Sarah Aviram is a former Fortune 500 Human Resources and Talent Development leader from companies like PepsiCo and Avon. After working remotely from 12 countries in 12 months in 2019, researching the future of work, she published the best-selling book, “Remotivation: The Remote Worker’s Ultimate Guide to Life-Changing Fulfillment”. She was named one of the top 25 innovators of remote work in 2021 by the leading company in the space, Remote.

Sarah is an international keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and workshop facilitator for organizations globally on the topic of motivation in the new era of work. She’s also created and delivered leadership development programs and processes to over 50,000 people at the companies like Google, American Express, Bank of America, and her alma mater, New York University Stern School of Business.

Here are the takeaways...

Remote work can be fulfilling but it can also be a bandaid solution if you don't like the work you are doing.
Finding like minded people that support your goals that you can talk to and brainstorm with is an important component of happiness at work. Keep in mind that the people you talk to don't have to be in your field.
There is a difference between happiness and fulfillment. Happiness can depend on external factors. Fulfillment goes deeper. There are three components of fulfillment at work:
1. Joy. What kind of work brings me energy? What work do I enjoy? (This may not be the same thing as work you are good at). Consider asking loved ones, "when have you seen me most excited about work?"
2. Impact. If you don't see the direct impact of your work, consider asking. It's important to feel like you are making a difference.
3. Growth. is feeling like what you are learning and developing is helping you grow.
Three reasons why you might not feel joy, impact and growth include blocks around money, identity, routines.
Money is a motivator to work to meet financial needs. Minimizing the external pressure that money puts on us we can focus on the internal desires can be helpful.
Identity can include self-imposed expectations or external pressures around who you are at work.
Routines around your daily life might need to be changed. If you want the joy, impact and growth you need to really look at your daily routines. Do they support your movement toward joy, impact and growth?
Understand your motivations and make a conscious choice about why you are doing what you are doing whether that's to meet a financial goal, earn a pension, or have a company on your resume and then make peace with that choice. Making those choices intentionally can help you make the best of a situation.
Consider placing projects, tasks or initiatives on an axis that compares your impact and what brings you joy. Then seek out the things that create impact and bring you joy.
You can create any life you want if you are willing to leave your comfort zone.
It's easy to blame a lack of joy on external circumstances but remembering that you have choices can feel empowering.
The arrival fallacy is the faulty belief that when something happens, then you'll be happy. The work is to be happy NOW.