to worry that after maternity leave I won't be able to face an office again

[fruitloop13]

Got an okish office job. I really just dislike the environment, the cabin feaver, the politics, the annoying loud people, people talking to me with their mouth open, people loudly munching crisps for hours on end, chewing gum with mouth open loudly, people that either smell of bo or like they bathed in perfume etc.

Has anyone else just not been able to face going back after a long amount of leave like maternity?

reality is tho, unless you can afford not to, you will have to. you're doing it to pay the bills, that's it.

i don't think many people like going back to work after a break, should it be the weekend, or maternity leave.

if you describe it as "OK ish", you could be doing a lot worse.

Same boat although I'm lucky in that there are some nice people at my work. I cheered myself up by going work clothes shopping! Or a new lipstick if cash is tight.

Well I'm comparing it okish with people that have to do awful back breaking tedious work. I know I should feel lucky as I earn above the average but I really hate it. Having an especially bad day today

A new lipstick? Lol that sounds like one of those sexist adds from the 50s...

I felt the same. So when we ran out of money I got a job as a Postie. Love it!!

OP - You get people you won't like in most jobs, otherwise you would have no social interaction at work, which would prob become equally as frustrating after a while. That's life I'm afraid.

I was off for 14.5 months last time (been at my place for over a decade though) and it really is a cliché but being back was like I'd never been away!!

However I had renewed appreciation for being able to have a whole lunch hour and a cup of hot tea.

Also it was nice to have part of my old identity back as well.

Being back wasn't so bad - although I've been back a year and am soon off again on ML.

I felt like this for a while, so we went on a long holiday (5 months) and I went self employed. I have to say, despite being a generally sociable person, there is nothing I don't like about working for myself, even the sitting on my own at the kitchen table and having no colleagues to chat to bit. Do you have the option to do what you do as a freelancer? You could always start whilst on maternity leave if you think it would suit you...

Keep reminding yourself the positives. Like The above average pay. Or that you are lucky to have a job. It's not called work if it's not 'work' isn't it?

There was a thread last week about horrible customers, some really horrific stories there. I think that when you’ve been away from public-facing roles for a while (and I include myself in this) you forget just how crap work can be outside of an office setting. So you may find yourself grating at dealing with colleagues, funny smells and annoying noises, but in the grand scheme of things it isn’t that bad. Get some earplugs and cultivate your resting ‘I hate everyone’ face to discourage conversation, or try and make the best of it and think of the cold hard cash.

Thanks your both right I really need to think of the positives to get me through it. It could be so much woorse. Just is pretty gutting spending all this time in an environment I dont like.

Freelance is an option, I probably need to build up my confidence a bit first. I'm a bit knocked down at the moment

Perhaps you could use your KIT days to explore your role in the team and how you contribute to it?

Oh my word I can't wait to get back. The thought of being able to eat my lunch, in peace, without a toddler poking fingers into/sneezing on it or a baby hanging off me is the only thing getting me through the next few months.

I actually fantasise about going for a wee and not having an audience. It's going to be EPIC!

It sounds like it wasn't a job you enjoyed before. Is the money ok after paying for childcare and commuting costs? Then focus on what it will pay for - holidays, car, nicer quality of life? Can you go back part time? I went back 3 days a week after DC1, and found it a lot easier to let a lot of the gossip and politics go over my head because I wasn't there enough and I had to get everything done in my hours as staying an extra half hour meant I wouldn't be back for bathtime.

If you hate it once you are back still, start looking for a new job. It'll be easier of you have gone back to do.

From all of us who went back to work, those who went back to a job they already knew found returning to work a lot easier than those who went back into new roles. (you weren't trying to get back into working and used to leaving your DC in childcare while at the same time trying to learn a new job).