The morning dread is long gone.

The dread of knowing it would take me hours to get to and from the office.

The dread of knowing my eight-hour day would, most likely, become ten hours.

Long days would become even longer.

Thankfully, that’s all over now.

I now work remotely.

I work out of cafés, libraries, and food courts.

I take breaks at random and visit local shops, record stores, and restaurants.

I help family when they need me.

I go for long walks in nature when I need a break.

I’m thankful for this, and my loyalty to my employer has strengthened. I’ve been with the same employer for over five years. Most of my colleagues have been here even longer.

Being able to start the day on my schedule is such a game changer. Because I’ve saved around 10 hours of commute a week, I have no problem spending the extra time on weekends to do a litle extra.

I’ve been going to the gym more, and I feel healthier. A strong body fuels a strong mind, and a strong mind makes me more productive.

To put this into perspective, the company I work for has grown year over year ever since remote work became a thing. And you know what? Others have too.