Where this "you want an async work environment? You must not want communication at all!" narrative is coming from is beyond me. There is more beyond the office to communicate with.

Yeah that's true, I think the async world is probably one that works for many.

For me, "working to live" doesn't resonate. I miss is the camaraderie and feeling of going to battle with people I like. For me, building something, and competing to win is what gives me the most meaning in life. I love my family, but there's something in me that wants to give more to the world. It's not for everyone and of course it's not the only way to live. But that's what feels right for me, and I miss it.

> where you rarely interact directly with another human

I hardly call that async / remote work at all! Quite the contrary, remote work and async work define themselves by how interaction with other people happen.

Most importantly: The issues TFA discuss also are important for face-to-face work. A manager who constantly interrupts, and wastes time by allowing too many meetings, is ineffective. It doesn't matter if the interruptions are a tap on the shoulder or an IM; and it doesn't matter if the meeting is face-to-face or via Zoom.

In order for remote / async to work, there needs to be a clear recognition that effective office work requires time management. The time management skills that keep meetings effective and provide for uninterrupted concentration are the same, both for face-to-face and virtual workplaces.

I agree with you. Remote optimizes for one set of things, using a model that works great in a low-trust environment like open source. And you can probably get pretty good results with it. And I find Zoom calls far more fatiguing than in-person meetings.

Remote work doesn't remove the need or ability to interact with other humans on your team.

I like this world where I'm not drained by daily commute and strict hours so I can enjoy my relatives on the evening instead of feeling tired and avoiding going out during the week.