I was talking to a coworker today about how my thoughts on working from home have shifted quite a bit over the last two years (and in a surprising way).

Anonymous

March 9,2022 at 7:18PM UTC

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I was talking to a coworker today about how my thoughts on working from home have shifted quite a bit over the last two years (and in a surprising way).

In the early pandemic days, I was so excited for remote work—and that feeling stayed pretty consistent up until recently. These days I still have a really hard time envisioning myself commuting and going back into an office regularly again. But, I now have some days where I feel the complete opposite and like I want to commit to a set number of days a month in the office or something like that. But, I don't want to overcommit either. It's confusing to say the least haha.

How have your feelings shifted over the past two years? Where do you stand on remote work these days?

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Sabrina CortesMarch 9,2022 at 7:28PM UTC
I love working from home because it allows me to focus on my health and family more.
Huong Nguyen-ValleMarch 9,2022 at 7:36PM UTC
I am an extrovert and love being in the office.
When I was working from home during the pandemic, I felt little to no support from my work and did not do well at my job, and eventually got reprimanded for it. I strive better with people. My current work has a great work-life balance so that makes it easy to come into the office.
AnonymousMarch 9,2022 at 7:36PM UTC
I am definitely with you on flexible hybrid status. During the pandemic I relished working from home because I had a really strong nesting and protective drive. I spent a lot of time redecorating and making my home cozy. I redecorated my home office with the strong intention of creating a safe sanctuary for myself.
Now, as we emerge, I want to keep my slower pace, heavy commitment to my family and home environment but I also need that in-person connection and comfort.
I'm lucky to have the freedom to have both abd am grateful every day.
AnonymousMarch 9,2022 at 7:41PM UTC
My hygge vibe continues but I love going into the office a few times a week to work amongst my team.
Megan LeasherMarch 9,2022 at 8:29PM UTC
Mine have a little. I was super excited to be home all the time and now I am wishing I were in an office sometimes. I might be a hybrid girl, afterall!
AnonymousMarch 9,2022 at 9:52PM UTC
I am in the office full time and sometimes wish I had more flexibility to not be. I don't live far from the office (3 miles) but when I don't have appointments and could work on projects from home it would be nice to have that ability.
I am definitely considering a WFH position in the future as I am hoping for a more flexible location to be closer to family and in my field I have limited options currently being in higher education since there aren't a ton of job openings and I would be limiting my work area. Part of the reason I am considering leaving higher education as well.
Lisa HughesMarch 9,2022 at 9:53PM UTC
I worked from home briefly when the pandemic first started. I didn't have a flexible job at that time, I worked in a call center. We had to be on the phone the entire time. I didn't really get to enjoy working from home because of it. I left that job and my new one doesn't allow remote work. I do think I would be a hybrid as well. There were days I wished I could get dressed and go in to be around people.
Aly RicciMarch 9,2022 at 10:26PM UTC
I recently moved to a new position that allows me to work from home four days a week and in the office once a week. We use the day in office to gather as a team and connect. This model has been great for me in that I have the opportunity to meet with my colleagues and collaborate in-person on team projects, while still having that extra time the other four days to workout or socialize with family during the time I would have spent commuting. I truly value the hybrid model.
Orlagh CostelloMarch 10,2022 at 2:46PM UTC
I'm 3 days a week in the office and 2 at home. Much prefer being at home. But 2 days at home is better than 0 days at home I guess....
AnonymousMarch 10,2022 at 6:14PM UTC
I go into the office for a few hours Tuesdays and Thursdays in the mornings. I love the flexibility and ease it affords me.
AnonymousMarch 11,2022 at 3:58AM UTC
I loved it when we were first sent home, but then work and home started to blur and I just felt dull overall. That might have been due to pandemic stress and less socialization though. I’ve been back in the office since August, home one day a week. For six months, we all worked with our office doors shut due to a mask mandate. That was more isolating than being at home. I like the option of being hybrid though. Mostly, I’m just fried by the last 2 years.
AnonymousMarch 11,2022 at 1:23PM UTC
I have been working from home almost 6 years now. My commute is from the coffee maker to the computer. I don't see myself working in a traditional office setting any time soon. While I miss the different social aspects and the pretty clothes, I didn't like the environment. I felt like a cog in the machine.
Rachel EldridgeMarch 11,2022 at 1:26PM UTC
We've been back in the office since September. I feel more focused and productive in the office. But lots of our meetings are still remote and I share an office, so I'll stay home for meetings. I wish my workplace had designated days for us all to be together and days to be home.
Susan RoblesMarch 13,2022 at 5:58PM UTC
Love the idea of scheduled meeting, work together days.
AnonymousMarch 11,2022 at 1:26PM UTC
I'm definitely still enjoying working from home. I find that I don't care for going into the office, because while I can see others, it just seems tense and stressed.
Lisa WilliamsMarch 11,2022 at 1:30PM UTC
I manage two medical facilities so I'm 100% in office. However, I had surgery a month ago and have been working remotely for a couple of weeks while I regain my strength. Though I enjoy being at home, and not being exhausted at the end of the day, I do miss the connections at the office. That being said, I think I would love a hybrid situation, maybe half days in office and half days at home.
AnonymousMarch 11,2022 at 1:34PM UTC
