Table of Contents
Introduction
This will be a quick post...
“Absolutely nothing!”
Okay, fine! That’s not totally true.
Do I miss traffic or pointless commutes? Nope! But as someone who’s worked remotely for years, here’s what I still think about: the company cafeteria (where everyone ate lunch together) and those good coworkers who became my closest friends.
Oh, and full disclosure: I don’t even drink coffee, so those “coffee breaks” everyone talks about? Not my thing.
The Company Cafeteria
Let’s talk about the cafeteria. At my old job, this wasn’t just a place to grab food—it was where our team bonded. I’d meet coworkers for lunch every day, swap stories about weekend plans, or groan about the mystery meat on the menu. We all joked and enjoyed “Taco Tuesdays.”
Since I don’t drink coffee, lunch was my social time.
Remote work? I eat at my desk now. No laughter, no inside jokes, just me and my sandwich.
What Makes In-Person Work Special?
This is what hits hardest. In the office, my coworkers weren’t just people I worked with.
They were friends I celebrated birthdays with, vented about tough days with, and even traveled with on weekends.
We’d hang out in the cafeteria, share snacks, or just talk about life.
Remote work makes this harder.
Sure, we have Zoom, but it’s not the same as sitting together, laughing so loud that the boss tells us to quiet down.
(Not fun fact: “A 2023 Buffer report found that loneliness is the second-most common challenge for remote workers. You’re not alone!”)
The Commute: Still Zero Nostalgia
Let me repeat, I do not miss commuting.
Sitting in traffic or sprinting to catch a train? No thanks.
But here’s the twist: that commute used to help me mentally switch from “work mode” to “home mode.” Now? I close my laptop at 5 p.m., but my couch is also my office.
It’s convenient, sure, but sometimes I miss having that physical “reset” button.
Conclusion:
What I miss about in-person work isn’t the office itself.
It’s the people, the lunches, the jokes, the feeling of being part of something bigger.
I never cared about the company culture; I cared about my friends over there.
Good coworkers make work feel less like work. And while remote life has its perks, I’ll always treasure those cafeteria days.
What about you? Do you miss lunch breaks with coworkers?
Let me know below!
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