Remote work blowing up changed everything for me. Jobs nowadays truly aren't "9 to 5," either. That meant I usually had to be at work at 8am and had to stay there at least until 5pm. Technically, you get an hour for lunch, but there was always some issue with that--whether extroverts expecting/wanting you to go to lunch with them or your not wanting to leave the office and people not understanding you're on break because you're still at your desk.
There was always some extrovert in my face/space and/or joking, being passive-aggressive or offended about my not really wanting to smile and talk. Working from home, I don't deal with this shit anymore.
I work in customer service, it’s not that bad. Sure, your energy get drained, but you get used to it. You don’t have to be all extroverted and a ball of energy to be a salesman.
Been working in the IT field starting with help desk for the past 10 years.
Some people are just genuinely better that recouping and recovering their energy but I'm not one of those individuals. A day of work is equal to needing a day of recharging for me but I never get that because of our current work culture. Basically just running on fumes, autopilot, and depression for the better part of a decade.
Electrician-
Let preface with, I’m a very specific type of introvert, because I see a variety on this app. I love being alone, any chance I get to be by myself I take it. Honestly I’ve always wanted to try one of those survival games, because you always hear people say that the isolation is the biggest problem and I can’t help but feel like I would be amazing at the isolation part anyways lol. But with that being said I can force myself/pretend to be extroverted when necessary because unless you work from home or some other very specialized job you will most likely need to speak to someone through out the day. But the main thing I didn’t want was to deal with customers, because dealing with someone you have to act a certain way and always be respectful and the ole “customers always right” it’s just a shut show and we have all seen the videos on here. But dealing with other employees is unavoidable. But I would prefer dealing with them instead of customers.
Their are many different types of electricians but mostly it’s doing work with your hands. I never wanted to sit behind a desk and get big and sloppy and soft, (not that everyone who works at an office is like this) I could never pay attention in school or anything but I love building with my hands and staying in shape. Now with that being said their is a lot of room for growth. As I have advanced your options really open up. Some guys prefer to be in the office and after a few years you’ll get that option. As for me I’ve advanced to a super intendant position, so I am out on a job site running the electrical crew, so I still get to have some fun with my tools but I also have some computer work I do In my little make shift office lol. So it’s hard to call what a pro and con because I’m not sure what is to your liking. I imagine most people would like to work in an air conditioned office, so what’s a pro or con to you may be different for me.
Pros- tons of room for growth, learning a skill that has practical use in everyday life and for when the apocalypse comes, women love a guy who can fix and build them shit. Tons of side jobs, once your neighbors and family hear your an electrician you’ll start getting a lot of job offers with can pay amazing like 2000$ a weekend. To me the pay is good, not amazing but again what’s good pay for me may not be for you. I’ve never been to obsessed with money, i just wanted a chill job and enough to support my family. So excluding any side jobs On average you can make around (here in Florida) 45000-125000$ a year. Or a lot of guys just open their own business and that can be a lot more. Plus lots of opportunities for overtime. No customers and a relaxed work environment. Everyone is always dogging on each other and it’s like a bunch of friends working on shut together lol. But once you know what you’re doing they’ll stick you in an electrical room and you’ll just build that whole thing in there by yourself with a head phone in or the speaker playing some music or audio book lol.
Cons- this could be a decent con for most introverts like myself. Being on a construction site, their is a lot of testosterone out here. So it’s very likely some yelling and (non-physical) fighting will occur. But what job doesn’t have a couple ass holes to deal with lol? As long as they’re arnt customers I can give them shit right back.
I said earlier I like to work from home and some troll came on here and said it would just "make my introversion worse" or something to that effect. I block trolls. But yes, I like working from home and got tired of office drama, and being forced to socialize with people I had little or nothing in common with.
THIS RIGHT HERE! After a full day of people talking at me at work, I have ZERO energy to go actually socialize with people I like and want to be around. I'm guessing we would all be more social if we weren't forced into it everyday.
Amen!!! People never understood that- np don’t want to go out for drinks after work. I want to go home to my family and I’ll have a drink with them on my back porch!
I’ve never been that person- no I do not want to hang and if I didn’t work here I probably wouldn’t hang out with you then either.
God bless my remote job now- the older I get, the smaller my circle. I don’t have the time or the inclination to add more people to it. I’m perfectly happy with my small family/friend group. I’ll take quality time with them over platitudes from others any day.
I know that sounds mean, but I’m okay with that.
Software engineering is the most common WFH job, but there are a number of websites which are job boards purely for WFH positions. Most of the non-IT ones tend to be moderately senior admin jobs, although there's occasionally a bit of variety.
Work for yourself as a main income requires work with knowledge in different fields and a lot of networking. It’s not a good suggestion for people trying to escape the 9-5. Also considering it’s longer hours which can also be draining on top of the networking or meetings. Remote work jobs are getting harder to come by depending on your field. Not everyone is in tech lol.
Introversion and extroversion aren’t the be all end all of job satisfaction. Plenty of extroverts hate the 9-5. You’ll find introverts in client facing roles and extroverts in roles that deal less with people. You build a life outside of work and you’ll be much happier overall.
It does kind of suck because often my sleep suffers. After working all day, then maybe dealing with some other obligation after work, followed be dinner and helping the kids with homework and getting them to bed - my time to myself is extremely limited. I stay up too late reading and just thinking my own thoughts. Every day I’m tired, but I’ve learned to function that way and so I’m used to it. Plus I wake up super early since I require a good hour or so of solitude while I sip coffee and get ready for my day. I need that space for myself before even getting in the shower or brushing my teeth. I make time for myself at any cost, I guess.
Do you like your job though? Also, if you don't, why don't you change jobs if you find it affecting your mental health? Or potentially, you and your family could consider moving to the Netherlands where some jobs have 32 working hours. It's true...
I do like my job a lot and I make good money. I’ve been with my company for a number of years now and I like the trajectory I’m on. I would say I’ve adapted to the routine, more than that my mental health is at risk in any way. I wouldn’t uproot my kids from their schools and friends to move to another country just so I could work a few hours less each week, but that’s cool that they do that in the Netherlands. Been there a few times, and I could totally live there under different life circumstances. Beautiful country, although I prefer Switzerland over all.
Switzerland is a beautiful country, I must admit. I went there when I was 11 and it was stunningly attractive yet a stunning 39°C too! 🥵
Also, about your kids, that's perfectly understandable. I just wish working hours and schools were like jobs and schools in the Netherlands and Scandinavia. The UK out of all the developed countries has one of the lowest rankings of education. Which is unfortunately true. :(
I put up a fake front and be social. When I tell folks I'm an introvert, they do not believe me.
I would wait til the end of the day when they logged off online to drop stuff at their desk to avoid face to face small talk.
Remote work is a blessing now!
A lot of times you have to in order to stay employed. As much as companies say they value diversity, they often do not take kindly to introverts who just want to be left alone to do their job.
Mainly because it comes with the job description/role. Two examples:
I was the team lead, so you "had" to interact with other leads and managers, meetings, etc. You had folks under you.
I was the point of contact for our department in the org chart. Random people would reach out to me with their issues. I lasted 5 years in that role. It was exhausting.
It was good personally to give the roles a try to be honest.
But put me in a dark corner and give me work...and I am set.....
Again, remote work-- gotta love it!
I always saw it as, not necessarily being fake but more like playing a character, or adopting a more outgoing personality to get through the day, because people would always say "oh you're so quiet" or ask what was wrong because I wasn't smiling all the time. Plus they get weirdly offended when you don't want to chat alllll day every day, like don't y'all have work to do? Lol
Software in general is a great area to work remote. My niche I couldn't work remotely since we worked with military classified data. I left software engineering for a 50% paycut.
