Is it me or is working from home is bloody miserable

[mummydoingamasters]

Working from home in insurance, customer justified to complain about a cock up by us, but because I don't fix it yesterday and cannot explain the error, I get demoted to an angry 'my dear' followed by continued hostility.

I obviously apologised (several times) and tried to resolve (still bloody did) but I am feeling frosty about it. I am not paid enough to be patronised and spoken down to because some middle aged miser doesn't like the fact an email bounced back.

Last week, much of the same gender based put downs and terms to try and make me feel inferior.

It's times like this I need my work people around me to throw squashies and bourbons at me so I snap out of it. My lunch break is about to end and I have to be nice again.

Please make me feel better that I'm not the only one demoralised by this type of crap?

Nope feel the same way. We have discussed in meetings and everything feels worse because you are alone. Normally you'd have someone to moan at etc or have a chat with and cheer yourself up.

@wendz86

Nope feel the same way. We have discussed in meetings and everything feels worse because you are alone. Normally you'd have someone to moan at etc or have a chat with and cheer yourself up.

I had a 121 today and I know my team leader knows this isn't my usual way of operating but it's just so demoralising because I just feel on edge. I hope you're managing to keep your head up through all this.

I need a Jaffa cake 😂

This kind of thing is worse working from home as the negativity is coming into your own home. Find a way to smile and nod. After you finish, open a window, light a candle and cover the desk area with a table cloth. Don’t let anyone make you feel shitty in your own home.

@SandysMam

This kind of thing is worse working from home as the negativity is coming into your own home. Find a way to smile and nod. After you finish, open a window, light a candle and cover the desk area with a table cloth. Don’t let anyone make you feel shitty in your own home.

That actually really helpful. Thank you. I never really thought about it like that.

It's really true though because there's no separation from work and home now. It's all a blur.

Tbh all of this sounds like "i hate my job but my coworkers make it bearable" rather than "working from home sucks", if I'm honest. Have you looked into doing something else? I know not really as easy said as done in a pandemic, but maybe something to think about.

It's crap and I avoid it. We're key workers and a certain amount have to be in the office so we've let the anxious and introverted do more at home and we stay at work.

Can you set up messaging so you can get a gif or message to cheer you up? Teams?

I have to go into the office once a week to take my turn printing for our team. I miss knowing what’s going on in our company in general and the usual chatter.

Have you got time to exercise or go for a walk on your lunch break? That helps me.

@Ohalrightthen

Tbh all of this sounds like "i hate my job but my coworkers make it bearable" rather than "working from home sucks", if I'm honest. Have you looked into doing something else? I know not really as easy said as done in a pandemic, but maybe something to think about.

I can see why it would read that way but I actually don't! I like my job but I just don't like attempts to degrade me because I'm younger and female, therefore assumed to be lacking knowledge in a traditionally male arena.

@MrsTerryPratchett

It's crap and I avoid it. We're key workers and a certain amount have to be in the office so we've let the anxious and introverted do more at home and we stay at work.

Can you set up messaging so you can get a gif or message to cheer you up? Teams?

We do a lot of zoom type meetings which helps but we've all noted an increase in dickish behaviour and attitude toward us

@MinnieMountain

I have to go into the office once a week to take my turn printing for our team. I miss knowing what’s going on in our company in general and the usual chatter.

Have you got time to exercise or go for a walk on your lunch break? That helps me.

I thinks that's another error; I spend my lunch doing stuff around the house as the to do list is now just constantly in my face. A walk is a good shout

I did hate wfh but use it to my advantage now...
Being able to run before work or on my lunch break and do shopping in my breaks etc and not needing to use after school club.
I find that making the most of the flexibility allows me to feel better about the downsides

God I could have written this message, been working from home since March, I do inbound calls for an internet provider and the level of abuse some days is just too much.
It does feel personal when it's in your own home and it's very hard to switch off from that, my anxiety levels are through the roof and some days just the thought of working is just too much.

I agree - the separation between home and office means you can leave it there for the day. When it's in your own home it's much more personal.

I hate my job and am beginning to dislike people more and more!
Next time hang up and just say there was a problem with the line!

