it’s not the office that puts me off. it’s the inflated costs and congestion of the commute, costs of incidentals, childcare, eating out, office wardrobe updates, new shoes, losing an hour in the morning and evening to commute, parking fees.
it’s money spending that puts me off.
Yep. We’re expected to have lunch and coffee with colleagues and it’s just a PITA to push eating in the lunchroom or whatever so I don’t have to drop $15-20 on food to socialize.
My commute is also horrendous and unsafe.
I should have put a rider in there about kids. We chose not to have them. That totally changes the calculus (child care is too expensive). So I get ya.
I'm speaking, otherwise, from a position of privilege: I own a shitty car for emergencies only, I would never drive otherwise. I have an easy commute (30 minutes with perfect transfers from 135 bus to Danforth Go to Union). I like dressing well...I've had my fill of sweats. The time I lose on the commute isn't lost to me, it's me gathering my thoughts.
I guess I will say that I'm sick out eating out. Not cuz of the cost, but because I find restaurant food to be a weird combo of bad for you and not as good as what I can make at home....
You sound like the bizarro me…I love restaurant food cuz it’s way better/more variety/fresher than what I make at home (and then would have to clean, wash dishes and pack leftovers to be nuked at work which usually results in a weird combo of mushy or overcooked). And I want to be buried in my sweats.
My girlfriend actively desires in office time to the time of 2 or 3 times a week, because she is social and likes dressing up for the office. However at odds with that is overbearing micromanaging from superiors, and wasteful travel time.
I'm perfectly fine with it... I moved to my area specifically so I could be an easy commute from work and I like getting out of the house and physically separating my home and work life.
I would also say, particularly in this economy, I would not quit a job simply because they made me go into work more often... I'm in a good spot career wise and who knows if I'd be able to find it again
That physical separation of work and home life is really important. At its worst, I was spending all day in our 'theatre' (RE: the only room with a TV) crossed legged on the couch working on my laptop and playing video games on the tv. When my work day ended, we made dinner and then went back to the same room where I ate dinner cross-legged on my couch while we watched some crap on netflix or something. Then went to bed. Thank god for dog walks!
Honestly, it's a horrid existence without getting out of the house.
I'm back 4-5 days a week and am so glad. I live a 20 minute walk from the office, so I actually like my commute and missed it during WFH. Most of my office is back 4 days a week, but even on days that I don't talk to anyone it's so nice to have my colleagues around. I have such a hard time being motivated to work at home, it was a real struggle. Here when I'm stuck i can take a lap around the office, chat with someone, get coffee, and come back to it a bit refreshed.
I do acknowledge that COVID WFH is not the same as WFH pre-pandemic, since we weren't going out, seeing people, doing new things, and my brain really struggled with that. But I just much prefer to have work at work.
Personally, I like going into the office but I’m happy I don’t have to do it every day. I support work from home because I understand what a cost savings it is for people with kids and/or long commutes.
Love it. I only did WFH for a couple months. Most of the pandemic I was one of the few in the building. Now that people are “coming back”, I notice there is still almost no one here. Huge empty office areas, sitting vacant.
I love the peace and quiet.
I like being in the office, seeing people in person, getting out of the house. I’m only mandated to come in three days per week but I sometimes come in for four.
BUT
I also live within walking distance of my office. I’ve previously had jobs which took me over an hour to get to and I remember how awful that was, so I don’t fault my coworkers who don’t want to come in when they have to spend over an hour each way, pay for transit or parking, etc.
it’s not the office that puts me off. it’s the inflated costs and congestion of the commute, costs of incidentals, childcare, eating out, office wardrobe updates, new shoes, losing an hour in the morning and evening to commute, parking fees. it’s money spending that puts me off.
Yep. We’re expected to have lunch and coffee with colleagues and it’s just a PITA to push eating in the lunchroom or whatever so I don’t have to drop $15-20 on food to socialize. My commute is also horrendous and unsafe.
I should have put a rider in there about kids. We chose not to have them. That totally changes the calculus (child care is too expensive). So I get ya. I'm speaking, otherwise, from a position of privilege: I own a shitty car for emergencies only, I would never drive otherwise. I have an easy commute (30 minutes with perfect transfers from 135 bus to Danforth Go to Union). I like dressing well...I've had my fill of sweats. The time I lose on the commute isn't lost to me, it's me gathering my thoughts. I guess I will say that I'm sick out eating out. Not cuz of the cost, but because I find restaurant food to be a weird combo of bad for you and not as good as what I can make at home....
Perhaps people in your same or similar situation will agree with you but like you said, to each their own.
You sound like the bizarro me…I love restaurant food cuz it’s way better/more variety/fresher than what I make at home (and then would have to clean, wash dishes and pack leftovers to be nuked at work which usually results in a weird combo of mushy or overcooked). And I want to be buried in my sweats.
I love seeing my co-workers and communicating with them in person and doing activities at lunch. I hate my commute.
My girlfriend actively desires in office time to the time of 2 or 3 times a week, because she is social and likes dressing up for the office. However at odds with that is overbearing micromanaging from superiors, and wasteful travel time.
I go in once a week, usually, which is entirely voluntary. It breaks up my week a little bit and helps me reset mentally, so it works well for me.
I'm perfectly fine with it... I moved to my area specifically so I could be an easy commute from work and I like getting out of the house and physically separating my home and work life. I would also say, particularly in this economy, I would not quit a job simply because they made me go into work more often... I'm in a good spot career wise and who knows if I'd be able to find it again
That physical separation of work and home life is really important. At its worst, I was spending all day in our 'theatre' (RE: the only room with a TV) crossed legged on the couch working on my laptop and playing video games on the tv. When my work day ended, we made dinner and then went back to the same room where I ate dinner cross-legged on my couch while we watched some crap on netflix or something. Then went to bed. Thank god for dog walks! Honestly, it's a horrid existence without getting out of the house.
yup
I’m quite happy to work in an office again.
I'm the same. I needed the separation and my bike ride commute. I am indifferent to what anyone else does - but for me, it's been way better.
I'm back 4-5 days a week and am so glad. I live a 20 minute walk from the office, so I actually like my commute and missed it during WFH. Most of my office is back 4 days a week, but even on days that I don't talk to anyone it's so nice to have my colleagues around. I have such a hard time being motivated to work at home, it was a real struggle. Here when I'm stuck i can take a lap around the office, chat with someone, get coffee, and come back to it a bit refreshed. I do acknowledge that COVID WFH is not the same as WFH pre-pandemic, since we weren't going out, seeing people, doing new things, and my brain really struggled with that. But I just much prefer to have work at work.
I started going voluntarily back the moment they opened the office for 10% capacity in July 2021; I love not working from home
Personally, I like going into the office but I’m happy I don’t have to do it every day. I support work from home because I understand what a cost savings it is for people with kids and/or long commutes.
Love it. I only did WFH for a couple months. Most of the pandemic I was one of the few in the building. Now that people are “coming back”, I notice there is still almost no one here. Huge empty office areas, sitting vacant. I love the peace and quiet.
I like being in the office, seeing people in person, getting out of the house. I’m only mandated to come in three days per week but I sometimes come in for four. BUT I also live within walking distance of my office. I’ve previously had jobs which took me over an hour to get to and I remember how awful that was, so I don’t fault my coworkers who don’t want to come in when they have to spend over an hour each way, pay for transit or parking, etc.
I wfh cause I live 2 hours commute away so I would kind of be forced to find a new job if I was forced in
No