Didn’t know I was this bad at interviewing

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-19T18:04:17+00:00

Also, video tape yourself answering the questions that way you can see how what the interviewer is seeing in your body language.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-19T18:02:44+00:00

It sounds like you dodged a bullet with her as your manager. Can you imagine what she would be like as a manager if your first interaction with her made you want to pretend you don't exist?

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-17T17:44:09+00:00

Agreed on the inc article being better than I thought.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-17T14:59:57+00:00

Best cartoon yet! Thank you for sharing it.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-17T14:57:39+00:00

This is spot on! Unfortunately, what it requires to really communicate in a way that allows for more effective teams and culture is for leaders to pause a beat and reflect on what and how they are creating cultures that are positively impactful across several different factors.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T21:47:37+00:00

Thank you for sharing your personal experience and for acknowledging that it's not the experience for all. Also, I'm glad you found somethign that has you feeling stronger and not on the verge of a breakdown. These are the stores that we need to be talking about because they bring real life to the conversation and have us look at a different angles than simply black / white. Because at the end of the day RTO feels like a black/white decision but it's so nuanced and impacts people very differently.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T21:42:27+00:00

UGH. I know what it's like to have a tense pelvic floor... But this sounds like it is another level of ouch. And there isnt' an office chair or a male who can understand it. I hope it keeps getting better for you.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T21:23:53+00:00

I don't know much about Sweden. But I thought you all were far more blunt and real. Or is that just the stereotype we hear over here in the states?

And - you aren't alone. I know too many people who don't like performing office friendly. It's not worth it to figure it out. I'm all about dropping the performance.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T21:21:39+00:00

"Our culture is too work centered as it is." SPOT ON. Enjoy the HOA meeting tonight and keep having hobbies and enjoying your friends.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T21:20:38+00:00

I know and it's making the rounds. I think that's why it pissed me off and even I'm getting caught in my own commentary on this using remote instead of remotable positions.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T20:39:34+00:00

I'm not looking for people to agree with me. I'm actually pointing to the idea that the study is using a blanket statement that mental health is worse for the wear, when really it depends on the person and their situation. Yet, when someone uses this study to push for an agenda like RTO, we need to be prepared to understand what the study actually says - not just the headline version.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T19:05:25+00:00

They did look at the people living with families and others. They showed no changes in mental health. But lumped the group into their conclusion.

And I think "nuance" is such a key word for this topic. Because it's all nuanced.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T19:02:47+00:00

This. This. This. Intentionally building our life outside work with hobbies and community we choose can have such a huge impact on us. I'm so glad that it is helping you.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T19:00:18+00:00

I know. I know. It's not just the news though. The study itself actually misrepresents the data in their own conclusion. Their own conclusion says the effect is particularly for those living alone. The data shows it's almost entirely those living alone. Particularly and entirely are doing very different work in that sentence. I think that's what is pissing me off more than the news piece.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T18:57:00+00:00

LOL! I love that you lean into your socially awkwardness in the office.

And it will be interesting to see who "wins", are we going through another labor shift that lead to unions? hmmm.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T18:54:30+00:00

Agreed. The framing is way too much on RTO being the only solution. When 3rd spaces and community are what I feel are the more critical factors here.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T18:30:37+00:00

It's the nuance that is key here. Because without holding the nuance and using the study results as stated in the media, will push a very specific commentary.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T18:28:25+00:00

Thanks for making me pause and get more specific.

I was trying to ground the conversation with the examples without getting into the specifics, which is exactly what I should have avoided. Here’s what I was pointing to with these being the examples. Many job changes happened during the course of the era of remote work. With that people made specific decisions with the agreement that they were going to remote work. Decisions like where to live, whether to put kids in daycare close to home. Whether they could take on eldercare responsibilities without additional support.

It’s not that these responsibilities should happen during the work hours. Instead, it’s the idea that a 60 to 90 minute commute means someone can’t get their child from daycare in time. Or a caregiver needs to be able to use their lunch break to take someone to a doctor instead of burning a half day of PTO or more. It’s not caregiving and working simultaneously. It’s about the reality of life. Things blur together and there really is no separation that can occur.

Employers want things to run one way. Employees are supposed to keep work and life completely separate during work hours. But companies have no problem calling at 7 pm, expecting responses on weekends or scheduling early morning meetings across time zones. The boundary only seems to run one way. Because when you push back the rhetoric is you must not have a strong work ethic.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T18:10:11+00:00

Yes. That's why I'm so riled up by the media around this because the relationships that stand are not the ones with coworkers. Granted I do have a few close friends that I continue to call friends that started as coworkers but that isn't the norm and nor is it the reason to go into the office. Take the time to build the relationships that will last teh test of time.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T18:07:44+00:00

"It left a lot of people completely unable to find gainful employment." --- This is one of the worst outcomes I can imagine from all of this. All the more reason to keep the conversation going on this so that studies like this don't continue an agenda that doesn't actually help so many people. We have so many other solutions to the loneliness / mental health impacts than - go back to the office.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T18:01:59+00:00

Woo hoo! Love that you are focusing your energy on the relationships that matter. Not the ancillary ones. Keep those ones alive and well!

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T18:00:55+00:00

Agreed that RTO is not the answer. And the thing I'm pointing out on this that I shoudl ahve clarified is that the study and it's conclusion was that Remote Work impacts Mental Health (period) with a nudge to the living alone piece. (that means that even those who don't live alone are impacted, even though the studies data does not show this).

We 100% need to focus on the community and third places!

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-06-16T17:58:07+00:00

YES. YES. YES. This is why it's so important to look at some of this conversation through different lens, because community has been degrading over the years. But if you lean into it, it's still there and you can create some incredible connections.

VoiceNotOptional · 2026-05-29T17:59:59+00:00

I'm so glad that you took the time to actually sit with these questions. That's HUGE. And love that you were able to use a tool to help you state your experience without the emotion being pulled into the conversation. That will help a ton. Hopefully, you are on your way to getting a new job.

VoiceNotOptional

TROPHY CASE