Love working from home, so much more productive as don't have to entertain walk-abouts who think they are the life and soul of the office and insist on deep meaningful conversations [boak] on random subjects rarely relevant to ... anything, really.

I've been doing some freelance work for an organisation I used to be employed by. It hit me yesterday I used to actively enjoy going to work and I can't say I feel the same now. I font mind it but it's not enjoyable.

I've also just started doing some work 2 days a week for a new organisation. The role and outcomes aren't very defined and I'm worried they don't understand what they want so I won't succeed. I always feel like an imposter in a new job. But being alone is making it worse. As I'm not getting to know people in the same way and don't have people to ask about things. So although some homeworking is good I'm really feeling quite isolated now.

Sorry the fella was rude to you. There's something about having to experience that in your own home that's not really OK.

I feel just the same. I get very anxious in my job anyway, there’s so much to be responsible for and it’s always so pressured and urgent, and I’m on reduced hours still due to Covid but the pressure doesn’t stop. I find being at home is making my anxiety much worse and I’m realising how much I needed to bounce things off others for feedback or reassurance normally to stay relatively calm. Often have a pit of dread in my stomach i just can’t shake these days and then it’s also happening at home so you feel invaded and can’t escape. Depressing times

OP you say about the increase in dickish behaviour... This isn't quite the same but I used to work in Waitrose while at uni. Near Christmas loads of people were horrific. So I wonder if people are stressed by covid and then just really rude? It was definitely the stressed people who were most rude in Waitrose.

I'm not saying this is OK or an excuse just an explanation. I feel having worked in retail and hospitality I'm much nicer to an customer facing person than an awful lot of people. I'm not bragging I'm some kind of saint! I just know what it feels like when people are twats. I do notice my parents are quite short tempered with customer service people and it really makes me cringe.

I’ve worked from home for years, this is what helps me.

Take a proper lunch break - I walk my dog and used to see no one around our village and now see the same few four or five people out walking with a cup or coffee in hand. You really need to break the day up and it makes a huge difference if you can go out for a walk. My dog knows my schedule and rolls around the floor groaning and being all dramatic at the time we need go out.

Don’t work in your bedroom, you need one room totally off bounds from work.

If you are able to, have some background noise, i sometimes listen to Radio one Greg James, because it’s usually total nonsense and random so it can be really funny at time.

Have a regular stretch and a drink

Get the shitty emails out of the way first so your day gets better as it progresses.

At the end of the day, close the laptop and cover or shut it away.

I actually do light a candle at the end of the day and put my feet up otherwise my mind doesn’t shut down from to do lists and what needs doing the next day.

At the weekend try and get out for a change of scene, sometimes I just get in the car and go for a drive to a drive through a fair distance away, have a coffee and drive back.

@FAQs do you mind if I asked as an experienced Wfh person. So you think you're productive 9 to 5? I feel like I just run out if team for concentration mid afternoon. I don't know if I need more mini breaks in between or what. I manage my workload well as I actually think I'm more productive at home. But I'm also frazzled more often!

I hate my job and wider industry but not sure I have any other options at the moment.

I also find that people are also more anxious or insecure in corporate settings (I guess keeping jobs but more pressure to) so you can imagine the pressure from dickish clients plus nonsense from some dickish superior or other team member

What pp suggested is useful, walks or run at lunch. I used to try to do chores etc but then I realised wait a minute, I'm working more and doing more overall than pre covid, why?! I also chat with work colleagues daily to vent and on non work matters

I like the idea of a walk at lunch.i tend to eat at my desk and keep working. Also I’m the same with chores, I’ll do pretty much 7-5 and then go and tidy the kitchen and cook. It’s a lot with no break.

@NeonIcedcoffee I am, but I do crash at about 3.30pm, at this time I go and sit in the kitchen and have a coffee and a snack to reset, otherwise I lose interest, after the 10 mins I feel better and the day is nearly done by then.

I work to deadlines and no one covers me so I find by taking out 10 minutes and leaving the room I’m more productive than if I stay sitting there, my mind wonders, I start doodling, looking out of the window and feel like I can’t be bothered. It makes a huge difference to just wonder off for 10.

I used to wear a fit bit which makes you do a 100 steps every hour, that also really helped, it’s amazing how quickly that hour goes before but I seem to have lost it.