Life without a remote

I am considering a pre-amp that has no remote. As I sit here listening to music, I have adjusted the volume multiple times in just the last few minutes. I adjust so I can pretend I'm listening to my wife when she tries to talk to me. I adjust for different songs. I adjust in the middle of a song. I tweak to get just the right level from my listening spot.

So for those of you that don't have a remote or don't use one - how do you do it? Is there an adjustment period? Is listening more enjoyable because you can't easily play with the volume?