Embracing the Office (Again): A Personal and Broader Return-to-Office Reflection
A Journey from Entrepreneurship to Office Life
Since I launched my first adventure at age 15, I’ve had only two bosses: myself…and Dell.
Until recently, my office space was wherever my laptop happened to live. Cooking pancakes one minute, wrangling runaway pigs the next—even answering emails in the farmyard chaos. That kind of freedom? It’s intoxicating…until it isn’t.
And suddenly, here I am: dressed, caffeinated, commuting, stepping into a buzzing office filled with friends, laughter, quick hallway chats, problem-solving energy—and yes, weekly Love Island recaps.
The Ride of Remote Work
Working from home brought undeniable perks—for productivity, mental well-being, and yes, laundry and dishes between Zoom calls. A 2023 study found American remote workers saved 72 minutes per day on commuting—and that time was often spent picking up kids from school, cooking, or simply breathing vox.com. Another survey reveals 93 % say remote work has benefited their mental health—up to 90 % for physical well-being .
For parents, the flexibility allowed more shared chores, lunch with little ones, and fewer sick-day scramble-moments .
For neurodivergent individuals, remote environments can be a game-changer. As one Redditor said:
“Remote work is the great equalizer… It eliminates unconscious biases … we are all equal in the Teams chat” reddit.com+1uscareerinstitute.edu+1.
Yet, WFH isn’t flawless. Interruptions, blurred work–life boundaries, loneliness, and “invisibility” from career growth loom large vox.com+5researchgate.net+5reddit.com+5. A study of academics post-lockdown found nearly half reported lowered efficiency at home, whereas about one-quarter thrived in that environment researchgate.net.
Especially for parents, remote setups were a double-edged sword: time with kids, yes—but exhaustion and pinch points too .
Dell’s Return-to-Office Turbulence
In 2024, Dell nudged employees back with hybrid mandates—requiring three days per week or 39 days per quarter, all while tracking badge swipes and VPN logins mysanantonio.com+10hrgrapevine.com+10mysanantonio.com+10. But the Big Move came January 2025, when Michael Dell announced that anyone living within an hour of a Dell office must return full-time (five days/week) starting March 3, 2025 linkedin.com+14businessinsider.com+14mysanantonio.com+14.
Remote roles wouldn’t just be phased out—they’d be unpromotable without high-level sign-off . Nearly 50 % of U.S. employees chose remote and forfeited promotion opportunities .
Reactions have been mixed: some celebrate a return to vibrancy; others see favoritism, inconsistent enforcement, or fear remote talent loss .
Why Dell Cares—and Why It Matters
Dell frames the shift as part of their broader vision: pairing AI innovation with energized, in-person collaboration. Analysts connect this RTO push with a 34 % increase in their Infrastructure Solutions Group revenue—and a surge in market confidence businessinsider.com.
Their stance? “Nothing is faster than the speed of human interaction” businessinsider.com+1theverge.com+1.
Sales, engineering, and product teams reportedly thrive on spontaneous training and mentorship in person theverge.com.
How it affects families & neurodivergent workers
For working parents, remote work often means reclaiming time—saving an average of 72 minutes per day on commuting—and gaining flexibility for school drop-offs, doctor appointments, or simply being more present at home. However, it’s not without challenges. Many parents experience constant interruptions, blurred boundaries, and burnout from trying to juggle caregiving and professional responsibilities under one roof.
For neurodivergent individuals, working from home can offer significant relief. It reduces exposure to sensory overload, office politics, and masking behavior, and it creates environments where performance—not presentation—takes center stage. Yet, the trade-off can be isolation, lack of immediate feedback, and a disconnect from real-time collaboration.
The return to office, on the other hand, brings its own form of magic. It fosters richer collaboration, quicker mentorship, and more visible opportunities for advancement—especially in companies like Dell that have tied promotions to in-office presence. There’s also the psychological benefit of separating work from home, offering clearer mental boundaries. Still, this model isn't without drawbacks: commuting fatigue, reduced flexibility, and inconsistencies in policy enforcement across teams or departments can make the return feel more burdensome than beneficial for some employees.
Absolutely—here's an additional section you can add to your blog post that dives into the real cost of working in an office:
The Hidden Cost of Office Life
While returning to the office brings structure, community, and career visibility, it also comes with a financial cost that’s easy to overlook—especially when you’ve been working in pajamas for the last few years.
Let’s break it down:
Office Attire: Gone are the days of hoodies and sweatpants. A return to the office often means refreshing your wardrobe to meet company culture—business casual or better. Even on a budget, maintaining clean, professional clothes can add up. According to a 2023 survey by Bankrate, professionals spend an average of $700–$1,200 per year on work attire.
Transportation: Commuting costs are one of the biggest line items. Whether it’s gas, tolls, or public transportation, the average commuter in the U.S. spends about $8,466 per year on getting to and from work, per data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Car owners also face increased wear and tear, higher maintenance schedules, and elevated insurance rates.
Eating Out: Even with the best intentions to meal prep, office life can lead to more frequent dining out—team lunches, coffee runs, last-minute snacks. A study by Visa shows the average American spends $3,000+ annually on food away from home, much of which is work-related.
Childcare or Petcare: For many working parents, remote work reduced or eliminated the need for full-time daycare. With a return to the office, those expenses often return too—averaging $1,230/month for infant care in the U.S., according to the Economic Policy Institute. For pet owners, the price of doggy daycare or midday walkers can add hundreds more each month.
While these numbers vary by city and lifestyle, the cumulative cost of being physically present in an office can easily climb to $10,000–$15,000 per year—a meaningful figure for households already stretched by inflation and rising living costs.
This doesn't mean office work isn't worth it—but it’s important for both employees and employers to weigh these financial trade-offs in conversations about productivity, well-being, and equity.
Would you like this broken into a sidebar graphic or bullet list too?
My Experience: From Motherhood-on-a-Farm to Office Girly
Inbetween answering e-mails… must cuddle the baby goats.
My son, counting eggs on the farm while I finish a design project.
For years, I juggled homeschooling and entrepreneurship on a farm—sometimes calling into meetings mid-pancake flip or chasing escaped pigs through the fields. The freedom was magical, but so was exhausting.
Now? I relish eight uninterrupted hours in a buzz-filled, pig-free, lego-free office…with endless free coffee. And I’m here for it. I’m officially an “office girly.”
Finding Balance—and a Path Forward
This isn’t about picking sides—it’s about balance and inclusion:
For parents: Flexible back-to-office approaches empower better work–family harmony.
For neurodivergent and other diverse employees: Hybrid models can bridge convenience, equity, and in-person benefits.
Companies like Dell are doubling down on in-person energy to accelerate innovation—but must commit to fair, consistent, and inclusive policies. Remote or hybrid should not equal “second-class” status.
Whether reclaiming home comforts or rediscovering office rhythm, the future of work will remain hybrid. It needs to reflect who we are—parents, neurodivergent thinkers, mentors, makers.
As for me? I’ll keep enjoying my new office routine—and I’ll never take a full, pig-free, coffee-filled workday for granted.
