Back to the office

Today was a good day. I've taken a step back into the world of office life, and you know what? It feels pretty good.

For a while, I've been all about work-from-home, enjoying the lack of commute and the ability to see my kids whenever I want. But recently, I've felt I need a bit of space away from home to focus on work in an environment that's not my home. This week, my wife switched to part-time work, which means that for two days a week, our home is going to be full with our two young kids and their energy.

My house had become my office. I've started to hate when my son calls the room I work in my "office" - it's not an office it's our home. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my family, but balancing work in a house with kids can be really hard.

So, I made a choice. I decided to reintroduce myself to the office.

Today was a reminder of how much I had missed the camaraderie that comes with office life. The simple act of chatting with colleagues, discussing work, and sharing a laugh made me realise that working alone from home had left a social void. People asked how I was, how the kids were doing – it felt like reconnecting with old friends.

Working from home has its perks – the freedom, the lack of commute – but as I discovered, it had its downsides too. The isolation, the quietude – they had crept in slowly, and I found myself needing some normal human interaction.

Being back in the office today, I can't help but feel like I've found a better balance. I can still do my job effectively, but I don't have to be alone in the process. It's a reminder that sometimes, what we need is a bit of both worlds – the comfort of home and the social engagement of an office.

So, here's to embracing change and understanding that it's okay to seek out what works best for us.