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Ask HN: Who's sick of remote work?

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Re: Ask HN: Who's sick of remote work?

#51

Post by 13of40 »

BoysenberryPi wrote: post #5

I think what's really happening here is that most people, especially older men, are realizing how much of their social life is tied to work and going to the office. My advice is to get some hobbies, make some friends, join some groups. Even if you aren't willing to go out, finding groups and chatting online in a voice or video call is probably better than just sitting in your home alone.

I suspect there's a good chance you're going to wake up one day and find that you're an older man, so you might want to prepare yourself for the kind of social change that often comes with that.

That said, I'm actually dreading return-to-work to a certain extent, because it's optional at my company right now, so I've been able to make my office into a nice little interruption-free cocoon. I spent the summer outside with a laptop and 5G hotspot, but the weather right now isn't really conducive to that.

Re: Ask HN: Who's sick of remote work?

#54

Post by johnnyo »

MattGaiser wrote: post #32
johnnyo wrote: post #17

Unpopular opinion, but I was not a big fan. It was mainly because my house lacked a dedicated, private office where I could work, compared to my real office. My living space isn’t that big, but I’ve got a great office at the job. Big desk, big screens, giant whiteboard, and it’s just around the corner, so commute is minimal.

I want an in depth study that looks at things like this, as I prefer remote work because I have a bigger desk, bigger screens, a whiteboard, more screens, a better chair, and am not seated near a large window that dumps a ton of glare on my screen (my prior job). So for me, remote is an upgrade in terms of infrastructure. For you, it is obviously a downgrade. How many people who hate remote work have a Herman Miller…

Agreed. For me, the logistics of having a dedicated office just down the road far outweigh the costs of the commute, and I like the mental and physical separation of home and work.

But, if that commute was 45 mins, or if I had a larger living space and a worse onsite location, I can guarantee that my opinion would reverse.

Re: Ask HN: Who's sick of remote work?

#55

Post by twothamendment »

Not me. I've been remote for 6 years and don't ever want to go back.

The first time I worked remote I didn't know how to leave work. It was always there, so I worked - too much. Set some office hours and walk away when it is done. Try to find reasons to get out, even on lunch breaks or a 15 minute break.

Re: Ask HN: Who's sick of remote work?

#57

Post by powvans »

I’ve been remote for 12 years. I am an extrovert. I have always missed the office a bit, but never enough to seriously consider going back to in person. I would absolutely go back for the right opportunity. Maybe I’ve missed some great opportunities because I don’t really seek jobs that require in person.

For me, remote work enables a richer life. I get to spend more time with my children, I can help my wife when something comes up, I can go to the gym or for a walk in the park, I can have lunch with a friend in the neighborhood, and I have more time to work too!

Now that everyone is working remote, it’s even better! In the past there was always a bit of struggle if I was working for a company where most were collocated in an office. Now that everyone is remote, it’s so much easier to conduct meetings, pair program, and just get things done.

Lastly, it’s absolutely possible to make deep meaningful connections with people through remote work. I consider many of my coworkers from the past decade to be close friends, despite the fact that I rarely see them in person. Remote work is no different than anything else in life; you will get out as much as you put in. Embrace it.

Re: Ask HN: Who's sick of remote work?

#59

Post by pc86 »

Being alone for long hours in your house is unrelated to remote work. Go on walks in the morning, go to the gym in the afternoon, go out for lunch (even if you cook, go eat in a park or something).

Re: Ask HN: Who's sick of remote work?

#60

Post by kurko »

jen20 wrote: post #36
bckr wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you mean "leave your house... to work somewhere else"? If so, that's sort of an option. But at that point, I might as well be working with my coworkers. If you mean "leave your house... outside work hours", this is also becoming more and more possible, yet most of my waking hours are part of my workday.

I've been working remote for over a decade now - the first eight of which were under non-pandemic conditions. Working from a coffee shop, from a park, from a plane or train are all eminently possible, and variation is the key to things being enjoyable. Unfortunately the pandemic has sent middle managers mad for video calls and status updates, which has made things generally less productive.

This. Before the pandemic I'd go work from somewhere nice once or twice a week. That made home not that boring. Not possible anymore with the pandemic, although things are starting to feel normal again and last week I worked from a coffeeshop in front of a nice lake which was wonderful.
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