WFH vs Office days… is there a difference in your energy levels and mood?

[Finkingforts]

I am lucky to have a hybrid role. I think a balance does benefit me. My office days involves commuting with busy public transport and quite a lot of walking, with much earlier starts. Currently my core office day is a Monday. Sometimes I’ll head in on other days in the week but only if I need to. The rest of the week I am either travelling to meetings elsewhere or WFH, usually have at least two entirely WFH days a week.

Increasingly, I return home from the office and I am beyond drained. Like, can’t string a sentence together tired. It feels as if I’ve just done a really difficult exam - I don’t know if that makes sense? I think it’s the socialising constantly and keeping a face on that tires me weird as it might be.

I notice that this doesn’t set me up well, as I am then tired on Tuesday and snappy/irritable by Wednesday. I usually then have a WFH day in the middle of the week so I’m fine again by Friday.

Is anyone else like this? No idea what’s causing it. I take all my vitamins and do generally get enough sleep.

I'm the reverse. I normally feel energised after a day in the office (2/3 a week plus travelling to other meetings). I find the days at home leave me feeling flat and tired by the end of the day and like I can't really be bothered. I'm lying on my bed now rather than finishing off my work for example!

I enjoy both but find the commuting and lack of physical activity difficult in the office. When I’m at home I can get out for a walk before I start, I can move about more, I can go out a lunchtime - it feels more relaxed, even though I actually achieve more as I don’t have what feels like endless interruptions and office noise to contend with. I’ve worked hybridly for many years though, so for me it’s more of the same - I’m very focused at home.

My employer closed lots of our offices during covid so it takes me two to three hours now each way to get to the nearest one and I’m generally shattered after after that, on top of my 9-5 day. It was at most 90 mins each way before the pandemic but I was used to it.

I like the mix ,like to go in for a bit of human interaction and easy sharing of information but I find it so loud now. So odd to have phonecalls in the open office. I also find office politics really hard to cope with now as well. Tiring re the driving and less productive but wouldn't want to be FT at home or not have an option to go in.

I'm in 1 day a week, I have a few meeting in person and don't manage to get much work done. We have booths for taking teams calls so it's not too loud. It's nice to see people and feels like a good balance.

I'm exactly the same as you. WFH leaves me very flat, I never do two days in a row and now I try to work in a library or cafe if I can.
You're probably just more naturally introverted OP.

WFH I find I get an afternoon slump which I don't get in the office. But when I'm home after being at the office all day and the commute I feel shattered. I often just sit in silence for an hour on the sofa with my ears ringing.

I get energised being in the office, even though it's a 3 hour commute when I do. I like at most 2 days at home but if cost wasn't an issue I would be in 3-4 days each week.

We recently did a Myers Briggs personality test at work. Lots of us were introverted and she explained these personalities need to be alone to recharge whereas the extroverted team members need to be amongst others to recharge. Made a lot of sense for a lot of us!

I'm the reverse too, much more energy getting up and out etc. try to replicate it by ensuring 10k plus steps on wfh day(s)

I’m with the posters who say they feel more productive, motivated, engaged and energised in the days I am in the office. At home I am lethargic and I eat too much. I only wfh one day a week and it’s nice to have that day for highly sensitive meetings that can’t be overheard, but I wouldn’t want more days at home.

I go in once and week and really look forward to it. It’s a 90 minute commute each way (my normal office was closed last year and now we are working out of head office until they can sort one closer to where the old one was, as part of this we negotiated one day a week in the office rather than the hybrid 2/3 days) but an easy journey, train, tube and practically there. Most of it I spend sitting down and listening to a podcast, it’s not arduous in any way. The office is also pretty quiet on a friend it’s nice to see those few faces.
at home I literally switch my computer off and go straight into mum mode, I do miss having some proper downtime between work and home.

Yes, I'm the same. I'm an introvert. I'm sociable and like being with people but too long with everyone in a busy office completely drains the blood from my body!

I feel the exact same as you OP. I don’t know how i used to do five days in the office. I am absolutely depleted after my office days now.

I do 2 days WFH and 2 in the office, some weeks just one in the office. My office days are usually back to back meetings to maximise face to face meetings time. I hardly get time for a wee on those days, they're busy and go fast
I enjoy the commute 45 mins so not too long and I sometimes phone my sister on the way home. Plus it's a decent marker between end of work and getting home.
If I'm WFH I don't take enough breaks but I prefer working at home without interruptions of the office.
I like the mix I have. Wish the workload was less so I could really enjoy the commute without using it as thinking time.

For more junior staff there is a noticeable decline in soft skills because of hybrid working.

Whilst I value the face to face conversations I have when in the office (select days carefully), I would never wish to go back to having to leave the house at a set time five days a week, I think I would feel drained.

@LemongrassLollipop I don't think hybrid working is the only, or even main reason for the decline in soft skills. It's the rest of life where there has been more of a reduction in face to face interaction.

I have more issues with office days in winter. I don't have a lot of natural light and the overhead lights mean my eyes start to hurt in the afternoon.
Then it's dark when I walk to the station and when I am home I am shattered.

In Summer I have a lot more energy after work regardless of office or at home.

Is a lot being crammed in to office days to make the most of the time? A lot of meetings can be very draining.

So many jobs seem to have ridiculous expectations in terms of workloads and meetings. I think that is a big part of the problem.

I was in the office five days a week from the start of my career in the late 80s and work was nowhere near as bad as it is now. It seems to be survival of the fittest these days!

I do 2 days in the office and 3 at home and I have so much more energy when in the office. I enjoy deciding what to wear, the commute, chatting to people all day (and not just faces on Teams!) but do not like the endless supply of food in the office...

I genuinely like both. I hated WFH for ages during and after covid but I've settled into a nice WFH and office routine.

I work harder at home. I don't take breaks, I don't finish on time but I also balance that out with way too much chatting when in the office!

I'm an introvert but feel more energised by going to the office. It's the having to get out of bed, get ready, put nice things on, get some air and exercise in the way, see colleagues, have coffee or lunch with people. Makes me feel part of something. At home I get up late, don't make such an effort with my appearance, work through lunch, and finish late.

@TheOGCCL I also like getting dressed up for the office instead of sitting at home with no makeup and leggings on!

I work from the office one day a week. I’m part time but on the other three WFH days, I work very hard, don’t take many breaks, I’m way more productive and I absolutely love the peace and quiet and get totally immersed and focussed on what I’m doing. It’s the perfect environment for what I do, I need to be able to concentrate. Sometimes I’m so into my work I forget to go to the loo or eat. That rarely happens when I’m in the office.

I barely get anything done on my office day as I’m too busy chatting and catching up with colleagues and taking a proper (extended) lunchbreak / breaks 😬