A guy in a Chiang Mai cafe said my work setup was 'sad'

I was working from a spot on Nimman Road about six months ago, my laptop on a tiny table with a portable mouse. This older guy, maybe in his 60s, sat down next to me. He watched me for a minute, then just said, 'That looks sad. You're living in a postcard but staring at a 13-inch screen.' He wasn't being mean, just blunt. He told me he'd been traveling for 20 years, doing remote IT work before it had a name. His whole point was that if you're just moving your office to a new view, you're missing the point. It stuck with me because my next planned stop was just another city with good wifi. Is the goal to work from anywhere, or to actually be somewhere? How do you guys balance getting work done with not feeling like you're just in a prettier cubicle?

4 comments

4 Comments

fiona_carr262mo ago

Honestly that guy nailed it and you see this everywhere now. People treat the whole world like a co-working space with better wallpaper. The goal should be to actually live in a place, not just log in from there. It's easy to get stuck in the routine of chasing good wifi instead of good experiences. Maybe try blocking out real time to just be offline and explore, even if it's just an hour after work. Otherwise you're right, it's just a cubicle with a nicer window.

chen.olivia2mo ago

Remembered my trip to Lisbon last year. Spent the first two days just hunting for cafes with strong coffee and stronger wifi. Finally my phone died on a tram ride and I got completely lost in Alfama. Ended up talking to an old man about tiles for an hour, best part of the whole trip. Made me realize I was just doing my normal job from a prettier desk.

phoenixk642mo ago

That "cubicle with a nicer window" line hits hard, so what's your plan to actually disconnect next time?

lily_cooper25d ago

My friend swears by the "dead battery" method. She buys a cheap flip phone for trips, leaves her smartphone in the hotel safe, and only checks it once at night. Says it forces you to ask for directions and actually look at a map.