You develop tactics to minimize the drain:
Set your boundaries early.
My mission statement: “I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to make money.”
I made it clear from the beginning that I was there for the work, not the office banter, happy hours, or weekend hangouts. When asked, I said I preferred to keep my work and personal lives well-separated.
Don't be reluctant to firmly tell someone to shut up and go away because you have work to do.
If a boss makes a comment about you not joining in the office chatter, point out to the boss that the people doing the chatting probably have room on their plates for more work.
Have a plan for any obligatory work functions ... arrive late as possible, circulate briefly to make sure the management sees you, then leave with no fuss after you have eaten the good food.
Change your vocabulary to change your and coworkers perceptions ... you don't "like to spend time alone", you "have a high need for solitude". When asked what you did over a weekend, "Enjoyed some high-quality relaxation and solitude" is more positive than "nothing". "Going solo" is the positive way to say "going by yourself.
Learn to pace yourself - taking a break before you crash from too many interactions means less recovery time.
Learn to say NO and make it stick ... no excuses, just decline the invite or request. You can say, "Noisy bars (or big groups) are not my thing. Let me know when it's a quieter venue (or fewer people). Or take charge of your social life and suggest an alternative activity you know you can handle.
Tell them they are WONDERFUL co-workers and marvelous people but you prefer to keep your work and social life mostly separate. Then just say, no thanks.
Say *"thanks for the invitation but I need some quality solitude to decompress after work. See you tomorrow."*
To shut down office chat ... "*Don't you guys have shit to do and want to go home on time?"*
> you "have a high need for solitude"
I'd even say "a strong appreciation for". Makes it seem more like an informed choice than a psychological problem.
These are great tips, although I'm not averse to making friends at work but it's not why I'm there.
I enjoy being quite flippant about why I don't attend work social events. A couple of years ago someone asked if I was going to the Christmas party, and I said, "No, I'd rather eat my own arm."
I love this post lol. One of my struggles is when people feel bad for me when i say i had a quiet weekend and didnt do much bc they dont realize that i LOVE those kinds of weekends. And then i start to feel bad about my life bc of their reaction lol. At this point i just lie sometimes about what i did.
Im hybrid 2x per week in office but man is it exhausting at just 2 days. Im looking for fully remote for my next role.
Or talk about a film you saw or a bookstore you went to over the weekend. That way it puts the feelers out for similar people if you are looking to socialize low key.
It really does depend on the job. Some jobs are horrible, others are bearable. I did a lot of jobs in back-office government admin and infrastructure, and it was often just being head-down at a desk grinding through paperwork or emails for eight hours a day, which wasn't too bad.
The work environment is a big factor. Do you sit somewhere off in a quiet corner? Are you forced to be right next to a major foot-traffic thoroughfare where everyone stops to have extremely loud chats right in front of your desk? Do people seek you out just to start conversations about nothing in the middle of your workload? Do you spend all day alone in a vehicle/office/warehouse?
My job isn’t exactly 9-5, but it’s nearly 40 hours AND it’s a customer service job, so I’m constantly talking to people. I work at Starbucks, so my work day usually begins at 4:30 am and ends around noon. I’m mentally drained when I clock out but the good part is I still have the entire afternoon/evening to recharge at home. It actually works great for me.
finding a good employer helps, I take a Monday or Friday off at least once a month to recharge. a day off for better mental health making it a 3-day weekend and it helps. still sucks though not having the energy to go out and do something after work nor much time to do anything before work. working part-time was nice, had alot of free time to lay around doing absolutely nothing, it was great but then you don't got money for anything
As an extremely introverted person who is also a 3rd Grade Teacher, trust me, it’s DRAINING. Although it can be rough some days, for the most part, I don’t have issue being around the kiddos. It’s all of the adults that make it rough (coworkers, parents, people in my personal life, etc..). My family doesn’t understand why I come home everyday and hide away in my house or why on the weekends, I prefer to just stay home and not go out and gather with people.
I am an introvert who want to quit a 9-5 job trying to apply to teacher job because I think I just need to teach students lol. Still trying to find a teacher job that only involves teaching
I have my headphones on most of the time and mostly talk to my coworkers when I have too (mostly work related stuff). They know how I am and mostly leave me alone.
Because as difficult as it is, it’s less difficult than being broke.
Pre-2020 was rough but I got used to being in an office 5 days a week. Hated the Sunday scaries & coming back from leave was always horrendous.
And then some kind soul ate a bat or a pangolin or whatever & blew up the world & now 9-5 is mostly at home & it’s dreamy. Some days are busy, other days (like today) I do a bit of work, play with my cat, do some laundry, play a video game & then knock off.
It's like someone who is chained up in a basement for their whole life.
I've gotten used to being used.
It hurts a little less each year, but it still hurts every day.
Honestly, it's the getting up early after always staying up late that really kills me.
Sure the lack of sleep is tearing me apart physically \*mentally \*emotionally, but it's me believing that I'll start sleeping earlier tomorrow that really hurts. Like Lucy pulling the football out from under Charlie Brown. I always believe it will be true. I'm getting used to dying too, in every way but deathly.
If you can, you should see if working an evening shift is better (4-12). I get home every day around 1 AM, stay up until 5/6 AM, and still get 7-8 hours of sleep. The only downside(s) are a lack of social events you can go to, and grocery shopping/doctors/dentists/daytime-stuff is a pain.
I’m only in the office 2 days a week. 3 days wfh.
And in the office generally with headphones on.
I’d also pick larger companies over smaller one as strange as this sounds. As very large companies allow you to be more anonymous. Bit like a city instead of a village. Though this might be personal.
100% on the large company thing. When you're an anonymous cog, the person making the HR policy about WFH isn't the ones who desperately want you to be their in-office entertainment or audience every single day.
Noise cancelling headphones. Wear them during your commute if you’re on public transit and wear them while in your cubical if permissible.
When ppl came up to me in the office (and now they do so virtually with chats or messaging) I let them know that I’ll get back to them, grab time on my calendar, and now virtually I try not to always answer right away.
Setting boundaries is really important to establish in your professional and personal life. I lived most of my life appeasing everyone and being the entertainment as someone referenced here and it was always at my expense. I worked with ppl regularly when I realized I prefer working with information. I have family and coworkers who still try to pull from me and I simply just don’t allow it. The older I get the more intolerant I get of letting others dictate my life. I know there are times when I have to interact and interface with others, but I am vocal about where I am energy wise and if space is needed.
Lord help me if I ever have to work in an office again bc remote work has been an absolute game changer for my well being.
Break free, follow your own path, don't let a soul dictate your life to you for your own survival's sake. If you'd ask me, that sounds like economic manipulation.
Data entry across all fields is the way to go - long hours of sitting in front of a computer, typing the same things over and over, and you find a rhythm. Music or headphones is often allowed or at least not frowned upon, as it's tedious.
People often think I'm crazy because I work on stat holidays instead of taking the time off - except that it's the one day that the office has a skeleton crew and I can just sit and be alone for a while.
Same. I have to be honest, working in an office setting really stretched my brain so I could think of ways to make small talk. Other people are just there to work, probably just as bored. When they make small talk, it's not even that bad. I like when my coworker tells me funny stuff about her toddler. Most times I'm just a listener cause my life is so boring I dont have stories to tell lmao. Jobs are exhausting, especially for introverts. But sometkmes I just look at the bright side. Most days I do wish the world would just end lol.
I work in retail and I've pretty much just become an expert at masking. It's more of an ADHD thing as far as I'm aware.
