> I've spent this afternoon working on a patio at a little cafe in the downtown area of a small town
This sounds like hell to me. My joy is being on a small team in a room with 6-10 other people where we collaborate with each other, calling out, asking for advice on solutions, designing together, getting lunch together, and being in each other presence.
Sitting an a cafe staring at a screen and ignoring all the strangers around me sounds like a dystopia from being around friends and working together.
I've worked from cafes for 3 of the last 4 years (because the last year was covid so no cafes). It's better than being isolated at home but it was 10% of what I get from being physically with teammates.
If you enjoy the solitude good for you.
For me the difference between remote work and office work is like the difference between a real social meetup and a zoom meetup. The zoom meetup doesn't come close the real thing. Similarly, remote working doesn't compare to working physically together. All the things missing from the zoom meetup vs the a physical meetup are also missing from remote work.
I do miss working with people. I took a job in LA in February 2020 because I wanted to work in an office with a team. That office shut down the week I got there. I moved back to Texas 3 months later. Now I work for a company mostly based in NYC. Hoping to get to visit soon. But. Covid.
> being on a small team in a room with 6-10 other people
That sounds like hell to me. I prefer a quiet office where I can concentrate without constantly being interrupted. So it clearly depends on your personality whether it works for you or not.
This sounds like hell to me. My joy is being on a small team in a room with 6-10 other people where we collaborate with each other, calling out, asking for advice on solutions, designing together, getting lunch together, and being in each other presence.
Sitting an a cafe staring at a screen and ignoring all the strangers around me sounds like a dystopia from being around friends and working together.
I've worked from cafes for 3 of the last 4 years (because the last year was covid so no cafes). It's better than being isolated at home but it was 10% of what I get from being physically with teammates.
If you enjoy the solitude good for you.
For me the difference between remote work and office work is like the difference between a real social meetup and a zoom meetup. The zoom meetup doesn't come close the real thing. Similarly, remote working doesn't compare to working physically together. All the things missing from the zoom meetup vs the a physical meetup are also missing from remote work.