I think I've wasted my youth working from home

LegacyUser

I'm 28 and I've only ever worked in a normal office job for 12 months, back in 2015. I then went travelling for about a year and I've worked freelance since. I don't spend all my time working from home, and I live abroad for 5 months each year. So there are some perks I suppose.

However, I can't help but feel I'm wasting my youth like this. To call me quiet would be an understatement, but I do get on with people when I am around them often. In school, the fact I had to be there daily meant I didn't have too much trouble making friends, although i was never mr.popular. In university, I had a much worse time because attendance was optional and it was easy to isolate myself.

When I found a job, I was able to chat to people daily because again, it was kind of a forced interaction with mandatory attendance if I wanted to keep my job. I didn't make best friends with anyone but after-work pints were a regular thing and I wasn't as isolated.

I now look on with envy at ex colleagues when I see pics of them on nights out, work parties, and what-not. I've even seen some of them go away on trips together. I pretty much work with my laptop for company, either at home or at a café. I am quiet so without that forced interaction, it's so easy to isolate myself.

I'll be 29 soon and I feel bad for wasting so much of my 20s while mostly everyone else is out in offices meeting loads of people and befriending colleagues. No idea what advice I'm looking for but had to get that off my chest, thanks for reading.

Graces7

Many would in turn envy you your way of life and the freedom you had,, Maybe a bad case of GGS? " Grass is greener syndrome. "

Please do not let this ruin your life... and you are still so young!.

milli milli

I don't spend all my time working from home, and I live abroad for 5 months each year.

OP try not to be comparing your life to others. I’m sure people would be looking at you saying they would love your lifestyle - no office politics, lots of freedom & living abroad for a good portion of the year. That’s a pretty sweet lifestyle for many people.
If you feel you’re too isolated though, could you look into working in a freelancers workhub - where you rent a desk/space for a few hours/days per week? Work hubs are in most large towns & cities. They’re a great way of meeting & mixing with other people in a similar situation.
When I was a freelancer I wish I had the money to do this. They seemed like a great idea - full of creative and entrepreneurial people. I often went to some of the networking events organized by these places and there seemed to be a great buzz about the place.

Another day

Would you consider temping for an agency? That way you don't have to commit to one place and will get a taste of different environments to see what suits you.

Gorgeousgeorge

Want to swap? Personally I find the same 9 to 5 same building same work same faces day in day out to really annoy me sometimes. I have a good enough job that pays well and I work with and for good people. But id love the freedom you have!

dellas1979

Nice set up!

Where I work, one of my colleagues comes in 1 day a week. She doesnt have to, but comes in to the office for the vibe and the banter.

Is this something you could look into?

Ursus Horribilis

Believe it or not, there are plenty of offices out there where people don't socialise after hours. You've built up this Hollywood idea in your head that camaraderie in a workplace leads to everyone heading to the pub afterwards. Your loneliness is because of your introverted nature and tendency to isolate yourself. You're going to have to be proactive here. Put yourself out into social situations, whether it means taking up a sport or a hobby or volunteering. Basically, something that will put you into regular contact with other people. It's not easy to do, especially if you tend to hide away.

kg703

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Believe it or not, there are plenty of offices out there where people don't socialise after hours. You've built up this Hollywood idea in your head that camaraderie in a workplace leads to everyone heading to the pub afterwards. Your loneliness is because of your introverted nature and tendency to isolate yourself. You're going to have to be proactive here. Put yourself out into social situations, whether it means taking up a sport or a hobby or volunteering. Basically, something that will put you into regular contact with other people. It's not easy to do, especially if you tend to hide away.

This exactly.

Remember you don’t get to choose your colleagues and being stuck with them for eight hours a day every day can be a drain. I can work from home / go into the office. I luckily like the set of colleagues in with now but we have another office and if I was stuck in that one I’d go mad. I’ve been in a situation where a colleague didn’t like me also, certainly not fun and made going to work every day miserable.

If anything I feel I’ve spent my youth wasted sitting in offices and studying for so long!

Join a meet ups group or something for a regular meeting, my local fitness class is really close knit group and have summer and Xmas parties

3DataModem

I've done both. Long time working in offices. Some part-office, part home. And for the last year, full time home. I've just accepted a new job full time home (with travel), and I love the extra time I have.

Find a coworking space with a good social element. Try a few to feel the vibe. I've found a great one, have regular Friday nights out and banter during the day in the kitchen. .

Best of both worlds, no BS office politics. They are also very affordable, with flexible payment options, generally you can pay for a few days a week if the full week doesn't suit.

Have seen a few very corporatey ones, I would steer clear of those.

BrokenArrows

Im free to work from home or the office. I do find permanently being at home a bit depressing.

Even though i dont interact much with people in the office (none of them have anything to do with my job) i still find it better to be around people at least a few days a week.

As the previous poster said a Co-working space is a good balance. You get to be around people based on your own schedule. Down side is that you need to pay for it out of your own pocket.