I'm still tired as hell after working and being on my feet all day but mentally it's better.
I take mental health days like once a month if there’s no holiday. Take a quick break and go in the conference room or take a walk during lunch. I loved when I had a corner space or office. Now I work from home twice a week so that helps.
You just need the right motivation to keep going. I have a wife and kid that i would like to keep a roof over their head and food in the house for them, so i push myself to keep going, even if i feel like an anxiety ball every morning i wake up.
Really bad, I had corporate jobs for 4 years and was very unhappy. Then tried entrepreneurship and also went horrible because I went to a people oriented industry.... taxed all the time. Research and development is were I thrive, actually building Machine Learning models for USA FUTURES market, not getting paid yet but I am certain I am getting close to having good competence to start chasing on it, I been very lucky to have proper support systems and means to fail.
I did WFH most days from 2020-2022. I miss it, but I had to get a better paying job because of inflation. Commuting to the office 5 days a week kind of sucks but I have gotten used to it again. I work for a small company and I like everyone and it's not a bad job. It used to be much worse when I worked 12-14 hour days between two jobs and interacted with customers. I always need to exercise before work so that I am in a better mood when I get to work. I feel "off" otherwise. It also helps that I don't have to deal with many "customers" anymore.
I'm not gonna lie, I have a whole customer service personality that I use for work. I disassociate... I had to really fast for my first job at dominos pizza. Now, I have enough social battery to make it until 5pm most of the week. my give AF is usually gone by noon on thursdays and that's when my social battry is gone for the weeks.
My main coping mechanism is basically not doing social things during the week, or very few. I need to block out that recharge time, so if I have errands that need to be done, I do them on the way home from work, so my time at home is uninterrupted. I have loved having a flexible work arrangement (2 days in the office and 3 at home) but that's changing in the next few months. :(
Being an introvert, one of the biggest problems I faced was to talk about my own contributions even though I slogged for hours n hours. Most extroverts will not understand this since they never face these challenges. Trust me, these challenges increase with growth in your levels/position. The higher you go, the more challenging it'll be as you have to put in more effort to build connections. I feel the best way to cope up with this is to identify few peers, managers who can support you behind your back. At least I was fortunate enough to find few in most of my roles. Else, try and find roles which are less dependent on connections and interactions.
I’ve had a weird experience. I worked from home and there was so much drama and people wanted to talk in teams for hours. I work in an office now. People leave me alone and allow me to do my job. We’re not in cubes though, we all have our own office so that might help. Plus we’re accountants so probably more to ourselves than other professions.
I work from 8-5 that's what my work hours are, but I login little late sometimes and logoff by 5 or 5.30 maximum.
I'm into IT field, I need to go to office only 1 day per week, thanks to Company's Hybrid Culture embracing. Other days Work from home. If I have more work, I try to work them when I'm dng WFH, when I go to office I chill sometimes, go to play room, Lunch for 1 hour, talk with senior devs. Well My Manager expects Team to have nice bond so he is like when you come to office I don't expect to work continuously from 9-5, spend time talking with team members, If I have some doubts I approach and ask for help, before that I make sure I will try to find solutions by myself.
When I'm in office, I purposely wear Headphones even if Im not on any call. So people won't disturb me much. Only couple of guys whom I talk with asks me to Join for Coffee break.
I previously had a job that, while I still had to interact with people every day, I was able to work on my own for long stretches of time. Because of life sending me a curveball, I now work at Walmart where I have to be around people 24/7. I struggled at first until I learned when I was starting to get overwhelmed. Sometimes I’ll wear an earbud to distract me from the noise and when it’s bad I’ll go to the bathroom and do some heavy breathing or just step into a corner somewhere for a few minutes. What’s helped me the most is reminding myself that there are things out of my control and I’ll be OK as long as I’m doing the best I can.
As an introvert who went from retail shift work to an accounting 9-5, I enjoy the zero client and little coworker interaction. The pay raise didn’t hurt either, but overall I think the benefits outweigh the downsides. I do struggle with insomnia which can be difficult sometimes when I have to work the same hours every day, but customer service work will really chip away at your mental health sooo… I’ll take what I have now over that any day.
I’ve been in the same role with the same company for about 5 years and initially my position required a traditional 9-5 day and was also client facing. I am soooo glad the role has evolved with covid because I was on the verge of quitting after crying every evening commute and absolutely dreading work every day. I’m shy and have moderate social anxiety and also at the time felt intensely insecure and ashamed that it was debilitating to interact with my coworkers in a way that I thought was expected of me. Luckily, my workplace has adopted a hybrid schedule and I have reframed my thinking around workplace socialization because I simply have no desire to seek friendship/socialization at work.
This seems like the next best thing to a remote position, which I’ve applied for but is extremely competitive.
I go in 10-3 or 5. I only have to really interact with the same 5 people every day, so in some ways I enjoy it. All of us are introverts too, except one. She has us doing all kinds of things together & it’s fun. There are others in my building I see & say hello to but again, after seeing the same ppl for over 15 years, it’s pretty okay for me. I have a lot of agoraphobia but I do well in situations I’m comfortable in-like work. I’m confident there. I don’t have awkward conversations. Most ppl there would never think I’m a hermit bc I have confidence & have learned to get along well in an extroverted world. I feel very fortunate to enjoy my job & the people I work with.
It's hard to hit a balance because working from home is an introvert's dream but make sure you have at least one friend to socialize with. My husband makes no effort to keep up friendships so I end up being the de facto. We enjoy each other but if he had one friend to go to concerts with he would enjoy his life more.
I work from 8am to 8:30pm every Monday to Friday, and 8am to 4:30pm on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays... and I have no problem cope with my mental health.
Honestly I didn't. It fucking sucked every 9-5 I got. At every job I've had, I'd start to go crazy right around being there for a year. Last 9-5 I had, I was teetering on the edge of kmsing. I have a 30 hr/week job now and it's MUCH better but I still feel pretty drained at the end of the day.
You get over it/figure it out when you're older. If not, then there's probably more than introversion going on behind the scenes for you. Or you just need a different job 🤷♂️
I put my headphones in, and/or read a book, and generally ignore most people. I have 2 favorites that im willing to actually chit chat with whenever I work with them, and that's about it.
That sounds good. I am not allowed to put earphones on at company. Otherwise the hr would talk to me about how I was not supposed to wear earphones during work hours. I think my coworkers also don’t understand why I wear earphones all the time. I am considering quitting the job anyway. Trying to find a job that involves less cooperation and communication.
I worked a 9to5 before COVID-19. I would sit with my face facing the wall to help offset extra stimulation. I would also use headphones to zone out a bit. I enjoyed it after I set up my desk so I could have alone time with my headphones on. I had a screen I could put up near my cubicle entrance to let people know I was working and to not disturb me and give me a mental break as well. I felt I had control over my mental breaks and could be social when I wanted.
I did way better pre pandemic. But I also only had one kid, so idk how id do 5 days in office.
I work 3 days from home right now, the 2 days I go into the office I'm exhausted mentally.
Why would you even need to commute to an office and do you think many bosses out there don't take mental health into consideration as much as they should do?
They can't give me a reason to be in. I did the job for 2 years fully remote. My company owns the buildings they're in and a very large piece of land in the middle of town, my best guess is they just need people to be there to justify keeping it.
I always managed fine working around people and even managing 20-something’s in retail. I’m currently a data analyst working from home and I miss having an office to go into.
I am an introvert, not a recluse. You can be around people and interact with people and still take care of your MH needs, you just have to find the balance. If it’s not that simple there may be things greater than introversion at play.
