I use this blog mainly as a diary or sorts. I work out my internal monologue by writing here. It’s been a while since I last posted anything because I have mainly been content and happy with my world and everything in it. I feel compelled to write now as this whole work-at-home thing is really wearing on me. I am sorely lacking in human contact. I ask myself Do you even work from home bro?

I know many people do not have the luck or opportunity to work from home. It is both a wonderful thing and a curse at the same time. Let me tell you why I feel this way.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one-third of the U.S. workforce, and half of all “information workers”, are able to work from home. Though the number of people working partially or fully remote has been on the rise for years now, the COVID-19 pandemic has pressed the fast-forward button on this trend. My company is no exception. I always worked a few days from my home office. Starting in March I was asked to work from home always. I loved that idea AT FIRST. Always being close to my own private bathroom is wonderful. Being near to any beverage I might like was also amazing. Never having to wear pants (as cliche as that sounds) was tremendous. But after a few months of ALWAYS being home here is what I have learned. Living and sleeping 10 feet from your workspace will drive you crazy.

I roll out of bed shake off the sleep for a bout a half an hour, shower, get coffee and off to work i go. After the work day ends I saunter out of my “office” into the living room relax a bit, maybe eat a bite, do whatever chores need doing, relax a bit more and then wander BY MY OFFICE to the bedroom to sleep. It is always there. No matter where I go in my home I can see my office. I can never escape it.

Now it is not all bad. Long ago I had a mentor tell me that to work from home any amount of time you must make your workspace a place you WANT to be. So I filled my office with 80,s toys, memorabilia, magazines and bourbon bottles. Its def a cool place to be. I should say that it USED to be a cool place to be. Now that I cannot escape it I am not so sure I love it anymore. I never get away from it. It is there when I leave and there when I come home.  There is no longer a clear separation of my work life balance.

I find my self lonely. I find myself unmotivated. Most days after 2 hours I am ready to go for a walk or get out of my hole but I cant. I am a natural empath. I thrive off the emotions, facial expressions and interactions with others. This is tantamount to torture for me.

In summary, I think what I am trying to say is that if this goes on too much longer I am very worried about my mental health. I need to collaborate with people in person. I thrive on being surrounded by people, faces and banter. I am very lucky that my children are grown and i dont have that stress and distraction to worry about. It is not lost on me how lucky I really am. Don’t think I am not grateful to both have a job and yet still one this convenient. I am keenly aware. I just needed to let it out how soul-crushing this is for me and I know I am not alone.