In my late 30s, juggling two small kids and a cat, I can confidently say: remote work is the greatest goddamn perk of being a software engineer. Sure, the salary is nice—I’m not complaining about that—but the flexibility to work from home? That’s the real game-changer.
Why I Love Remote Work
Let me paint you a picture of my day:
- Wake up when I want: Okay, mostly when the kids aren’t screaming or the cat isn’t knocking shit over. But still, no alarm clocks forcing me out of bed to catch a bus or sit in traffic.
- Flexible Schedule: I’m an early bird by choice, which means I wake up early to crush personal projects before the workday even begins.
- Walks for Coffee: Feeling stuck or uninspired? I can just get up and take a stroll to grab coffee or groceries. No need to ask a manager if I can “take a break.”
- No Fucking Commutes: The soul-sucking, time-wasting hell that is public transit or bumper-to-bumper traffic? Nope. Not for me.
- Goodbye Formal Clothes: My office attire is a rotation of shorts and t-shirts unless it’s freezing outside. My closet isn’t packed with button-ups I hate wearing—just things I actually like.
- Work Without Interruptions: With my kids safely “parked” at daycare and school (God bless those systems), I get to focus on work and have the energy to be present for them after hours.
The Downsides (But Not Really)
Sure, remote work has a downside or two. You miss the occasional watercooler banter or lunch with coworkers. But let’s be real: does that outweigh all the positives? Hell no.
The Industry is Screwing Us (Again)
Here’s the thing: remote work gave us a taste of freedom during the pandemic. We proved we could do our jobs just as well—if not better—from home. But now? The big players (yeah, I’m looking at you, Amazon) are dragging people back to the office. Five full days, just like the good old days of misery.
Before the pandemic, one work-from-home day a week was considered a luxury. Now, they’re ripping it all away like it’s some sort of corporate power move. And let’s not forget the other bullshit trends:
- Worsening Salaries: Companies tightening budgets and cutting corners.
- Increased Competition: Let’s be honest—mass layoffs by FAANG and other big players in 2022, 2023, and 2024 flooded the job market with experienced developers. Combine that with the growing number of people learning to code, and suddenly, the competition for roles is fiercer than ever. Those layoffs didn’t just shake up careers—they reshaped the entire hiring landscape, making it harder for everyone to land a spot.
The Silver Lining
But here’s the good news: not all companies are falling back into the RTO trap. Thanks to the pandemic, we’ve seen a massive rise in remote-first companies. Whether they’re city-wide, province-wide, or global, they exist, and they’re thriving. And honestly, those are the companies worth working for.
If I Owned a Big Business?
Let’s be honest—if I were running a billion-dollar company, I’d probably be dragging employees back to the office too, just to squeeze out that extra productivity while I jet off to grow my other ventures. It’s a shitty reality, but hey, capitalism’s a bitch.
What Do You Think?
How do you feel about the industry’s shift back to the office? Are you riding the remote work wave, or are you getting dragged back into the trenches? Drop your thoughts below—I’d love to hear them.
Cheers to shorts, coffee breaks, and no commutes. 🖖
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