I think about the empty houses a lot. In Chicago, most wealthy neighborhoods are empty during the day. I always thought it was sad that people worked all the time to buy fancy houses they barely spend any time in except to sleep. It’s a “bedroom community.” I never wanted that. But it has other consequences, one of them is these neighborhoods become crime magnets during the day. Businesses that rely on 24/7 traffic like cafes wither and die. Streets become dangerous to walk on.

How can we actually have 24/7 community and not just bedroom community? I think making it easier to freelance and work from home is a major part of it. And working fewer hours in general.

Working 40+ hours isn’t healthy for individuals, communities, or families.