From Fax Machines to Zoom Rooms: The Untold Journey of Remote Work

Hey there, savvy readers! Ever found yourself juggling work calls while folding laundry?

A punk rocker in the 1980’s doing freelance graphic design from their bedroom.

Welcome to the world of remote work — a realm that’s as versatile as a Swiss Army knife. But hold your horses; this isn’t a newfangled concept that sprang up overnight.

Today, we’re peeling back the layers to explore the rich history of remote work. So, grab your favorite cuppa and let’s get started!

The Early Days — Pre-Internet Era

Now, I know it’s hard to imagine a world without the internet. But let’s hop into our time machines and dial it back to the 1970s.

The term “telecommuting” was coined, and folks were working from home, albeit in a more archaic fashion.

Imagine sending your work through fax machines or even — gasp — postal mail. It was a slower pace, but it laid the groundwork for what was to come.

Fun Fact: Sending a fax back in the day was like sending a tweet, but with more paper jams. You’d wait for that confirmation beep like you wait for likes on your social media posts today.

The Dot-Com Boom and Bust

Ah, the ‘90s — a time of grunge music and the rise of the World Wide Web. The internet…