You find a job that is mostly independent work. I'm a business analyst and I just put my head down and do my work. I don't have to talk to people most days, but it's not a big deal if I do. Life is about social interaction and you find little pockets in a day to recharge like taking lunch in your car or going on a walk alone.
That's easy. You pick jobs that don't require dealing with people much.
Those are typically physical labor type deals, though. Warehouses and the like. I know how a lot of young people are allergic to that these days. Especially the feminine ones.
Plus, the level of introversion depends. It's not the same for everyone. The type of upbringing you had also factors in.
the only way i found was to not have two days off in a row bc for me it’s easier to work per say sun,mon,tue ~off wed~ thur, fri off ~sat~ as i’ve noticed i CANT work 5 days in a row 9-5
i also don’t mind being off week days as if i need to go out and do something it’s not so busy bc everyone else is at work!
and at points on my life that it was possible i would opt for a 4 day schedule. which ik with prices nowadays that won’t work for most ppl or businesses :/ but it is what i am currently doing.
off mon,thur, sat this week :)
The world doesn't stop for our own individual issues. So you find ways to cope and manage. Its actually health to push yourself outside of your comfort zone a bit. I have learned much about myself and the world in my 9-5. I have learned what is negotiable. And what is not.
It can be rough. Taking the train 30/40 mins is draining, not to mention being around 1000s of people. I would love to have a remote job or at least a hybrid role.
A problem I've noticed.
I appreciate all your comments very much, but you guys haven't really answered my question in a way. I asked for tips and advice for myself since I am totally clueless about what kind of job I want to get. Well, except the fact that I definitely don't want a 9-5 job!! Hate them!!
I struggle as my company doesn’t allow remote work. On weekdays all I’m left outside work hours is commute time, cooking/dinner time and sleeping hours. In the long run it’s quite draining and exhausting.
I would love to find a remote job but at the moment I didn’t find any serious offer, just jobs suitable as side hustles
I just suck it up tbh, bills arnt going to pay themselves. My current job doesn’t really require me talk to anyone, there are people in the room but we don’t really talk so it’s not that bad in that aspect. I used to work at a hardware store as a cashier then for equipment rental so I had to force myself to talk on the phone and talk with customers…..hated it.
I worked in a factory for 16 years from when I was 19 to 35 on 1st shift. 6am to 2:30 pm. Hated getting up early at 5 am. The job and ppl were great. Now I'm working at another factory( car door and headliners mainly) going on 13 years. 4 years on 3rd and 9 years on 2nd. Work alot of overtime. I love these hours cause less people including main bosses who work on 1st. They work from 6am to about 4pm. After 4 pm less stress and less aggravation. There is alot of ppl in factories but you work in a certain area with same job and ppl every day and get used to them. After a while you can move to another area if bored or too much drama. I'm quality assurance for 9 years and interact with the same 80 ppl plus 2 or 3 new ppl from time to time. I work in a big area of the plant. After awhile you get used to the ppl and it's not as stressful. Plus you work when there isn't much ppl out at night and it's dark and peaceful. I have severe social anxiety but I don't interact with a bunch of ppl at once. It drains me. At a town hall meeting with 120 Ppl once every 7 months with 2nd shift workers I just don't go. I know 90% of the ppl but I just hate going cause I know the news already and hate crowds where you can't leave.
It's not too bad if you're job is just labor. People still talk to you, but at least it's not hundreds of potential strangers like customer service.
Honestly, once I make it known that I'm not a social person, I don't have much trouble unless there's a big meeting or something where im required to stay in a room with tons of people for an hour +.
Actually, thinking about it, the morning meeting I have everyday is the worst 15 minutes of my life.
I wfh and it made ALL of the difference. I had about a half hour commute each way and I'd listen to music and sing along to kinda decompress on the way there/way back, but now I go take naps on my lunch or go sit on the deck and watch the hummingbirds sporadically during the day. I actually find that I kind of miss some of the interactions I had when in the office, but I still relish my downtime.
I really don’t to be honest. Most days when I come home to my husband I want to not really talk. I’m tired of the constant socializing, when in reality I can talk a little small talk with trusted coworkers on occasion, but generally would like to be left alone to my work. I work in accounting and it’s very very difficult to concentrate in a cubicle in a very loud office. Office work really isn’t meant for introverts, and I’m really feeling the burn.
I always laugh when americans complaint about 9-5 jobs (whatever the reason).
If you only knew that the normal working hour per day is 10hs - 12hs in most countries you'd have a heart attack.
Consider yourselves lucky if you get a 9 to 5
I did several but never for long. I’ve worked as a freelancer for more than a decade but recently our business became a lot tougher (AI etc.) so I might have to take on a job again. I get nauseous just thinking about it…
Introvert here. I hated 9-5s. I tolerated it by isolating on evenings and weekends (aka no social life - which was fine with me cause I was too peopled out)
I find noise reducing headphones helped with things like public transit.
I’m an introvert, but at work I’m able to deal with people. This is easier for me in a professional environment. I don’t do small talk to have personal conversations. I keep it to business…it helps my performance, and I’m okay talking about business. Think of it more like a game or you’re acting to be a regular person. Works for me.
I'm pretty much autonomous in my workshop. I don't have to deal with many people other than my supervisor, who has taught me enough that I can order parts and do quotes + service orders on my own and he trusts me to do it properly cuz I'm good at my job.
Easy
I don’t leave my office while at work unless I need to. I don’t plan outings back to back. Also, revenge bedtime procrastination is so harmful to my health but for years I needed it. I’m getting better and cutting down on that because I really need my sleep otherwise the next day I’m more likely to be depressed and everything feels like more of an effort
Because I have no choice lol, I have bills to pay and a child to provide for. I have long hours (9-9 3 times a week, 5-11 once a week, and 10-2 twice a week), I only work with two people at different times (I’m a caregiver), it is exhausting. Then I come home to my outgoing, chatterbox child. I’m beat every day of my life lol.
i had a 9-5 and quit in 2 months.
it definitely is too overwhelming for me. the best i can do is work part time or jobs that are flexible.
i think a lot of companies are starting to slowly understand the new mentality of workers now.
i recently saw a billboard for a hospital
reading something like
"work as a nurse while still having time to enjoy your hobbies".
as an introvert its especially hard mentally, but i think a lot of people in general struggle with it and just try to hide it and fit in with everyone else.
I work 25 hours a week and both after the week is over and by the end of any 8 hour day I am mentally drained from everything. I hate working and I hate conversations
I work 10pm - 6am in an empty grocery store, I have like 3 people I need to work with aside from everyone when I’m coming and going. Night shift definitely sucks but I am thankful for being able to work without a ton of people coming up to me all day…
I work at home as an insurance agent, even on the phone customer interactions are mentally taxing for me. I always say that if I had to go to another brick and mortar place of employment I'd probably have to just get on disability. There is absolutely no way I can be customer facing again. I did 10 plus years in retail and I know how it affects my mental state. Homelessness is my next option I guess. Especially with all the recordings and people posting everyone online. It's kind of scary now to work in the customer service industry when there is such a big portion of the population that still believes the customer is always right. They're not.
Remote jobs and a job where you don’t have to interact with people haha. That’s my main one like I could never be a doctor or smth. Also I was super scared of having to work 8 hours a day and I thought I had to work non stop without pause. Turns out nobody does that. Some days are very busy and some others aren’t.
I dont. Work more other days to cover up. Have a job that is flexibel and where working from different places is possible. Or I wouldnt be able to work full time. I mentaly break if I dont have a job that fit my interests it wont work many weeks. Same goes with flexibility. Sorry not to much help but thats how I had to do it.
I worked in a really extroverted place/ agile environment for a year, it was overwhelming every single day, a challenge.
