Moving back into the cubicle?

After 5 years of only working remotely, I decided to move back into an office. A shared office, to be precise. For some of you, this might sound like a nightmare. Don't we all strive to be digital nomads, being completely free in our work environment? Being able to work from wherever we want? The beach, the park nearby, from whichever country or city we want?

Well, to be honest, I’ve been there. I tried it. I lived in a van for a year, working from wherever I wanted. I worked from the beach, from the mountains, from the city, from the countryside. And it was great. It was a great experience.

But why move back into an office then?

The loneliness

One of the most neglected aspects in our modern life is the loneliness that comes with many aspects of typical western life. If our work only happens in front of a computer, we might not see another human for many hours and someday speak a single word to someone.

That's at least how it's been for me. I'm single. I work remotely, alone. I live alone. I go to the gym alone.

Most of the activities I do are alone. I actively have to seek human contact and social interactions, because otherwise I would not have any. And I noticed for myself that I'm feeling horrible when I don't have any social interactions for a longer period of time.

Moving into an office comes with the benefit that there are other people. You spend time with them, talk to them during your lunch break, talk when you're at the coffee machine, or just say "Hi" when you arrive in the morning. Micro interactions that are so important for my personal mental health.

Another aspect is the focus.

The focus

Let's be real: Working from home is not as productive as you might think. Sure, you can have the perfect setup at home, with everything you need within arm’s reach. But that is also the problem. Everything is within arm’s reach. You can get up and grab a snack whenever you want. You can talk to your partner, your kids, your flatmates, your pets, whenever you want. You can watch TV, play video games, read a book, or do the laundry whenever you want.

These are distractions. And I’m a person that gets easily distracted, especially when I’m working on something that is not that interesting to me. And sometimes work might not be interesting at times. But it still needs to be done. And it needs to be done in a timely manner.

That is why I decided to move back into an office. To have a place where I can focus on my work, without any distractions. A place where I can get into the flow and stay there for hours.

The first day I was in my new office, my productivity skyrocketed. I was able to focus on my work and solely on my work. I was so excited that evening that I actually had trouble falling asleep! I was so happy with the work I had done that day. I did more in one day than I usually did in two or three days, amazing!

The amenities

One of the big wins of moving back into an office is the amenities that come with it. I have a coffee machine that makes great coffee with the press of a button. I have a fridge where I can store my lunch. I have a microwave to heat up my lunch. I have a big desk with a big monitor. I have a comfortable chair.

All these things are in one place. I don't have to readjust my setup every time I want to work, neither do I have to clean the office.

Keep in mind that I am coming from the perspective of living in a very tiny van for a year, and that all these amenities are a huge win for me. They might be normal for you.

I am delighted to have made the decision to move back into an office. I don't want to miss this any further.