Other than missing the occasional lunch out with a coworker, I don't miss being in the office at all. My team is scattered across the country so all of our calls were and are remote . I have no desire to drive an hour in, sit in a cold and uncomfortable cubicle while wearing a mask all day just to be on video with all the people I work with anyway. I can do that from home and wear my fuzzy slippers. Thankfully, my company is not pushing for people to return unless they want to. There is the expectation that I would need to go in should it be required but I really can't imagine anything other than a 'socializing' reason.
Elizabeth RagoneMarch 11,2022 at 1:45PM UTC
I’m team hybrid. I’m more productive head-down at home, esp without commuting time. When I’m in the office I’m amazed at how little I get done—and yet I ran into someone and we had a quick useful conversation, I got to read body language in a meeting, and I stopped by the new hire and chatted w her. Different but valuable. My ideal is 2 days in, 3 days home.
Paulla Fetzek, MSEdMarch 11,2022 at 2:25PM UTC
I have never liked WFH. During the pandemic my state was in lockdown for 10 weeks. When my office offered to let a few people back I leaped at the chance.
Having said this, because of Covid, my company has now adapted to allow people to more easily work remote. And it's great when there's horrible weather, or unforeseen circumstances, or even if you need to do something at home.
I so happen to live alone, don't have a significant other, nor any children. Well, HUMAN ones. ;) So WFH for lengths of time is actually really lonely for me.
I also use two laptops with an extra monitor for each when I'm at work. I look like I'm at the helm of the Starship Enterprise. ? I don't have all of this at home, and it makes work a bit difficult as times. For the most part, I'm glad to work in the office. But glad that I have the option to WFH if I need.
AnonymousMarch 11,2022 at 2:26PM UTC
Prior to the pandemic, I was 100% remote and in the beginning I was loving it. I picked up my computer and traveled. I also got things done around the house or personally without having to take time off. Then in the Fall of 2020, I left that job and took a 100% office position. Everyone thought I was crazy because 100% remote is great and we were still in a pandemic (the 100% office turned into 100% remote after about a month, with finally going back to office last summer).
Aside from the job-related reasons, the reason I left 100% remote in the middle of the pandemic is because I needed human interaction. The remote was great pre-pandemic because I was still attending seminars, meeting friends for happy hour or dinner, traveling, etc. but then being 100% home (alone) because of the pandemic, I realized I needed some type of interaction otherwise I was going to climb on top of my roof and jump!
We are now hybrid and that is a good blend. Even as things are lifting and activities are starting, I still don't think I would want 100% remote. And here is where the shift came for me - my friendships and interests changed during the pandemic.
Flexibility is so important, whatever that looks like.
AnonymousMarch 11,2022 at 2:41PM UTC
I find most people who claim to be more productive at home really aren't, and collaborative environments work better when we are all regularly in the same place. It isn't a popular sentiment, but I think it is better to keep home and work separate.
Christi MillerMarch 11,2022 at 2:45PM UTC
At first I was hesitant about working from home. I really like the office interaction. Then I got used to it and developed a new routine. Now I don't want to go back to the office. I prefer working from home. I don't know what I will do if the company says we have to go back full time.
Ebone LigginsMarch 11,2022 at 3:01PM UTC
I’m still 100% pro remote work. These past two years really highlighted how much time and money was being wasted in my commute. Going to back to the office is going to amount to a pay cut for me.
Joycelyn M. SiameMarch 11,2022 at 4:05PM UTC
I am there with you 100%. I still would rather work remotely, but more businesses have to start having a hybrid option... At least one day in the office a week and the rest remotely, ESPECIALLY if most of your work is computer work....
ReachingGoalsMarch 11,2022 at 5:00PM UTC
I'm on the fence. Some days I'm happy to be working at home. Some days I'm happy to be in the office. My employer requires us to be in the office 3 days a week, and we can pick those days. My supervisor is flexible if I need to change a day every now and again, she just wants a heads up - which is perfectly reasonable. 100% at home wasn't good for me personally. Yes it is time consuming and a money drain to commute to and from the office. But I'm also a firm believer that if your employer wants you in the office, you go to the office. If they are flexible, yay.
AnonymousMarch 11,2022 at 6:17PM UTC
As an extremely introverted person I hope to never step foot in an office again.
PatriciaMarch 29,2022 at 10:37AM UTC
As a fellow introvert, I second that!
SANDRA YORKMarch 11,2022 at 7:01PM UTC
I truly believe Corporate America needs to take this path. It is cost effective for companies to allow remote work. It would cut back on the companies' over-head and less employees taking time off work for personal reasons or sick time. I reside in Texas and the traffic has become so congested, bumper-to-bumper and a 30-minute drive can now take 2 hours and that's without an accident occurring. Getting up at 4am to get ready to hit the road by 6am to be at work by 8am..no thank you! Working remote allows me to get plenty of sleep, workout, eat 3 healthy meals a day and have work-life balance. I wish this was an option when raising my kids years ago; I would have had more time with them and not missed out on so much.
Judy SchoenbergMarch 11,2022 at 11:47PM UTC
I used to be so happy about remote work too at the beginning of the pandemic but now I wish I had colleagues around more to have conversations with about work and I want to commit to a co-working space 3-4 times a month.
AnonymousMarch 13,2022 at 5:55PM UTC
I work for hospital so business never went full WFH.
However my work could be done 80% from home. Though I started during the pandemic I am working from home more often now, when the heat of infection is almost over. Idk! My boss is very flexible about my time so I can manage about three days out of 10 from home. I just need to advocate for myself and coordinate with my coworker.
My bigger struggle is when to stop thinking about work when I'm off the clock! I'm thinking about it now!!!