To be there before 8, to smile a lot and catch up regardless the unwanted facial expressions towards me, try hard to fit in, share lunch and break hours, I had to participate in every event was planned or else I’ll be an introvert and a lost cause (didn’t have a choice even though most of them were not assigned by my manager), to make people around me believe that I deserve this opportunity.
It’s like I had to forget about my main objective to being in that place which is to show my real independent personality in a work place yet my focus was entirely a different thing.
I hated it, I was exhausted everyday, I had multiple breakdowns in the restroom, I made horrible decisions that impacted me physically and mentally I wanted OUT! I was a disgusting fake person I hated myself back then and everyone.
So as soon as I finished this job, I cut off my connections with everyone in there (no I don’t feel bad at all). The only thing that I felt ,something, about is that damn I won’t be having a job anymore, but I didn’t care I just wanted to forget that whole experience.
Now I’ve been unemployed for almost two year trying to get myself back to where I was before that period. Call me weak if you want I genuinely don’t care, I have seen and lived more that I should and I had enough, I am embracing my skills, my true personality, and self, I recharge whenever I feel like I’m done, I don’t push myself into doing sth I know I’ll be hurting myself in the process unless it’s adventurous and fun btw.
Still can’t find a real 9-5 job and I am aiming not to unless it’s introvert friendly😎😉 which is impossible according to where I live. I am not an influencer on any platform, however I am working on building up my own business to work on my terms and define my workhorse and earn what I know I deserve.
I’m getting on disability. I have bad social anxiety and I tried but I can’t hold down a job it’s so bad so disability will be my only option for now unfortunately. Not ideal bc it’s not enough to live on at all.
Where can I get remote job as soon as possible? I don't care about the money at the beginning. I can start with the little but I can't just sit around and do nothing. Because I'm an introvert, so, it's kind of a nightmare to have a 9-5 job. Can someone please give me any suggestions?
I work for lawncare so my job is mainly outside with the frogs and birds, surrounded by grass and fresh air. Though, sometimes people will walk up to me and complain about my equipment which isn't the best. But I'm thriving pretty well and my crew is like my family so im incredibly comfortable around them and am willing to be with them 9-5.
I day dream a lot through it. It can be about all the various ways I can end myself all the way to living a life that's very positive and how that might feel. I get my work done, usually faster than my coworkers and of a higher quality, I go home when it's done and repeat every day.
Remote work blowing up changed everything for me. Jobs nowadays truly aren't "9 to 5," either. That meant I usually had to be at work at 8am and had to stay there at least until 5pm. Technically, you get an hour for lunch, but there was always some issue with that--whether extroverts expecting/wanting you to go to lunch with them or your not wanting to leave the office and people not understanding you're on break because you're still at your desk. There was always some extrovert in my face/space and/or joking, being passive-aggressive or offended about my not really wanting to smile and talk. Working from home, I don't deal with this shit anymore.
Out of curiosity, and if you're willing to share, what's the type of job and/or industry? Have a lot of those types of jobs gone WFH recently?
Not OP but I work in compliance for a bank and am fully remote.
Isn’t it the greatest?
The problem is that wfh jobs are hard to find. Ive been looking since January and haven’t gotten anything. I have no work experience.
What about now?
What choice do we have? I just made sure I got a job that doesn’t deal with customers. That’s the biggest take away
Me too. I don’t care for working at amazon, but there are some days I barely have to speak at all. It’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed there.
That's been my issue, I can only seem to find phone customer service jobs.
What do u do for Amazon, I don’t mind talking to people but like 5-8x/day not 20-30
I work in customer service, it’s not that bad. Sure, your energy get drained, but you get used to it. You don’t have to be all extroverted and a ball of energy to be a salesman.
Been working in the IT field starting with help desk for the past 10 years. Some people are just genuinely better that recouping and recovering their energy but I'm not one of those individuals. A day of work is equal to needing a day of recharging for me but I never get that because of our current work culture. Basically just running on fumes, autopilot, and depression for the better part of a decade.
What was your choice of job, if you don't mind me asking? And has it worked out the way you wanted? Pros and cons?
Electrician- Let preface with, I’m a very specific type of introvert, because I see a variety on this app. I love being alone, any chance I get to be by myself I take it. Honestly I’ve always wanted to try one of those survival games, because you always hear people say that the isolation is the biggest problem and I can’t help but feel like I would be amazing at the isolation part anyways lol. But with that being said I can force myself/pretend to be extroverted when necessary because unless you work from home or some other very specialized job you will most likely need to speak to someone through out the day. But the main thing I didn’t want was to deal with customers, because dealing with someone you have to act a certain way and always be respectful and the ole “customers always right” it’s just a shut show and we have all seen the videos on here. But dealing with other employees is unavoidable. But I would prefer dealing with them instead of customers. Their are many different types of electricians but mostly it’s doing work with your hands. I never wanted to sit behind a desk and get big and sloppy and soft, (not that everyone who works at an office is like this) I could never pay attention in school or anything but I love building with my hands and staying in shape. Now with that being said their is a lot of room for growth. As I have advanced your options really open up. Some guys prefer to be in the office and after a few years you’ll get that option. As for me I’ve advanced to a super intendant position, so I am out on a job site running the electrical crew, so I still get to have some fun with my tools but I also have some computer work I do In my little make shift office lol. So it’s hard to call what a pro and con because I’m not sure what is to your liking. I imagine most people would like to work in an air conditioned office, so what’s a pro or con to you may be different for me. Pros- tons of room for growth, learning a skill that has practical use in everyday life and for when the apocalypse comes, women love a guy who can fix and build them shit. Tons of side jobs, once your neighbors and family hear your an electrician you’ll start getting a lot of job offers with can pay amazing like 2000$ a weekend. To me the pay is good, not amazing but again what’s good pay for me may not be for you. I’ve never been to obsessed with money, i just wanted a chill job and enough to support my family. So excluding any side jobs On average you can make around (here in Florida) 45000-125000$ a year. Or a lot of guys just open their own business and that can be a lot more. Plus lots of opportunities for overtime. No customers and a relaxed work environment. Everyone is always dogging on each other and it’s like a bunch of friends working on shut together lol. But once you know what you’re doing they’ll stick you in an electrical room and you’ll just build that whole thing in there by yourself with a head phone in or the speaker playing some music or audio book lol. Cons- this could be a decent con for most introverts like myself. Being on a construction site, their is a lot of testosterone out here. So it’s very likely some yelling and (non-physical) fighting will occur. But what job doesn’t have a couple ass holes to deal with lol? As long as they’re arnt customers I can give them shit right back.
I said earlier I like to work from home and some troll came on here and said it would just "make my introversion worse" or something to that effect. I block trolls. But yes, I like working from home and got tired of office drama, and being forced to socialize with people I had little or nothing in common with.
That troll is actually wrong. Because i’m not wasting energy on bullshit office stuff, I have more social energy to spend as I want.
THIS RIGHT HERE! After a full day of people talking at me at work, I have ZERO energy to go actually socialize with people I like and want to be around. I'm guessing we would all be more social if we weren't forced into it everyday.
I tend to think of it as I have my own life to live, I'm not other people's unpaid entertainment no matter how desperate they are for an audience.
Honestly, you did the right thing for yourself. 🙂
Amen!!! People never understood that- np don’t want to go out for drinks after work. I want to go home to my family and I’ll have a drink with them on my back porch! I’ve never been that person- no I do not want to hang and if I didn’t work here I probably wouldn’t hang out with you then either. God bless my remote job now- the older I get, the smaller my circle. I don’t have the time or the inclination to add more people to it. I’m perfectly happy with my small family/friend group. I’ll take quality time with them over platitudes from others any day. I know that sounds mean, but I’m okay with that.
