As an introvert RTO absolutely drains me. At 6PM after my in office days, I have a pounding headache and just want to curl up in bed. I have little patience or energy left for my kids and husband. It's miserable.

My WFH days are so much better. Work doesn't consume me and I can be present for my family again.

Thank God I only have 2 in office days per week.

I have two people I hired in last year who are younger and both were like hiring wild animals from the zoo to do a job.

They never had a real job pre-covid. The last five years home. I had a in person meeting with CFO and one when we closed conference room door the stink of BO was nasty. I had to talk to them and they got used to not bathing in morning before work and kinds kept doing it. Yea when conference room door closed at 330 pm we all knew you smell.

Other guy he dressed like he got clothes from lost and found bin. Like a light Kaki pants, mixed with a winter long sleeved shit and a tie that looked like his Mom gave it to him for his 12 birthday. I told him to dress nice.

They both were bumbling in meeting. The CFO, Controller, Head of Legal at meeting. It was an in person meeting in Board Room. No compluters, no phones, no Zoom and they had no clue how to act or talk. I have been pushing them but they are both around 34 and my interns in college a decade ago was better prepared then they are at 34.

I love remote. But these young people are a shit show. I sat down the two of them and said look 40 is fast approaching you need to get your act together quick or you will be out of work soon.

Anonymous wrote:Okay that’s nice. I hate having to work in real clothes and be nice all day to people and not glare at annoying people, having to make sure my lunch has my name and date so it doesn’t get stolen or thrown away, having to do laundry at 7pm rather than 11am , having to make sure I have my keycard to go use the bathroom, answer what my plans are for the long weekend.

This is such a miserable response it made me lol. What a life.

Anonymous wrote:You can WFH and get up, put in real clothes, and do an early morning grocery trip, workout class, coffee run, etc., and it will have a similar impact.

But you have to teach yourself to love yourself to have higher expectations, instead of relying on an authority figure to force you into it. It's a maturity issue.

Fully agree. I showered, styled my hair and dressed in regular clothes (not sweats, pjs, etc) every day during the covid lockdown and wfh situation. The mental health boost was undeniable and I didn't lose my shape.

Anonymous wrote:I get it OP. I am in the office a few days a week and it is good for me. I like socializing with my coworkers. I like the convenience of getting up and walking next door to discuss work and also the many impromptu meetings we have to talk strategy and problem solve. I like how we all share our wins and celebrate each other. I like running out to pick up lunch when the weather is nice.

I would enjoy that but my organization uses RTO to dunk on employees unless they get a reasonable accommodation. Most of us avoid each other rather than deal with someone having a panic attack or reporting you for any little thing.

I get it OP. I am in the office a few days a week and it is good for me. I like socializing with my coworkers. I like the convenience of getting up and walking next door to discuss work and also the many impromptu meetings we have to talk strategy and problem solve. I like how we all share our wins and celebrate each other. I like running out to pick up lunch when the weather is nice.

Anonymous wrote:Really? RTO has been terribly depressing here. People in the office are over the RTO novelty and we all just go in to our windowless offices and stay there all day. Even in-office meetings are on Teams. Horrible for mental health, people are taking incredible amounts of leave.

This is my office. Zero collegiality. We all badge in, close our doors for 8 hours, then badge out (on days when we aren’t using leave to maintain our mental health).

Really? RTO has been terribly depressing here. People in the office are over the RTO novelty and we all just go in to our windowless offices and stay there all day. Even in-office meetings are on Teams. Horrible for mental health, people are taking incredible amounts of leave.

RTO is actually worse for my mental health.

Anonymous wrote:Okay that’s nice. I hate having to work in real clothes and be nice all day to people and not glare at annoying people, having to make sure my lunch has my name and date so it doesn’t get stolen or thrown away, having to do laundry at 7pm rather than 11am , having to make sure I have my keycard to go use the bathroom, answer what my plans are for the long weekend.

I assume you live off the grid somewhere when not forced to be among people at the office - do you recommend it?

Anonymous wrote:You can WFH and get up, put in real clothes, and do an early morning grocery trip, workout class, coffee run, etc., and it will have a similar impact.

But you have to teach yourself to love yourself to have higher expectations, instead of relying on an authority figure to force you into it. It's a maturity issue.

You’re right - I am too mature and my menopausal self does need the extra push of “the man.”

You can WFH and get up, put in real clothes, and do an early morning grocery trip, workout class, coffee run, etc., and it will have a similar impact.

But you have to teach yourself to love yourself to have higher expectations, instead of relying on an authority figure to force you into it. It's a maturity issue.

Okay that’s nice. I hate having to work in real clothes and be nice all day to people and not glare at annoying people, having to make sure my lunch has my name and date so it doesn’t get stolen or thrown away, having to do laundry at 7pm rather than 11am , having to make sure I have my keycard to go use the bathroom, answer what my plans are for the long weekend.

so go into the office.

I was authorized telework today - yay. And as I am about to start my day wearing sweats, I realized RTO makes me mentally better. Being forced to get up, put on real clothes, and be among real people is a good thing.