Is Remote Work Really *All That*? My Honest Take

The Remote Work Dream… or Was It?

Okay, so for years, I was totally sold on the idea of remote work. Pajama pants all day? Working from anywhere with a Wi-Fi signal? Sounded like pure bliss. I pictured myself sipping lattes in Bali while simultaneously crushing it at my job. Honestly, the reality has been… a little different.

It started when my company finally went fully remote back in, uh, 2021 I think? (Time’s a blur now, thanks pandemic). Initially, I was ecstatic. No more soul-crushing commute! I could finally reclaim those precious hours. I immediately set up what I *thought* was the perfect home office. A fancy ergonomic chair, a standing desk, even a little succulent to add some “zen.” I even bought one of those ring lights, thinking I’d become a TikTok star in my spare time. Spoiler alert: that didn’t happen.

But the initial honeymoon phase didn’t last. Soon, the lines between work and life started to blur. Like, *really* blur. I found myself answering emails at 10 PM, and then bleary-eyed at 7 AM, right back at it. The “office” was always open. Weekends? What weekends? Ugh, what a mess!

The Unexpected Loneliness of the Home Office

One of the biggest surprises? The loneliness. I’m usually a pretty introverted person, so I figured I’d thrive working solo. But man, I missed the casual water cooler chats, the random office gossip, even just the *presence* of other humans. You know? Suddenly, my cat was my only coworker. And while she’s a great listener, her advice is… questionable. Mostly involves napping and demanding food.

I started to feel weirdly disconnected. It’s like, those quick conversations you have walking to the break room? Those actually *matter*. They build relationships. They spark ideas. They remind you that you’re not just a cog in a machine. I missed those little connections more than I ever thought I would. Was I the only one feeling like this? I doubted it.

And then there’s the whole “staying motivated” thing. At the office, there’s a certain… pressure. You see your colleagues working hard, and it kind of pushes you to do the same. At home? It’s just me and Netflix tempting me with a new season of some show I’ll forget in a week. Let’s just say, productivity definitely took a hit.

Finding the Right Remote Work Balance (Still a Work in Progress)

So, after a good year or so of struggling, I realized I needed to make some changes. First, I started setting stricter boundaries. Like, actually *closing* my laptop at 6 PM. Even if there were a million emails waiting. The world wouldn’t end, I promised myself.

I also made a conscious effort to connect with my colleagues outside of work meetings. Virtual coffee chats, online games nights… anything to feel like I was part of a team again. It helped, honestly. A lot.

I even tried the co-working space thing for a while. It was nice to be around other people and have a dedicated workspace outside of my house. But honestly, it felt… forced? I don’t know. I ended up canceling my membership after a few months. It just wasn’t for me.

The funny thing is, I’m *still* figuring it out. Remote work is definitely not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. What works for my friend Sarah (who literally *is* living the Bali dream, lucky her) might not work for me.

A Lesson Learned (and a Regret or Two)

Here’s a quick story: Early on in the pandemic, I got *really* into day trading (I know, I know, terrible idea). I figured, “Hey, I’m working from home, I have all this extra time!” I even thought about writing a blog about my “success” but oh boy was I wrong. I spent hours glued to my computer screen, watching stock prices fluctuate, thinking I was some kind of genius investor. I totally messed up by selling GameStop too early in 2021, if you remember that whole thing. Talk about leaving money on the table! What a painful lesson.

The point is, working remotely made me *think* I had the freedom to do all these extra things. But the reality was, I was just burning myself out even *more*. It wasn’t about having more free time, it was about being more intentional with the time I already had.

The Future of My Remote Work Journey

So, am I giving up on remote work? Absolutely not. There are still tons of perks. The flexibility is amazing. Being able to run errands during the day or work from my parents’ house when I need to? Huge.

But I’m definitely approaching it differently now. More boundaries, more intentional connection, and a whole lot less day trading. I’m also exploring hybrid options. Maybe a couple of days in the office, a few days at home. Who even knows what’s next?

Ultimately, I think remote work *can* be great. But it takes work. It takes self-awareness. And it definitely takes more than just a fancy ergonomic chair and a ring light. It’s about finding a balance that works *for you*. And honestly, I’m still on that journey.