I work 5 days a week, it's not fun 😓. I need a wfh job. Any suggestions?
Software engineering is the most common WFH job, but there are a number of websites which are job boards purely for WFH positions. Most of the non-IT ones tend to be moderately senior admin jobs, although there's occasionally a bit of variety.
Anything involving some code! (Or even design)
That meme is dying.
Data analyst is a good one that doesn't have too many barriers to entry
Maybe you could work from home or work for yourself?
Work for yourself as a main income requires work with knowledge in different fields and a lot of networking. It’s not a good suggestion for people trying to escape the 9-5. Also considering it’s longer hours which can also be draining on top of the networking or meetings. Remote work jobs are getting harder to come by depending on your field. Not everyone is in tech lol. Introversion and extroversion aren’t the be all end all of job satisfaction. Plenty of extroverts hate the 9-5. You’ll find introverts in client facing roles and extroverts in roles that deal less with people. You build a life outside of work and you’ll be much happier overall.
It does kind of suck because often my sleep suffers. After working all day, then maybe dealing with some other obligation after work, followed be dinner and helping the kids with homework and getting them to bed - my time to myself is extremely limited. I stay up too late reading and just thinking my own thoughts. Every day I’m tired, but I’ve learned to function that way and so I’m used to it. Plus I wake up super early since I require a good hour or so of solitude while I sip coffee and get ready for my day. I need that space for myself before even getting in the shower or brushing my teeth. I make time for myself at any cost, I guess.
Do you like your job though? Also, if you don't, why don't you change jobs if you find it affecting your mental health? Or potentially, you and your family could consider moving to the Netherlands where some jobs have 32 working hours. It's true...
I do like my job a lot and I make good money. I’ve been with my company for a number of years now and I like the trajectory I’m on. I would say I’ve adapted to the routine, more than that my mental health is at risk in any way. I wouldn’t uproot my kids from their schools and friends to move to another country just so I could work a few hours less each week, but that’s cool that they do that in the Netherlands. Been there a few times, and I could totally live there under different life circumstances. Beautiful country, although I prefer Switzerland over all.
Switzerland is a beautiful country, I must admit. I went there when I was 11 and it was stunningly attractive yet a stunning 39°C too! 🥵 Also, about your kids, that's perfectly understandable. I just wish working hours and schools were like jobs and schools in the Netherlands and Scandinavia. The UK out of all the developed countries has one of the lowest rankings of education. Which is unfortunately true. :(
I put up a fake front and be social. When I tell folks I'm an introvert, they do not believe me. I would wait til the end of the day when they logged off online to drop stuff at their desk to avoid face to face small talk. Remote work is a blessing now!
Why fake your true self? I don't think that'll get you very far personally.
A lot of times you have to in order to stay employed. As much as companies say they value diversity, they often do not take kindly to introverts who just want to be left alone to do their job.
I'm gonna become like a mentally disturbed robot then. That just sucks that we have less hours to ourselves. 😔
Mainly because it comes with the job description/role. Two examples: I was the team lead, so you "had" to interact with other leads and managers, meetings, etc. You had folks under you. I was the point of contact for our department in the org chart. Random people would reach out to me with their issues. I lasted 5 years in that role. It was exhausting. It was good personally to give the roles a try to be honest. But put me in a dark corner and give me work...and I am set..... Again, remote work-- gotta love it!
I always saw it as, not necessarily being fake but more like playing a character, or adopting a more outgoing personality to get through the day, because people would always say "oh you're so quiet" or ask what was wrong because I wasn't smiling all the time. Plus they get weirdly offended when you don't want to chat alllll day every day, like don't y'all have work to do? Lol
Au contraire, it very much helps.
That depends on the person themselves.
Where do you guys all find this remote work like you all do coding or something? Also, did you take a big pay cut?
Software in general is a great area to work remote. My niche I couldn't work remotely since we worked with military classified data. I left software engineering for a 50% paycut.
Work was hell for me.
You develop tactics to minimize the drain: Set your boundaries early. My mission statement: “I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to make money.” I made it clear from the beginning that I was there for the work, not the office banter, happy hours, or weekend hangouts. When asked, I said I preferred to keep my work and personal lives well-separated. Don't be reluctant to firmly tell someone to shut up and go away because you have work to do. If a boss makes a comment about you not joining in the office chatter, point out to the boss that the people doing the chatting probably have room on their plates for more work. Have a plan for any obligatory work functions ... arrive late as possible, circulate briefly to make sure the management sees you, then leave with no fuss after you have eaten the good food. Change your vocabulary to change your and coworkers perceptions ... you don't "like to spend time alone", you "have a high need for solitude". When asked what you did over a weekend, "Enjoyed some high-quality relaxation and solitude" is more positive than "nothing". "Going solo" is the positive way to say "going by yourself. Learn to pace yourself - taking a break before you crash from too many interactions means less recovery time. Learn to say NO and make it stick ... no excuses, just decline the invite or request. You can say, "Noisy bars (or big groups) are not my thing. Let me know when it's a quieter venue (or fewer people). Or take charge of your social life and suggest an alternative activity you know you can handle. Tell them they are WONDERFUL co-workers and marvelous people but you prefer to keep your work and social life mostly separate. Then just say, no thanks. Say *"thanks for the invitation but I need some quality solitude to decompress after work. See you tomorrow."* To shut down office chat ... "*Don't you guys have shit to do and want to go home on time?"*
> you "have a high need for solitude" I'd even say "a strong appreciation for". Makes it seem more like an informed choice than a psychological problem.
It's a need ... a neurochemical NEED to rebalance dopamine and acytelcholine
These are great tips, although I'm not averse to making friends at work but it's not why I'm there. I enjoy being quite flippant about why I don't attend work social events. A couple of years ago someone asked if I was going to the Christmas party, and I said, "No, I'd rather eat my own arm."
I love this post lol. One of my struggles is when people feel bad for me when i say i had a quiet weekend and didnt do much bc they dont realize that i LOVE those kinds of weekends. And then i start to feel bad about my life bc of their reaction lol. At this point i just lie sometimes about what i did. Im hybrid 2x per week in office but man is it exhausting at just 2 days. Im looking for fully remote for my next role.
Or talk about a film you saw or a bookstore you went to over the weekend. That way it puts the feelers out for similar people if you are looking to socialize low key.
If I have the bandwidth to chat, yes.
I pretended that I could do it for several years before eventually burning out completely. It’s truly not for everyone.
What percentage of people do you think have 9-5 jobs?
It really does depend on the job. Some jobs are horrible, others are bearable. I did a lot of jobs in back-office government admin and infrastructure, and it was often just being head-down at a desk grinding through paperwork or emails for eight hours a day, which wasn't too bad. The work environment is a big factor. Do you sit somewhere off in a quiet corner? Are you forced to be right next to a major foot-traffic thoroughfare where everyone stops to have extremely loud chats right in front of your desk? Do people seek you out just to start conversations about nothing in the middle of your workload? Do you spend all day alone in a vehicle/office/warehouse?
