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Ever feel like the world is shifting beneath your feet? From the resurgence of hands-on craftsmanship to the evolving dynamics of our workplaces, and the daily new AI tools change is the only constant.

While remote work was once considered the future, the push to return to the office is intensifying. Yet, as some companies struggle to find desks for their employees, cough…Amazon, the remote work movement remains resilient.

At the same time, a counter-movement is brewing—people are rediscovering the joy of working with their hands, finding fulfillment in craftsmanship beyond screens and spreadsheets.

Are you disconnecting? It’s necessary.

Today:

• Is remote work fading?

• When digital is too much - get back to using your hands.

Are you feeling burnt? Reach out.

1. The Resilience of Remote Work

Despite headlines claiming that “the office is back,” remote work isn’t going anywhere.

• A recent McKinsey survey found that the percentage of people working “mostly” in person doubled in 2024. However, despite return-to-office (RTO) mandates, remote work remains persistent.

• Office occupancy on Fridays is still just 36% of pre-pandemic levels, and even Tuesdays—the most crowded workday—only reach about 63% occupancy. (Wolf Street)

• Some companies are facing logistical nightmares: Amazon reportedly doesn’t have enough desks for workers it has forced back into the office. (Wall Street Journal)

Yes, I’ve talked about this before, though it is important to consider when building your team. Hybrid is the new model.

2. Reviving the Art of Craftsmanship

With technology is automating more aspects of life, a growing movement is bringing back the honor and fulfillment of working with your hands.

• People are turning to craftsmanship—woodworking, leatherworking, blacksmithing, and other hands-on trades—to reconnect with meaningful work. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

• Experts argue that physical work provides a sense of accomplishment, mental clarity, and stress relief that desk jobs often lack.

• Could this be the antidote to digital fatigue? The evidence suggests so.

You aren’t alone. We got you.

Quick Wins

Upgrade Your Remote Work Setup

• Resource: Ergonomic Trends – Best Chairs for Remote Work

• Tool: Krisp – AI-Powered Noise Cancellation to eliminate background noise during meetings.

Start a Craft-Based Hobby

• Book: Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew B. Crawford – a must-read on the joy of manual work.

• Tool: Maker’s Row – connects small-scale manufacturers with entrepreneurs to build handcrafted products.

Master the Hybrid Work Model

• Framework: Harvard Business Review – The Best Hybrid Work Strategies

• Tool: Motion – AI-powered calendar and task manager for balancing remote and office work.

“Take a human desire, preferably one that has been around for a really long time… identify that desire and use modern technology to take out steps.” - Evan Williams

Stay gritty,

– The Foundation Team | a FOP product
thefdn.org

cool tools & vids

• Crazy video of a kayaker being swallowed by a whale.. briefly. 

• Considerations when building a billion-dollar building (YouTube)

• Lessons in taking family photos that people want to keep

• The Galileo AI Agent Leaderboard ranks large language models based on their ability to effectively interact with tools in real-world scenarios, using standardized testing and the Tool Selection Quality (TSQ) metric.