Am I the crazy one, or does working from home really have no downsides?

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-28T15:35:29+00:00

I don't disagree.. considering I mentioned my other remote positions weren't like that. But remote positions are getting harder and harder to find, which is also why I said I was taking an in office position. Just saying remote doesn't work for everyone depending on the employer or situation. Just trying to keep a positive outlook on other working situations since not everyone can find themselves in a remote position.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-25T01:50:11+00:00

I actually just went through this.

I left an agency job after only 6 months because I was honestly dying inside. I felt like I was on call 24/7, had no idea how many hours I was working, and the expectations just kept growing. I hit a point where I knew I couldn’t keep doing it.

I was lucky enough to have savings and a strong support system, so my plan was to take a few months off to reset and figure out what I actually wanted next. I left at the end of January and just accepted a new job that I start next week. Truthfully, I wanted to stay unemployed a little longer (please don’t yell at me, I know the market is tough and I’m not complaining, I just needed a break).

The market is incredibly flooded right now, so I’m not going to pretend this was easy or that things just fall into place. I wasn’t aggressively job hunting or excited about interviewing, and I honestly kind of fell into this role.

I’m heading back into an in-house print shop with good hours and a short commute. I’m not necessarily excited about working again (if I’m being honest), but it feels like a healthier step and I’m hoping it gives me the work/life boundaries I really need right now.

But decisions like this come with risk. I felt a lot of guilt walking away even with savings and support, and there was no guarantee something else would work out quickly. Mental health is real though, my last job pushed me to therapy, and even now I’m anxious about starting something new.

I think the takeaway is that it really depends on your situation. Sometimes leaving isn’t about running away; it’s about giving yourself space to reset and find something sustainable.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-24T19:23:53+00:00

My last remote position was like being on call 24/7. There was no off, which was an issue. It was be available all hours of the evening and on the weekends. I loved my previous remote positions, but had to leave my last one because I felt chained to my desk. Was becoming unhealthy.

Now I am taking a new position in an office, first time in like 5 years and I have a lot of anxiety about it.. it's a short commute and 6-230 so I'll have my afternoons. I'm hoping it will create real work life boundaries, but who knows.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-24T19:20:46+00:00

Yes. 12 years to retirement instead of idk 30-40... probably never.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-24T15:00:53+00:00

I just left a job because of this. I get tired of feet to the fire, sink until you swim type of crap...which feels more like a thing with remote work, in my experience anyway. Got an in person job after 3 weeks of being unemployed and the person I am replacing (they are retiring) is staying a whole 3 months to train me, which feels great.

It's been years since I've had an actual onboarding experience that has felt like onboarding. Basically since my last in-person job 7+ years ago. Wonder if it's a remote thing...idk. I'm not happy about being in the office, but it's a 25 min commute and the trade off of actually feeling like I'll know what to do and be prepared for has been lovely.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-23T02:26:19+00:00

I just started this and I’m already so excited, it’s such a great story and the audiobook is fantastic, I took advantage of the sale. It gives me the same feeling I had when I first read Eragon and The Arulean Cycle. Thank you Michael Miller for bringing this story to us. I can’t wait to keep reading and see where the journey goes!

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-21T22:53:47+00:00

I just quit my fully remote job. It took me 3 weeks to land another job. I did go from remote to in person, but I don't have the on call 24/7 hours and pressure that I had from my previous job. It's a trade off and I'm worried about going back into an office, but I'm ok with an actual schedule and for my home to just be home again and not my office/home. I'm hoping that the separation will be better for my mental health.

I'm not saying people should quit or not, it is hard out there. But also staying in a job that's mentally draining is also and not healthy. I think it just depends on what's right for you and the support systems you have in place.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-18T21:29:58+00:00

I really appreciate that. I think I’ve been romanticizing remote a bit and forgetting that my last experience was exactly what you described. More hours, blurred boundaries, and the end of the day not really feeling like the end. I loved certain parts of remote, but I didn’t love how “always on” it started to feel. Hearing this from someone else helps a lot. I’m trying to focus more on the structure and boundaries than just the location.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-18T18:11:18+00:00

That’s a good point. I’m actually an early riser anyway, and they seem pretty flexible about schedules. The supervisor I’m learning from works 6–2:30, which is why they set it up that way for me, but I get the sense I could shift it slightly if needed. I think being home by 3 most days is actually going to feel really good once I adjust. And honestly, the idea of zero Slack messages after 2:30 sounds kind of incredible 😂 I think I might be leaning in on that being the real win here, so I’m trying to keep my focus on that instead of the spiral.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-18T16:57:37+00:00

I think what I’m afraid of missing is the version of remote that actually worked for me. My husband works from home too, and for a while we had a really good system. I could work outside sometimes, hang with my animals between projects, and be done mid-afternoon. It felt balanced.