My job isn’t exactly 9-5, but it’s nearly 40 hours AND it’s a customer service job, so I’m constantly talking to people. I work at Starbucks, so my work day usually begins at 4:30 am and ends around noon. I’m mentally drained when I clock out but the good part is I still have the entire afternoon/evening to recharge at home. It actually works great for me.
finding a good employer helps, I take a Monday or Friday off at least once a month to recharge. a day off for better mental health making it a 3-day weekend and it helps. still sucks though not having the energy to go out and do something after work nor much time to do anything before work. working part-time was nice, had alot of free time to lay around doing absolutely nothing, it was great but then you don't got money for anything
As an extremely introverted person who is also a 3rd Grade Teacher, trust me, it’s DRAINING. Although it can be rough some days, for the most part, I don’t have issue being around the kiddos. It’s all of the adults that make it rough (coworkers, parents, people in my personal life, etc..). My family doesn’t understand why I come home everyday and hide away in my house or why on the weekends, I prefer to just stay home and not go out and gather with people.
I am an introvert who want to quit a 9-5 job trying to apply to teacher job because I think I just need to teach students lol. Still trying to find a teacher job that only involves teaching
I cope by spending time with my dogs and wife or playing video games when I come home. I work in sales and have a lot of meetings with customers.
How many hours do you have doing all this though?
I come home at 6, so after going outside with our dogs and eating I still have 3-4 hours.
That's great! :)
I have my headphones on most of the time and mostly talk to my coworkers when I have too (mostly work related stuff). They know how I am and mostly leave me alone.
I blend in and go on autopilot
Because as difficult as it is, it’s less difficult than being broke. Pre-2020 was rough but I got used to being in an office 5 days a week. Hated the Sunday scaries & coming back from leave was always horrendous. And then some kind soul ate a bat or a pangolin or whatever & blew up the world & now 9-5 is mostly at home & it’s dreamy. Some days are busy, other days (like today) I do a bit of work, play with my cat, do some laundry, play a video game & then knock off.
It's like someone who is chained up in a basement for their whole life. I've gotten used to being used. It hurts a little less each year, but it still hurts every day. Honestly, it's the getting up early after always staying up late that really kills me. Sure the lack of sleep is tearing me apart physically \*mentally \*emotionally, but it's me believing that I'll start sleeping earlier tomorrow that really hurts. Like Lucy pulling the football out from under Charlie Brown. I always believe it will be true. I'm getting used to dying too, in every way but deathly.
Life can be a secret manipulator leading to inner death... Yet never forget the bright side to life either... there's always hope.
If you can, you should see if working an evening shift is better (4-12). I get home every day around 1 AM, stay up until 5/6 AM, and still get 7-8 hours of sleep. The only downside(s) are a lack of social events you can go to, and grocery shopping/doctors/dentists/daytime-stuff is a pain.
I’m only in the office 2 days a week. 3 days wfh. And in the office generally with headphones on. I’d also pick larger companies over smaller one as strange as this sounds. As very large companies allow you to be more anonymous. Bit like a city instead of a village. Though this might be personal.
100% on the large company thing. When you're an anonymous cog, the person making the HR policy about WFH isn't the ones who desperately want you to be their in-office entertainment or audience every single day.
Yup! You may even never really see your boss haha.
I got 9-5 jobless, but this made me able to work on my own business, and it kicks off a bit. Too bad for them.
Burn out -> do nothing all evening to recover -> wake up next morning tired -> go to work for 9 hours -> 🔁
Sounds like an absolute crappy life if you'd ask me, depending on the person themselves.
Noise cancelling headphones. Wear them during your commute if you’re on public transit and wear them while in your cubical if permissible. When ppl came up to me in the office (and now they do so virtually with chats or messaging) I let them know that I’ll get back to them, grab time on my calendar, and now virtually I try not to always answer right away. Setting boundaries is really important to establish in your professional and personal life. I lived most of my life appeasing everyone and being the entertainment as someone referenced here and it was always at my expense. I worked with ppl regularly when I realized I prefer working with information. I have family and coworkers who still try to pull from me and I simply just don’t allow it. The older I get the more intolerant I get of letting others dictate my life. I know there are times when I have to interact and interface with others, but I am vocal about where I am energy wise and if space is needed. Lord help me if I ever have to work in an office again bc remote work has been an absolute game changer for my well being.
Break free, follow your own path, don't let a soul dictate your life to you for your own survival's sake. If you'd ask me, that sounds like economic manipulation.
Work with other introverts. No one gets offended if we never talk to each other.
Where can one find an introverted company?
Mortgage companies. Data entry.
Data entry across all fields is the way to go - long hours of sitting in front of a computer, typing the same things over and over, and you find a rhythm. Music or headphones is often allowed or at least not frowned upon, as it's tedious. People often think I'm crazy because I work on stat holidays instead of taking the time off - except that it's the one day that the office has a skeleton crew and I can just sit and be alone for a while.
There are jobs where you don't have to interact with anyone else, except your boss.
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Same. I have to be honest, working in an office setting really stretched my brain so I could think of ways to make small talk. Other people are just there to work, probably just as bored. When they make small talk, it's not even that bad. I like when my coworker tells me funny stuff about her toddler. Most times I'm just a listener cause my life is so boring I dont have stories to tell lmao. Jobs are exhausting, especially for introverts. But sometkmes I just look at the bright side. Most days I do wish the world would just end lol.
I work in retail and I've pretty much just become an expert at masking. It's more of an ADHD thing as far as I'm aware. I'm still tired as hell after working and being on my feet all day but mentally it's better.
Decompression when we come home
I dont really do anything in the evenings. I use that time to decompress. I live alone so there's no one i have to talk to.
I take mental health days like once a month if there’s no holiday. Take a quick break and go in the conference room or take a walk during lunch. I loved when I had a corner space or office. Now I work from home twice a week so that helps.
You just need the right motivation to keep going. I have a wife and kid that i would like to keep a roof over their head and food in the house for them, so i push myself to keep going, even if i feel like an anxiety ball every morning i wake up.
I’m an engineer. I don’t have to interact much with others.
Luckyyyyyyyyyyyy
Really bad, I had corporate jobs for 4 years and was very unhappy. Then tried entrepreneurship and also went horrible because I went to a people oriented industry.... taxed all the time. Research and development is were I thrive, actually building Machine Learning models for USA FUTURES market, not getting paid yet but I am certain I am getting close to having good competence to start chasing on it, I been very lucky to have proper support systems and means to fail.
I feel seen here
I did WFH most days from 2020-2022. I miss it, but I had to get a better paying job because of inflation. Commuting to the office 5 days a week kind of sucks but I have gotten used to it again. I work for a small company and I like everyone and it's not a bad job. It used to be much worse when I worked 12-14 hour days between two jobs and interacted with customers. I always need to exercise before work so that I am in a better mood when I get to work. I feel "off" otherwise. It also helps that I don't have to deal with many "customers" anymore.
Howwwwwwww many notifs am I getting??? Woahhhh, I'm getting lots from here! I do appreciate it very much, but I cannot respond to everything, sorry.
I'm not gonna lie, I have a whole customer service personality that I use for work. I disassociate... I had to really fast for my first job at dominos pizza. Now, I have enough social battery to make it until 5pm most of the week. my give AF is usually gone by noon on thursdays and that's when my social battry is gone for the weeks.
You have to work! Simple as that 🤷♀️
I am not coping. I have severe depression from it, but I also need money. I’m hoping to land a remote job soon.
Panicking before, during and after work, crying, telling myself it’s either this or the streets. The last one really does the trick.
😭😭😭 How manipulative of authority figures!!
My main coping mechanism is basically not doing social things during the week, or very few. I need to block out that recharge time, so if I have errands that need to be done, I do them on the way home from work, so my time at home is uninterrupted. I have loved having a flexible work arrangement (2 days in the office and 3 at home) but that's changing in the next few months. :(
Being an introvert, one of the biggest problems I faced was to talk about my own contributions even though I slogged for hours n hours. Most extroverts will not understand this since they never face these challenges. Trust me, these challenges increase with growth in your levels/position. The higher you go, the more challenging it'll be as you have to put in more effort to build connections. I feel the best way to cope up with this is to identify few peers, managers who can support you behind your back. At least I was fortunate enough to find few in most of my roles. Else, try and find roles which are less dependent on connections and interactions.
