I've been working from home for over a year now. It has its obvious perks... like not commuting for an hour one way, being able to access all of your home's amenities, longer sleep, etc... But the thing is, we as humans were not meant to live life like this. Sure, I signed up for many after-work activities, I chat with friends online and on the phone all the time, but still something is missing. The feeling of having to get ready and move in the morning. Seeing the world and movement outside, interacting with dozens of people randomly throughout the day, and being put outside of my social comfort zone. These are just some of the things I'm missing, and they are absolutely necessary. I think if you dislike your work, in-office work is miserable and puts immense stress on you, like having to be in the presence of people and things you dislike, and that's a whole other issue to deal with... But generally, my friends that do like their jobs and work in-office don't wish for complete remote, but rather a flexible environment with some days in office... which is somewhat of an obvious truth.
Perhaps I haven't fully leveraged the remote-work benefits, like traveling and moving somewhere warm in the winter, but I'm set to do that in the coming months. Further to this, I really thrive from social dynamics and interactions... like... so much of the value that I create in my personal and professional life come from my social skills. If you work in a large company, connections, rapport, engaging in extra projects, or working on your promotions and growth heavily depends on this too. Sitting all day is another factor... It's time to go back to a standing desk and maybe even get a treadmill underneath... All of this sitting is no bueno. Anyway... no philosophy today, just a reflection on the realities of working from home. I miss the in-person energy and the perks that come from it. Even a once a week in-person would be phenomenal.
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