Could working from home be the issue?

[Rolson77]

I've been working from home since the covid pandemic. I'm somewhat of an anxious person in social situations, but I gelt like, when I worked in an office, I got 'practice' every day. I've slowly become someone who doesn't even know how to have a conversation in a group of people anymore. I can no longer 'fake it' and get social burnout within half an hour. I feel like working from home is the issue. I adore my job, but I wish I could work from an office.

Does anyone else feel the same?

Could you be neurodivergent?

Because i am and i am exactly the same. Adhd and asd.

Can you try working from a WeWork sort of place a couple of days a week & see if that helps? Or start socialising outside of work?

I WFH 4 days a week but on each home day I either go to the gym before work or have a class in the evening.

I'm waiting for an adhd assessment. Don't think I have asd but my sister does.

Annoyingly I can't because I speak to vulnerable people on the phone all day (casework) and am not allowed to work in shared spaces outside of work.

That’s a shame. Would my other suggestion work - going to places regularly outside of work hours?

I’m an introvert so I need rest and space after social time. I occasionally work at home but regularly just isn’t for me. I easily fall into depression and anxiety.

I’m an introvert too, & a lot of my job involves needing to concentrate in peace so 4 days at home with the cat / 1 day in the office with lots of meetings works nicely.

As far as I’m concerned though one of the biggest benefits of WFH is that it makes it easier to do stuff before & after work. I appreciate that’s not so easy for people with kids though.

I'm similar I think. WFH definitely enables you to stay home and not socialise.

I've spent years thinking there was something wrong with me for being like that, but I've recently realised that some people just prefer their own company and I'm one of them.

I have friends and family and like spending time with them, but I know when enough is enough, and I need to go home then. My social battery drains quickly.

I have been treated for anxiety and depression but this 'symptom' still remains, which is what makes me think it's just part of my personality.

I love being on my own, or with my partner. I am happy then.

I work from home 4 days a week, but since Christmas and having to use annual leave etc I've gone in so infrequently that I'm becoming a hermit and avoid social interactions.

I break my day up by going to the gym at lunch time and/or for a walk. I try and do at least one gym class a week so I remember what talking to people other than family is like. Even just saying hello to other people wandering about/walking their dogs/randomly chatting in the supermarkets helps.

I WFH full time. I used to have a pretty wild social life and lots of friends in my 20s and 30s before kids, but I regularly over did it with the socialising and I wonder if I was over compensating for a lack of self esteem. I do find it hard now I'm at home all of the time. I can go an entire week sometimes with no interaction on Teams with anyone. I just get on with my work. Sometimes I like it, but I do think it has made me a hermit. I don't have any urge to socialise now. I don't feel lonely all of the time, but I think it has indirectly made me more anxious. I don't have much time for socialising now, so I'm not too bothered, but when I'm old it might bother me.

It is documented that wfh, unless extremely well managed, can have a negative impact on mental health.

marmaladeandpeanurbutter where have you read this?

I worked from home completely during COVID and we’ve been phased return for a while now at 1-2 days a week. I personally much prefer working from home. Outside of work I have a good social life, family etc that I see often so I’m lucky I still get all the social aspects I need. I can see how for some people though it can be a challenge and understand why some want to go back to an offfice.

I think the key OP is building those social networks outside of your workplace - find a hobby, join a group or try and connect to people locally

I used to work in an office 5 days a week and coped fine now after WFH since covid (in office 1/2 days a week) the social interaction definitely drains me more. Or perhaps I just notice it more x

I think the key OP is building those social networks outside of your workplace - find a hobby, join a group or try and connect to people locally.

Yes, definitely this.

Are you able to do a hybrid so not WFH full time?

It do try but very hard when I work ft and am a lone parent to a 5yo

I can't as it's a 2 hour commute to head office. Otherwise I definitely would!

I can see why you’d ask this and I’m sure it’s possibility, but equally, you don’t have to be neurodivergent to struggle with working from home.

Quite a few people where I work (especially the ones who live alone) choose to come to the office every day even though they don’t have to, because they feel like they need some social interaction to avoid turning into a solitary being with no conversational skills.

This has happened to me after WFH for 3 years. There's lots of positives to WFH, but the reduction in my social skills and not wanting to speak to people is worrying! I don't think it's my personality because although I've always been happy with my own company, I previously enjoyed being around people and just chatting. Ive decided to do something about it and I've got a new hybrid job! Hopefully that will be the perfect balance for me.