I've been working remotely (or living at my office) since lockdowns first started in March 2020. That's 5.5 years of remote work, and I'm thriving. I can stim, pet my cats, sit weirdly, or fart without worrying what anyone will think. It's amazing, and my neurodivergent brain could never go back to full-time office work.

That said, this week I flew out to company HQ in Boston. Every time I'm here (roughly every other month) I remember how much I do actually like being in the office. I wouldn't want to be forced to come in every day, but when I can make meaningful visits it really adds to my satisfaction and productivity.

We just wrapped up a board game night over vegan ramen, and the first thing we'll do tomorrow is a walk to a specialty coffee place. Sure, neither of those activities is actually "work", but it's a big boost to the time I spend at a desk either here or at home. I don't just mean the social bonds, which are definitely valuable. We also talk about cool what-if projects and kick off working groups that launch new features. We get work done.

Again, I'm committed to the remote work lifestyle, but it's nice to remember just how much fun office time can be, when done right.