Remote work has made me question whether forcing everyone back to the office for five days a week is just nostalgia dressed as productivity. Tracking my own output over six months, I've hit deadlines faster at home, with fewer interruptions and zero commute stress. But I also miss the spontaneous brainstorming that happened by the coffee machine, and some teammates clearly thrive on that structure. Is the traditional office genuinely necessary for collaboration, or are we clinging to a ritual that costs us focus and work-life balance?