Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios
Remote work is not a new concept, and neither is having a home office. But the abrupt switch to telecommuting en masse due to coronavirus has accelerated shifts in how work is conducted — and fundamentally changed how we view our jobs.
Driving the news: The NFL had its awakening this weekend during its virtual draft, where coaches and general managers were shown working from home, oftentimes with their children in the background.
- Many of them have said how much they enjoyed the experience, and commissioner Roger Goodell — thrilled with the record viewership (55 million) and generally positive reviews — already said he wants to keep some of the elements used this year for future drafts.
What they're saying: In addition to revealing how much can be accomplished from the comfort of one's home, the virtual NFL draft — and the limited offseason — has also inspired coaches and GMs to think about making permanent improvements to their work/life balance and working smarter rather than longer.
- "[It] was unanimous. So many coaches wondered, do we really need to work the sheer hours we do when their work was really done? Literally every person mentioned the extra time with his family. A legit eye-opening experience," tweeted NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
- "It's been a lot of fun actually," said Dolphins coach Brian Flores. "I haven't spent this much time with my family — my kids, my wife — in a long time."
- "If we can find a better work-life balance in the months of February, March and April, I'm all for it," said Lions GM Brian Quinn.
The big picture: The NFL is a cutthroat business full of Type-A personalities who spend every waking hour seeking out an edge over their opponents. But the coronavirus disrupted that and "left everyone questioning the wisdom of spinning their wheels nonstop," writes Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel.
- "Can't we just video chat with that prospect, not host them on an all-day visit to our facility? Isn't watching college game tape at home more insightful than flying to some far-off campus to witness a scripted pro day? Does a mid-morning playdate with my daughter actually sharpen my focus?"
The bottom line: Remote work is still uncommon in the U.S. (3% of Americans primarily worked from home in 2017) and there's ongoing debate about its effectiveness. But it has given millions a glimpse of a different way of life amid this pandemic, even the buttoned-up NFL.