I've been working remotely for three years now, and honestly? I've never been more productive. Last quarter I shipped two major features ahead of schedule — something I couldn't have done in an open-plan office with constant interruptions. My commute used to eat two hours a day; now I spend that time exercising and actually being present for my kids' bedtime. And here's the thing: I collaborate just fine. My team does async standups, weekly video deep-dives, and we pair-program over screen share when we need to. I'm not saying the office is evil — it's great for some people. But forcing everyone back feels like solving a management problem by punishing the people who figured out how to work better. Let us choose.
