My current work schedule is supposed to be three days from home (Mon, Wed, Fri) and two in the office (Tue, Thu). This week got a little mixed up though. My internet went out on Monday morning, so I drove in and worked in the office that day. Then, I decided to work in the office on Wednesday too, with the idea that I would then have two back-to-back days at home, Thursday and Friday. But my landlord had to turn off the water today to fix a problem, so I drove into the office again. So, this week has been three days in the office and (hopefully) two at home, assuming nothing goes wrong tomorrow, forcing me to drive in again.
I like this article in the Times about how employees are pushing back on the return to office. I’m happier working from home, for the most part, but it can be nice to get out of my apartment once or twice a week. And it’s good to have the office as a backup plan, for weeks like this one, when there are issues at home with internet or water or whatever. I really don’t think I’m generally more productive in the office, though, all other things being equal.
And here’s another Times article about the state of the housing market. Recently, I’ve been considering buying a place in the retirement community where my parents used to live. I’m over 55 now, so I’m eligible, and the prices down there are still somewhat affordable, the last time I checked. My current idea is to hold on to the apartment in Somerville and use the retirement home as a weekend retreat, of sorts. But I’m struggling to work out how to do that in a way that doesn’t involve a lot of extra driving, and a lot of extra work, keeping two homes clean, and two refrigerators stocked, and so on and so forth. Maybe if I shifted my work schedule so I’m in the office just Mondays and Tuesdays, I could stay in the apartment on those days, then work from the retirement home Wednesday through Friday, and I’d only have to drive down there on Tuesday nights, then back up on, maybe, Sunday afternoon. Still, it’s probably more effort and expense that I want to deal with right now. I guess I’m sticking with my current apartment for the foreseeable future.