Find remote work. I've been working remotely for over a decade, because I felt an office confining and I missed being able to go outside.
With no commute, I also use that extra time to spend with my family.
I have my own office and many times work outside in the summer. I've even traveled to other states/countries and worked from there. You just need a good Internet connection.
It does take a lot of discipline. I basically have no manager now after proving that I can get my work done without being watched.
I've seen lots of remote developers come and go because they couldn't handle working remotely without someone sitting over their shoulder/telling them what to do.
> I also use that extra time to spend with my family
Remote can be nice if you already have a family. Otherwise one could end up simply trading office desk and meeting rooms for their own desk and own room, still staying inside.
I think it is more that remote is nice when work is a part of your life and not the center of your life. Swap family with other major life pursuits. Family is often a forcing function for people to learn to balance work and the rest of their life. Remote affords more flexibility, but that means it requires more experience and discipline to balance your life.
If you already have the skill, remote gives you more flexibility to balance. But if you're not intentional about it being remote gives you more rope to hang yourself with, so to speak.
How do you turn work off? I have worked remotely the last several months and I feel like I am always at work to the detriment of my family life. I find myself sitting at my desk working when if I was in an office job I would be spending time with my kids or doing things for myself.
What do you find difficult? I'm working remotely and when 6pm comes I get up and close my email client. I might use the same computer later in the evening for whatever non work related activity I want.
But I wouldn't stay at the office after hours, and I don't find it more difficult when the office is in my house.
With no commute, I also use that extra time to spend with my family.
I have my own office and many times work outside in the summer. I've even traveled to other states/countries and worked from there. You just need a good Internet connection.
It does take a lot of discipline. I basically have no manager now after proving that I can get my work done without being watched.
I've seen lots of remote developers come and go because they couldn't handle working remotely without someone sitting over their shoulder/telling them what to do.