Hate remote work

squidwid · 2023-04-24T16:20:37+00:00

I hate remote work. I was a sahm for years and I love being out about. I'm on the computer all day and I hate it. I feel so isolated even though I'm hybrid. I just hate not doing anything to help someone as a job. Staring at a screen all day isn't for me.

swanling · 24/04/2023 18:10

Okay. Do you have a plan? Want to make a plan? Or just venting?

Whoknewwhat · 24/04/2023 18:22

Me too. Just spent two years looking for another job but in the area I work in they are all remote working. I work in the public sector and I get the impression that remote working has been embraced more than in the private sector. I have got a new job but that's remote too. When I go into the office there is room for 60+ people in my room and at most there are 4 to 6 people there at a time. I had interviews where the team only met once every 6 weeks (current job is the same), rest of time its working at home. The most 'in the office' of the jobs I interviewed for, people came in once a week.

I really hate it. Being alone all day, then with young kids in the evening. I can't even begin to describe the dire effect it has had on my mental health. Honestly, its like a form of torture.

At least I have dropped a day a week in my new job so I can use that to see other human beings in the day!

BramblyHedgeMouse · 24/04/2023 18:39

Is it really about wfh? Or are you just fed up with your job in general?
If you were in the office all week doing the same job, surely you would be staring at the screen all day as well?
If you want to physically help people maybe a desk job isn’t for you, whether office or home based. Have you considered retraining or applying for different roles?

ExtremelyDetermined · 24/04/2023 18:49

I sympathise, I'm not jobhunting at the moment but get sent jobs on LinkedIn regularly and just about everything in my field is now remote or at best hybrid, I am really hoping nothing goes pear-shaped with my current job (fully onsite) as there is no way I'd want to WFH on a regular basis.

Quveas · 24/04/2023 18:51

Gosh, but everyone on MN is more productive and loves working from home... what's wrong with you?

Really, it isn't a pattern suited to many people. It's very isolating, we are pack animals, and Teams just doesn't cut it!

So give us some more information and maybe we can help change it.

Original poster

squidwid · 24/04/2023 20:19

My job is ok and as you say, it's the sitting in front of a computer all day that I don't like. But remote working makes it even worse. I'm going to retrain.

OP posts:

CherryCokeFanatic · 24/04/2023 20:21

No office you can go into? You mention hybrid, just go in on the wfh days? Unless it’s literally full to the brim and not single spare desk then I don’t see the issue.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 24/04/2023 20:22

When I was job hunting there was more money on offer to be back full time in an office

lucylantern · 24/04/2023 20:23

CherryCokeFanatic · 24/04/2023 20:21

No office you can go into? You mention hybrid, just go in on the wfh days? Unless it’s literally full to the brim and not single spare desk then I don’t see the issue.

This isn’t really a solution though if most of your colleagues are WFH. You still don’t get much interaction.

Luckydip1 · 24/04/2023 20:24

There must still be loads of jobs full time in the office.

ReddishBrown · 24/04/2023 20:29

Me too. It’s so isolating. I’m looking for hybrid work but there’s not much anymore.

audweb · 24/04/2023 20:34

I go into the office now. Lone parent, it meant I spent all day in my house, and then all evening in the house. Too much, too isolating too depressing. There’s not always lots of people in the office but even going somewhere else and seeing the world outside my house makes a difference. Can you do this in your role? I would have struggled if I didn’t now have this as an option.

MabelMoo23 · 24/04/2023 20:47

I absolutely get it. I despise being fully remote. We have an office but hardly anyone ever goes in, so it’s pointless.

my job works perfectly for the work life balance of my kids (and my husbands job - he loves that I’m at home, 5 mins from school drop off / pick up) but I’m so isolated. It’s horrible.

it’s the engagement with other people, the bouncing off other people,

it’s so hard. I hate it and yes I’m looking for another job, even though I don’t actually hate my job

Original poster

squidwid · 24/04/2023 20:52

Nice to know I'm not alone.

OP posts:

Runningonempty01 · 24/04/2023 21:03

I got a new job about 6 months ago, hybrid working . I thought I would love the opportunity to work at home, I hate it and go into the office as much as I can. I am a real procrastinator and I find I just get so much more done in an open plan office with other people around me even if we are not actively collaborating on something. I suppose subconsciously I like to be seen to be busy and productive, whilst at home I can find myself looking at phone etc, slobbing about. I need to get properly dressed, bike to work, sign into the office to feel I am properly in work mode.

ReddishBrown · 24/04/2023 21:19

My job doesn’t have an office so that’s not an option

Hawkins003 · 24/04/2023 21:20

@squidwid so if you were in the office, how would that be different ?

Poblano · 25/04/2023 07:49

I don't enjoy wfh either. I like the flexibility to be able to do it if necessary (e.g. to be at home for a delivery), but in general I'm back in the office 5 days a week now.

None of my team are in the same office as me anyway, so it makes no difference to collaborative working. But I like the routine of leaving the house and being in 'work mode'. The office is much quieter than pre-Covid, but there are still people around to chat to and have lunch with.

orangegato · 25/04/2023 17:59

Whoknewwhat · 24/04/2023 18:22

Me too. Just spent two years looking for another job but in the area I work in they are all remote working. I work in the public sector and I get the impression that remote working has been embraced more than in the private sector. I have got a new job but that's remote too. When I go into the office there is room for 60+ people in my room and at most there are 4 to 6 people there at a time. I had interviews where the team only met once every 6 weeks (current job is the same), rest of time its working at home. The most 'in the office' of the jobs I interviewed for, people came in once a week.

I really hate it. Being alone all day, then with young kids in the evening. I can't even begin to describe the dire effect it has had on my mental health. Honestly, its like a form of torture.

At least I have dropped a day a week in my new job so I can use that to see other human beings in the day!

Where is this, I’ll have your job 😅

storminamooncup · 25/04/2023 19:32

Hybrid is not remote working. I bloody hate it when things are advertised as / called remote when they clearly aren't.
I am home based. So travel for work maybe 4-5 times a year. I bloody love what I do and yes I still help people.
Do some volunteering or exercise classes or dog walks if you miss people.
I have actually seen a real decrease in fully remote work and an increase in fully onsite or hybrid jobs. So I disagree with PPs who say there's too much of it, unless, of course, they are wrongly labelling hybrid as remote.

Meggymoo777 · 25/04/2023 21:25

Have you tried working from a coworking hub a couple of days a week? It'll get you up, out and socialising, works wonders for my mental health 👌

Crikeyalmighty · 25/04/2023 21:29

Start looking for jobs in hospital, school, retail, GP practices- anything that requires face to face.

Daffidale · 25/04/2023 22:45

Another vote for seeing if there is a coworking hub near you. If it’s the company and chat you miss - rather than working with your colleagues in person on work stuff - could help even if just for a couple of days a week.

Crikeyalmighty · 25/04/2023 23:08

I uses co working hub myself- as I could work from home but don't like the isolation and have no kids at home etc