The Office is for people who like to talk. Remote Work is for people who like to think.

I’ve had this thought running through my head since I competed my two mandatory days in the office every other week. On the weeks where I go to the office, my days are filled mostly with meetings which is no different than home. The difference is the quality of the meetings is… exactly the same in terms of getting what I need out of them.

Any part of the day not already blocked off by calendar invitation is subject to an impromptu meeting. Someone coming to stop by and bring you a problem they’ve been holding on to. A convenient moment to grab three people together into a room to discuss a problem or plan out a new feature.

There is nothing inherently wrong with any of this. But it should be recognized. When I go into the office, it’s not that I don’t plan to work. But instead a of planning to dig into my work and make good headway, I end up making a list of tasks to work on when I can return to the quiet and focus of home.

I’ve worked remotely for… 6 or may be it’s 7 years now. And I would never go back to working in an office full-time. I have an ergonomic desk and chair that fit my body and don’t leave me with an aching back. It’s quiet and comfortable. I control the lighting, temperature and noise level. I can get absolutely lost in a problem as the hours melt away and the light of the day fades away.

It’s comfortable because it’s for me. I can make food in my own kitchen so I’m not spending money in cafes or fast food. I am not burning gas and sitting in hours of traffic. I can stand in my kitchen and watch the birds or go for a walk over my lunch break. And I actually take a lunch break.

It’s liberating to be able to enjoy some fresh air when the weather is nice. Or work form my bed, or sofa when I need a change of scenery. Working from your patio under blue skies with chirping birds and warm breezes.