Office work feels like a complete waste of life compared to remote

I worked fully remote for 5 years → super productive, balanced, thriving.

After 6 months of unemployment, I had to accept an in-office role out of necessity.

My day looks like this:

🚇 1.5 hour commute (bus + train) just to get to the office.

☕ By 10am, people go for coffee + smoke break + chit-chat → back at desks ~10:45.

🍽️ From 11am–2pm, everyone takes staggered “lunch breaks,” errands, gym sessions, long talks → most are actually back at their desks only by 2:30 or even 3.

👶 Parents leave early for school pickups.

☕ Another “coffee break” around 3:30.

🗣️ By 4–5pm it’s all small talk + preparing to leave.

🚇 Another 1.5 hours travel to home → reach ~7pm, totally drained.

The reality:

Barely any real work gets done.

Boss micromanages as if we’re in school (“Where are you going?” when I step out for the washroom 🤦).

I feel my time, energy, and potential are being wasted.

Productivity is invisible, family time gone, hobbies gone, health slipping.

Comparison to remote work:

At home, I could do gym, cook, walk the dog, and still overdeliver at work.

Got promoted, won employee awards, and genuinely enjoyed life.

Had time for hobbies (swimming, tennis, painting) + quality family time.

Remote = fulfillment, balance, and growth.

Office = exhaustion, disappointment, and no life outside work.

I know the job market is tough (still hunting for a remote or at least hybrid role, or something closer). But honestly, this in-office setup feels like a soul-crushing waste of life.

Sorry for the rant – just needed to vent. If you’re working remote, cherish it. 🌱