The weird thing for me is that I have gained all this time from not commuting, but I donāt feel like I have any more time.
Which on the one hand isnāt a good thing, but in reality what it means is that my time is filled with spending it with my two boys and actually getting to cook dinner sometimes, which are things that I really enjoy. But I do find that they leave me more tired than if I were driving and listening to podcasts.
Top of the list is the time and stress involved in commuting - especially in a city like Bangalore.
The next is the ability to connect with multiple teams worldwide in a click of the button - with no local office team pressures - just focus on work and get it done.
Not having to walk for what seems to be forever to get to a toilet!
Also, Iāve really enjoyed eating better and cooked lunches.
I am starting to thoroughly miss face to face time and simple casual chats at the desk though. It can be a little bit isolating if you donāt make an effort to reach out to other people.
Have also decided to join the hangout on Fridays after work. Mainly as a way of āstopping the horsesā. Itās a quiet hangout in terms of number, and we donāt seem to talk about shop all the time. So that works for me. Although I am in the anti-anti-mask brigade, and never go out of my front door, I do already get āzoom timeā with lots of people in the real world. And so the thing I like about that is that it saves me loads of travel time, (I live 8 miles out of the city) and I still get the social.
There are so many positives Iām honestly worried about going back. For me one of the biggest things is not dealing with the office politics, gossip, etc. Working from home made realize just how bad it is at the office. The individuals I work with every day are great and we all get along, but there is just so much tension everywhere in the office with other teams and departments and management just pretends it doesnāt exist.
However, the absolute best part is having my kitties with me all day! I get to pet them while in meetings and play with them on breaks. It has truly made me happier.
I miss the āPassing rain-stormā summer evenings in Johannesburg, especially during our winter up here, when I curse my decision to move to these muddy islands. All of my visits to Wales have been wet, though I have thoroughly enjoyed them. Best wishes.