I'm oddly optimistic about it as well - I think we get bombarded with bad news regarding renewables so often that it can be easy to forget that there's plenty of good news too.
I hadn't even thought of that - but I do have several friends whose offices are downsizing due to WFH policies, so I wouldn't be surprised. Surely you could just repurpose some of the buildings into residential real estate though?
Absolutely agree here - although I'm plenty productive working from home, I find I have to go out for a 20/30 minutes walk afterwards, otherwise I never really 'turn off' and my brain is stuck in work mode for the rest of the day. While commuting isn't always fun, it does help provide that 'switch off' - I'm lucky enough to have a relatively short (~20 min) commute though, so I can see how this would be more frustrating for someone with 1hr+ commute.
Seeing colleagues in person is also vital for me - I wouldn't have the working relationship with them that I have if we were fully remote. I think the hybrid model is the best way - it's what works best for me, at least.
I like to think we've learned some lessons on how the online world impacts the offline world that will cross over into the metaverse vs. real life. Especially since the metaverse will more closely resemble real life than an AOL chat ever did. Remains to be seen, I guess.
If I don't have plans with friends after work, I like to go for a walk, grab a quick drink at a nearby restaurant, something simple that helps switch my brain from work mode to relaxation mode. Exercise definitely helps.
Sometimes, when I'm dealing with open-ended projects, I find that making a to-do list for the next day at the very end of the work day helps me 'switch off,' at night, as I have a concrete plan for how I'm going to tackle the next day.