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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

For being jealous of office workers?

83 replies

liverpool122 · 31/01/2022 22:30

I know that office jobs aren’t easy jobs by any means!!!

But I work as a health worker around schools. I’m constantly seeing students back to back every single day. I liaise with staff members, parents, professionals non stop until I clock out.

I love my job but sometimes I do feel jealous of those that can sit at a desk and not have to speak to anyone. Some mornings I just don’t have the energy to speak to people, I just wish I could sit at a desk (or better still, work from my sofa!) and just do some work by myself. I do find myself getting jealous of my friends who can drag themselves into the office and just do computer work, or work from home.
I think I’m just exhausted from it and I know I’m lucky to have the job I do, but does anyone else share my view?

OP posts:
Yogipineapple123 · 31/01/2022 22:33

I am an office worker and I understand how you feel. Working in an office is so much easier than the sort of job you do.

I often feel guilty that my job is easy - I know I couldn’t hack a job like yours but I probably get paid more than you! It’s mad how the money you get paid really doesn’t correspond to how tough a job is.

Massive respect to you!

SC215 · 31/01/2022 22:35

Don't most office jobs involve speaking to someone, either via telephone or email?

Imagine how boring it would be to sit at a desk all day not speaking to anyone.

Original poster
liverpool122 · 31/01/2022 22:37

Yogi, thank you! That’s nice to hear 😌 no disrespect to you though as I’m sure you have days just as tough and probably well deserve what you earn too!

SC, completely understand! I wouldn’t want no contact with anyone but sometimes it’s exhausting putting on a front of energy all day every day

OP posts:
Tee20x · 31/01/2022 22:39

I get what you mean. My role has a mix of meeting with people, professionals etc but a great deal of paperwork and admin type tasks as well as emails.

I love the days where I'm just cracking on with reports not having to fake chit chat! I have such a day tomorrow, WFH - can't wait.

maddening · 31/01/2022 22:45

I work in an office (and from home at the mo, going to hybrid so just starting 1 day a week in the office), but I do spend a good proportion of my day in meetings, often back to back all day, often presenting etc.

gegs73 · 31/01/2022 22:46

I completely understand. I do more of a moving around type, interactive job and see my husband working from home sitting on a comfy chair all day and think it looks much easier. Then I remember when I worked in an office looking at a screen all day and how boring it was Grin

SpikeySmooth · 31/01/2022 22:56

I work in public transport, so shifts, but very simple work unless there's a major incident.

I would hate office work. 9-5, sat down all day, breathing in recycled air...no thank you. With shift work I've got loads more time to attend appointments, get on with housework, do the shopping...far easier. Office work involves going into and out of town the same time as thousands of others, putting up with dickwads on the bus, sniffing their BO. Eugh.

Desiredeffect · 31/01/2022 23:05

I know exactly how you feel op as I'm a support worker. But soon may be sitting at a desk if I get this job Grin and some WFH but knowing my luck I won't get it and be stuck in social care

SallyLovesCheese · 31/01/2022 23:08

I totally understand, OP. I do get jealous sometimes reading threads on here from people who wfh and/or do a mix of working alone and with people. I'm a teacher, so literally all day is spent talking to children and being "on", even when I don't feel like it!

I'd really love a job where perhaps I have an hour meeting, then an hour sitting at my computer getting on with things, then maybe another meeting, and so on. Especially if it's wfh when I don't have a commute! I shall be looking to leave teaching next year and am excited for all the potential jobs out there I could get that will perhaps give me more of a balance!

qualitygirl · 31/01/2022 23:10

I work in an office...linked to a lab

Today I had 5 meetings...I had to go into the lab three times for separate reasons which involved prolonged chats about issues...

Then when I did get a few minutes to myself an intern came to ask me to sign documents so I felt obliged to chat and ask them how they are getting on...

I wish I could sit and NOT talk to others 🤣

goodwinter · 31/01/2022 23:15

YANBU! I have an "office" job although WFH. It's full on, stressful, and mentally draining. But I totally understand that it's a privilege in many ways, and I spent years in retail and hospitality wishing I could be in a job where I didn't have to plaster a smile on all day, be on my feet for 10 hours and interact with the general public.

SquirrelG · 31/01/2022 23:16

I worked in offices for over 40 years, and for a lot of that time was bored silly. Also, why do you think people in offices don't have to talk to other people? I would think that rare - and don't get me started on "meetings" (most of which are either unnecessary, or take two hours to sort something which could have taken 10 minutes!)

I've done a few temp jobs described as "manual labour" and enjoyed them far more.

Luredbyapomegranate · 31/01/2022 23:20

I work in an office, but it’s 3/4 talking to 1/4 computer work.

I am doubtful you’d enjoy a ton of computer work if you basically enjoy community health work.

