I can relate to this. I’ve worked remotely for 6 years but that feeling you mentioned is something I’ve felt for the past year.
I think it’s worth noting that remote work during the pandemic doesn’t really do justice to what remote work should really be. Prior to the pandemic kicking in, my remote work involved mostly working at home. But when I felt the need for change, I’d combine things like grocery shopping with a visit to a nearby cafe and I’d work for a few hours there. Other days I’d meet up with a friend I worked for and I’d work out of their office for a day and enjoy lunch with them. In the mornings I’d drop my son off at school and go to a nearby coworking space and hotdesk there. Remote work also meant that I was able to break my work day into a few segments and I could then take on things like coaching school children in some sports.
With the pandemic that all changed. Instead of taking my son to school, I sat in the room with him to help him with the laptop from time to time. Work was a few steps from there to my table. No meeting with friends to work. No cafe work. No going out to break up the day.
I’m sad that most peoples remote work experience has basically been work from home all the time instead of work on terms you are happiest with. If this had been my experience from the start I’d be kind of itching to go back and see people at the office from time to time.
With pandemic restrictions lifted for the most part, things have now gotten much better. So I’m gradually becoming “un-sick” of working remotely again.
All that to say, what you are feeling is perfectly normal. Just do understand that this pandemic edition of remote work is definitely not normal. It’s isolating and should never happen on a normal day.
I think it’s worth noting that remote work during the pandemic doesn’t really do justice to what remote work should really be. Prior to the pandemic kicking in, my remote work involved mostly working at home. But when I felt the need for change, I’d combine things like grocery shopping with a visit to a nearby cafe and I’d work for a few hours there. Other days I’d meet up with a friend I worked for and I’d work out of their office for a day and enjoy lunch with them. In the mornings I’d drop my son off at school and go to a nearby coworking space and hotdesk there. Remote work also meant that I was able to break my work day into a few segments and I could then take on things like coaching school children in some sports.
With the pandemic that all changed. Instead of taking my son to school, I sat in the room with him to help him with the laptop from time to time. Work was a few steps from there to my table. No meeting with friends to work. No cafe work. No going out to break up the day.
I’m sad that most peoples remote work experience has basically been work from home all the time instead of work on terms you are happiest with. If this had been my experience from the start I’d be kind of itching to go back and see people at the office from time to time.
With pandemic restrictions lifted for the most part, things have now gotten much better. So I’m gradually becoming “un-sick” of working remotely again.
All that to say, what you are feeling is perfectly normal. Just do understand that this pandemic edition of remote work is definitely not normal. It’s isolating and should never happen on a normal day.