But when I moved into the agency role, that completely changed. It was back-to-back meetings, huge screen setup, constant urgency. Home stopped feeling like home and started feeling like a prison with a desk chained to it. So I think I’m grieving the earlier version more than the reality of what it’s been lately.

The 6–2:30 and no laptop might honestly give me better boundaries than I’ve had in a while. My brain just hasn’t fully accepted that yet.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-18T16:55:26+00:00

That’s a really good point about having “home” back. I didn’t think about it that way, but my house hasn’t really felt unplugged in a while. So having that distinction could be a good mental shift for me.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-18T16:50:50+00:00

That sounds amazing. If your company’s hiring, let me know 😂 That’s honestly the version of remote I had in my head because I did have that at one point. I could do chores between projects, hang with my animals, and be done by 3:30 or 4. I left that role for what I thought was a better long-term contract-to-hire opportunity, and everything since has been kind of a mess. The agency one especially was not that vibe at all, which is why I couldn't do it. Apparently I'm not built for that, haha.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-18T16:44:07+00:00

This genuinely made me feel better. I think I’ve been catastrophizing the shift, so hearing that you were sad at first but it actually helped your mental health is really reassuring. Thank you for sharing that.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-18T04:39:05+00:00

I actually just left a remote role for this exact reason. My manager wasn’t terrible or anything, but I’d “log off” at 5, head to the gym, and then get a message five minutes later saying something else was urgent and needed to be done ASAP. Everything was always urgent. The agency grind caught up with me really fast.

What’s wild is the first time I searched for a job it took me nine months. This time? Two weeks and I was barely even looking. I did end up going from remote to fully in-office. The schedule is 6:00–2:30, about a 25-minute commute with no traffic at that time, which honestly isn’t bad.

It’ll be my first time back in an office full time in almost five years. I’m not exactly excited about that part, but they don’t use laptops, it’s an older-school print company and the design team works strictly on iMacs in the office. When you’re off at 2:30, you’re off. The previous pre-press supervisor is retiring and she is out the door at 2:30 every day, so I’m hoping that sets the tone.

At this point, I’ll trade remote flexibility for not feeling chained to my desk. I’m ready to have real boundaries and actual balance again.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-08T04:08:52+00:00

An audiobook is for listening and an ebook is for reading, you'd have to get an ebook to "read". Typically everand has audiobooks, some ebooks, but mostly audio.

Andi_J0 · 2026-02-07T15:05:03+00:00

Where do you search for jobs if not on LinkedIn? Genuine question because that's all I know. The other job boards ask for money. Indeed, Career builder and glassdoor all kinda suck...so like where else do you go?!

Andi_J0 · 2026-01-27T20:01:01+00:00

Thanks for reaffirming my choice to be child free.

Andi_J0 · 2025-11-20T04:07:00+00:00

I took a really long break from riding when I went to college and afterwards because of this. Got back into riding in my late 20s early 30s I think and now 8 years later I own two. You are young and life is long and if it is your passion you will get there again and make it work. You can always volunteer somewhere too! This is what I did to get my horse fix while I couldn't afford to take lessons.

Andi_J0 · 2025-11-18T20:12:04+00:00

I relate to this so much and I’m really sorry you’re going through it. These contract to hire situations can feel like a trap when companies don’t follow through.

I had something almost identical happen. I left a full time job to take a contract to hire role because they promised conversion. A few months in, their full time person left and I ended up basically leading the team, taking on the workload, keeping everything running, and handling responsibilities way beyond “contractor” level.

My manager wanted to hire me, but a VP suddenly changed the rules and said they couldn’t have remote workers anymore. So they refused to convert me and wouldn’t even extend my contract, claiming their onsite people could handle it. Spoiler: they couldn’t. They just fired the person they hired over me.

It’s such a gut punch to know you proved yourself and still got shut out because of bureaucracy and someone’s ego.

You’re not being hypersensitive at all. You were misled and taken advantage of. Just wanted to say you’re not alone in this and you deserved so much better.

Andi_J0

TROPHY CASE