I Dread Work... I Miss my Former Life

Now that I have a full time job in an office again, I dread work each day, I don't want to go to work, and I miss my former life of working from home. I may only last a year in this job.

I regret this decision, though I knew it would be good for me to gain new skills, much needed new skills.

Still, I could have stayed working part-time from home, and I could have picked up another part time job from home.

Why did I do this???? I really don't want this challenge in my life right now. And this is going to be a huge challenge in so many ways. Speaking/presenting in front of clients and colleagues????? What the hell did I get myself into?

I need support around this, please. I don't know if I am going to be able to make it through.

Golden, you can do this! It's just a bit of culture shock right now. Give yourself time to make the adjustment. You have a!ready had some success.

thanks, Deejay! It is definitely total culture shock! My boss told me today that I;'m doing great so far, so there's that I suppose.

Believe me, you will get sent home soon enough (just because time goes so much faster the older you get!). Be grateful you had time to work from home, and now truly reenter the workforce. I started working full time waaaay too early and stupid (21) and was burnt out and forced out at 51. Im excited for you and proud of you

TY. I am actually home now since we have summer half days on Fridays -- yay!


Like Deejay wrote above, it's just a HUGE adjustment and culture shock.

Hi golden,

I think you are just going through an adjustment period right now. Things will get better with time. And you said your boss thinks you're doing a good job. Hold on to that.

TY... Yes, I will try to hold onto any positives that I can!

That is awesome - 40 hrs was soooo hard for me. My week usually included 2 or 3 t visits, which isnt work per se, but its still away from home time, and its not sleep time!

I used to work 40 hours typically. Just during the last four years, I had been freelancing, then landed a full-time job, then I got laid off and was left working only part time, so this is far harder for me..... going back to not only an office environment after ten years of working from home, but also back to 40 hours -- EEK.

Don't you think that once you've done a few of these meeting with clients and presentations that you won't have so much anxiety about it? Is it possible it's just an uncomfortable task looming out there?

Seesaw

Yes, although I am realizing I prefer work from home far more. Being in an office again... sucks.

Ah, sorry you're finding it so tough. As others have said, it could just be a shock to the system, in which case you'll soon adjust.

Dear Eve, I guess there's only one way to find out if you're going to be happy here, and that's to try it out.

I'd say it takes about six weeks before the horrible being-new wears off. Could you maybe give yourself a set time, and then evaluate?

You must have had good reasons for wanting full-time work?

But don't stick it if you hate it!

Much love.

Thanks, Purple.

I know you're right -- six-eight weeks sounds about right to adjust.

I'm being super nostalgic right now, missing my cushy former existence.

But truth is, in the old part-time role, I would not have learned what I need to learn in order to grow professionally, and in this job I will. I have to learn skills I've been missing for years, and that's what working from home has done to me.

So this move was necessary... plus, I need the full-time income -- badly! So I can't quit, but I could give it a timeline of a year -- and then after that, if I hate it, go back to work from home after having gained the skills I need.

I guess it's just also been super hard going from working in my pajamas and not showering until later in the day to having to get up earlier, shower and put on business clothes. Then commuting to work for 20 mins. It's also little things like that. SIGH. Not only that, but I cannot text with my bf like I used to, or check PC, or do things like that either. GRRR.

Basically, I'm whining! LOL.

A twenty minute commute?? QUITCHER B1TCHIN!!! It used to take me that long just to reach the freeway! I wouldnt even have cussed out anybody on the road yet! Ha! Kids these days!

Eta - okay. I guess this is why i got burnt out at 51...

Ha ha good point by una. My commute is an hour each way.

Yeah, seeing it as a temp job for a up to a year sounds like the way to go. Save up some money etc.

I don't know, Eve. I just also get the feeling that, when you hit your stride in this place, you might enjoy it.

YIKES. An hour?! Ok, I have it easy. But that's the smallest part of the whole picture. Yeah, maybe once I get my stride, as you said, it will be better/easier. For now, it sucks and I feel like *****ing about it. lol.

Nothing wrong with that! Personally, I would love to work from home.

Keep talking to us, Eve. We're here no matter what happens.

Awww, thank you!!

Sometimes it’s good to stretch our limits a bit. It’s never enjoyable. Hopefully you’re able to gain valuable skills from this and get back to doing what you enjoy.

I understand what your going through. I had to adjust from going to school online and then working in a office not a 40 hour week, but part time. It does get better, you just have to go through the adjustment period and take one day at a time.

SO true. And I was in a comfort zone, working from home and hardly working.

Thank you.

Will the paychecks be enticing enough as you adjust, pretty much, your way of living? I just bumped from part time to full time hours this past fiscal year. I was a combination of exhausted and in need of rearranging aspects of my life, such as when to do laundry, when to do groceries, etc. I feel for you.

All changes require an adjustment. A change in job is one of the most stressful to deal with. Give yourself some time and take extra good care of yourself during this transition. You can do it.

After about a month, I expect you'll be fairly used to it. People are pretty adaptable. Maybe set a date on your calendar about a month from when you started. Plan to take some time that day to really consider how you feel about the job.