Xmasbaby11 · 31/01/2022 23:25

I totally understand. I've done both and office type is way easier not facing others.

A balance is good for me. 2 days a week I teach at a university, surrounded by people, 2 days I write assessment materials from home. I have the odd meeting but basically left to my own devices. It's harder being in a job where you're on all day.

forcedfun · 31/01/2022 23:26

I work in an office. I am in meetings non stop. Then catching up on emails/drafting reports etc in the evening. Nipping to the loo is hard enough let alone a lunch break. I don't think you can generalise about "office jobs"

Sn0tnose · 31/01/2022 23:32

I have an office job and can wfh whenever I want to.

I cannot remember the last time I was left alone for more than an hour to actually do my job. If someone isn’t phoning me to ask for information that is clearly there on our system, if only they would look, they’re emailing me or ignoring my ‘Do Not Disturb’ notification and popping up on Skype or Teams because they want to know what’s happening with thing A, or they want to discuss what they’re planning on doing about thing B. I was bothered less when I worked in a call centre. And then you’ve got the joys of working in an open plan office with Foghorn Leghorn, the Phantom Milk Snatcher and the person who eats microwaved fish for breakfast. None of the windows open, the air con is knackered so it’s pumping out heat in August and it’s icing over in January and if someone on the ground floor has a cold, you can bet your boots everyone on the top floor will have it within the week. And that is before you start on office politics and the difficulties in working in daily, confined and close proximity to people who struggle to play nicely with others.

It is shit. Do not be envious.

PiesNotGuys · 31/01/2022 23:35

Nope! I’ve had office jobs and I was utterly shit at it.

I had to go to the same place every day, sit in the same place every day, look at the same walls, same view, talk to the same people. Do the same work, same bloody thing day in day out. I found the environments petty and the rules, written and unwritten, pointless. Pretty much all of it didn’t agree with me physically or mentally. I come from a long line of manual workers but I got good grades, went to university, I was somehow expected to have an office job and to feel grateful for it.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d prefer it to going down the pit, but dear god, the tedium. I could feel my muscles kind of vibrating in a really unpleasant way, almost like they were withering. Some winter days I wouldn’t see daylight. My patience was nil.

I’ve quit every office job I’ve ever had. I now refuse to consider any job that involves sitting still. And I know literally no one who works in an office full time.

I’d much rather your job OP.

Motheranddaughtertotwo · 31/01/2022 23:36

An office job can range from an admin assistant earning £20k to a high flier earning in excess of £100k.
I tried it once and it wasn’t for me, I need to move and I need more noise.

Largethighsbadeyes · 31/01/2022 23:43

I work in an office now and yes it's easy. Pay is low but I rarely have to interact with anyone.

My favourite job though, was when I used to work with horses. Outside in the fresh air all day and horses don't ask stupid fucking questions

TheOrigRights · 31/01/2022 23:48

@SC215

Don't most office jobs involve speaking to someone, either via telephone or email?

Imagine how boring it would be to sit at a desk all day not speaking to anyone.

I can go a whole working day w/o speaking to anyone and it's not boring at all. I am reading and working on scientific papers all day.

I have breaks, I do sport.

I'm very fortunate.

If I have a day where I can't focus I do have to be proactive in getting out of the funk, but I'm good at that.

tcjotm · 31/01/2022 23:52

I totally feel for you OP. I admire your energy. I’ve been made very soft by my 9-5 office job. A cup of tea or a bathroom break whenever I want. I worked in a supermarket for years so do remember running around all the time.

I’m sure being active all the time is much better for your long term health though.

SquirrelG · 01/02/2022 04:13

I’m sure being active all the time is much better for your long term health though.

It definitely is. When I worked in an office I used to rage at having to sit all day - even though I was constantly getting up and moving, but it wasn't enough. I also would get sore eyes from the artificial lighting, and in some offices I had no view of the outside, which was horrible. If I could go back and tell my 16 year old self anything it would be don't work in an office!

rrhuth · 01/02/2022 04:17

Some office jobs are lovely, my last one wasfab. Some are awful, like my current job. So yabu to generalise.

Your job sounds pressured/intense, my current job is also pressured/intense.

We both need new jobs!

Chasingaftermidnight · 01/02/2022 04:32

Obviously office jobs are hugely varied but I hate mine and would love to do a job like yours - being physically active, interacting with people, making a meaningful contribution to society.

My back is shot to shit from years of office work!

Lampshading · 01/02/2022 04:40

I used to work in an office until I retrained. It depends really on the job, the team, the company/organisation but also of course what you're like as a person. For me I love being on the go and talking to loads of people at work, but a nice balance would maybe be a shift a week to catch up on paperwork in silence :D I think the grass is always greener and sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

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