
balance with, with like working from home and still doing the things that are
involved in having a home where you work.

Ella Gunnell: Yes, totally. And I think that, um, if I could just leave like a final
note. I saw a video the other day a lady was basically jumping on talking about
her experience as a remote worker. And she said that a lot of people, Like, her
family members assume that just because she's working remote that, like, she
has time for other things. So, for example, they texted her in the middle of the
day, oh, come bring your dog over so that they can play with my dog. And, oh,
now you can come pick your dog up. And she's like, do you realize that just
because I work from home doesn't mean that my job isn't real, right? L

Rachel Strella: Yep.

Ella Gunnell: So I think if, if more, you know, more people understood that,
um, and if you can understand that too, as a remote worker, like, this is a real
job and you have to have boundaries with other people, but also with yourself,
like, I'm not going to go take an hour and watch a Netflix show because then I'll
never be focused again to get back into work. So.

Rachel Strella: You're, you are 100 percent right because this is, this is
something I struggle with all the time with, with family, friends, whatever. They
think I'm just here so they can just roll up in the middle of the day unannounced.
I could be in the middle of the meeting. There goes the doorbell and I'm like, oh
man. You know. So. We've had, I've struggled with that, especially with family.
They're the worst. My in laws would just show up with like, whatever, and
they're like, can I use the bathroom while I'm in the town? Like, oh sure, and we
brought recyclables here. Just sit on my couch and hang out. And I'm like, okay,
well, um, I'm working, uh, so make yourself at home. But I, like, I can't, like,
you know, like, I've got to finish this. Um, it is, it's really hard for people who
don't do it to understand it. Yeah.

Ella Gunnell: Yes 100%.

Rachel Strella: Alright, well this was a lot of fun, and I hope I've opened up
some conversations, uh, with everybody else who's working remote or not
remote, maybe they've learned a few things. But, thanks, um, for everybody for
tuning into the Untamed Social Podcast. Bye!

Ella Gunnell: Bye!