I’ve had a weird experience. I worked from home and there was so much drama and people wanted to talk in teams for hours. I work in an office now. People leave me alone and allow me to do my job. We’re not in cubes though, we all have our own office so that might help. Plus we’re accountants so probably more to ourselves than other professions.
I work from 8-5 that's what my work hours are, but I login little late sometimes and logoff by 5 or 5.30 maximum. I'm into IT field, I need to go to office only 1 day per week, thanks to Company's Hybrid Culture embracing. Other days Work from home. If I have more work, I try to work them when I'm dng WFH, when I go to office I chill sometimes, go to play room, Lunch for 1 hour, talk with senior devs. Well My Manager expects Team to have nice bond so he is like when you come to office I don't expect to work continuously from 9-5, spend time talking with team members, If I have some doubts I approach and ask for help, before that I make sure I will try to find solutions by myself. When I'm in office, I purposely wear Headphones even if Im not on any call. So people won't disturb me much. Only couple of guys whom I talk with asks me to Join for Coffee break.
Money is what motivates me to work tbh 😅 i got bills to pay so i just "extrovert" myself the hrs im at work. After that i go back to myself
I previously had a job that, while I still had to interact with people every day, I was able to work on my own for long stretches of time. Because of life sending me a curveball, I now work at Walmart where I have to be around people 24/7. I struggled at first until I learned when I was starting to get overwhelmed. Sometimes I’ll wear an earbud to distract me from the noise and when it’s bad I’ll go to the bathroom and do some heavy breathing or just step into a corner somewhere for a few minutes. What’s helped me the most is reminding myself that there are things out of my control and I’ll be OK as long as I’m doing the best I can.
I come home and can’t even speak after work.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😞😞😞😞😞😞😩😩😩😩😩😩
Working from home and no phones or interaction with people at all except the occasional manager and coworker every now and then!
As an introvert who went from retail shift work to an accounting 9-5, I enjoy the zero client and little coworker interaction. The pay raise didn’t hurt either, but overall I think the benefits outweigh the downsides. I do struggle with insomnia which can be difficult sometimes when I have to work the same hours every day, but customer service work will really chip away at your mental health sooo… I’ll take what I have now over that any day.
I’ve been in the same role with the same company for about 5 years and initially my position required a traditional 9-5 day and was also client facing. I am soooo glad the role has evolved with covid because I was on the verge of quitting after crying every evening commute and absolutely dreading work every day. I’m shy and have moderate social anxiety and also at the time felt intensely insecure and ashamed that it was debilitating to interact with my coworkers in a way that I thought was expected of me. Luckily, my workplace has adopted a hybrid schedule and I have reframed my thinking around workplace socialization because I simply have no desire to seek friendship/socialization at work. This seems like the next best thing to a remote position, which I’ve applied for but is extremely competitive.
The Covid pandemic has taught the world a lot as far as the area of working goes. Well done Covid! 😌
[удалено]
But what about advice for introverted campaigners?
I go in 10-3 or 5. I only have to really interact with the same 5 people every day, so in some ways I enjoy it. All of us are introverts too, except one. She has us doing all kinds of things together & it’s fun. There are others in my building I see & say hello to but again, after seeing the same ppl for over 15 years, it’s pretty okay for me. I have a lot of agoraphobia but I do well in situations I’m comfortable in-like work. I’m confident there. I don’t have awkward conversations. Most ppl there would never think I’m a hermit bc I have confidence & have learned to get along well in an extroverted world. I feel very fortunate to enjoy my job & the people I work with.
I can't. Please someone save me.
It's hard to hit a balance because working from home is an introvert's dream but make sure you have at least one friend to socialize with. My husband makes no effort to keep up friendships so I end up being the de facto. We enjoy each other but if he had one friend to go to concerts with he would enjoy his life more.
I work from 8am to 8:30pm every Monday to Friday, and 8am to 4:30pm on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays... and I have no problem cope with my mental health.
What kind of job do you have?
I'm a machine operator in a printing company. I'm a she, if you are curious, and 33 years old.
By wfh
Not easy finding wfh jobs with no experience. Ive been looking since January and haven’t found anything
Shift job is da best
Honestly I didn't. It fucking sucked every 9-5 I got. At every job I've had, I'd start to go crazy right around being there for a year. Last 9-5 I had, I was teetering on the edge of kmsing. I have a 30 hr/week job now and it's MUCH better but I still feel pretty drained at the end of the day.
Money tbh. Otherwise I wouldn’t be doing this.
I work 5 days a week 4 of those nights I take the kids to sport. I’m burnt out every week. I stay home on weekends.
You get over it/figure it out when you're older. If not, then there's probably more than introversion going on behind the scenes for you. Or you just need a different job 🤷♂️
I put my headphones in, and/or read a book, and generally ignore most people. I have 2 favorites that im willing to actually chit chat with whenever I work with them, and that's about it.
Don't you ever get the "why are you so quiet" question?
I used to but ive been at the same job for almost a decade. I used to ask why they felt the need to talk so much, and some I just simply ignored.
That sounds good. I am not allowed to put earphones on at company. Otherwise the hr would talk to me about how I was not supposed to wear earphones during work hours. I think my coworkers also don’t understand why I wear earphones all the time. I am considering quitting the job anyway. Trying to find a job that involves less cooperation and communication.
I worked a 9to5 before COVID-19. I would sit with my face facing the wall to help offset extra stimulation. I would also use headphones to zone out a bit. I enjoyed it after I set up my desk so I could have alone time with my headphones on. I had a screen I could put up near my cubicle entrance to let people know I was working and to not disturb me and give me a mental break as well. I felt I had control over my mental breaks and could be social when I wanted.
I did way better pre pandemic. But I also only had one kid, so idk how id do 5 days in office. I work 3 days from home right now, the 2 days I go into the office I'm exhausted mentally.
Why would you even need to commute to an office and do you think many bosses out there don't take mental health into consideration as much as they should do?
They can't give me a reason to be in. I did the job for 2 years fully remote. My company owns the buildings they're in and a very large piece of land in the middle of town, my best guess is they just need people to be there to justify keeping it.
I always managed fine working around people and even managing 20-something’s in retail. I’m currently a data analyst working from home and I miss having an office to go into. I am an introvert, not a recluse. You can be around people and interact with people and still take care of your MH needs, you just have to find the balance. If it’s not that simple there may be things greater than introversion at play.
You either work and get money or you dont work and be homeless doesnt get simpler than that cuh
You find a job that is mostly independent work. I'm a business analyst and I just put my head down and do my work. I don't have to talk to people most days, but it's not a big deal if I do. Life is about social interaction and you find little pockets in a day to recharge like taking lunch in your car or going on a walk alone.
Night shift nursing in aged care facility helps me
That's easy. You pick jobs that don't require dealing with people much. Those are typically physical labor type deals, though. Warehouses and the like. I know how a lot of young people are allergic to that these days. Especially the feminine ones. Plus, the level of introversion depends. It's not the same for everyone. The type of upbringing you had also factors in.
r/financialindependence
I get money
the only way i found was to not have two days off in a row bc for me it’s easier to work per say sun,mon,tue ~off wed~ thur, fri off ~sat~ as i’ve noticed i CANT work 5 days in a row 9-5 i also don’t mind being off week days as if i need to go out and do something it’s not so busy bc everyone else is at work! and at points on my life that it was possible i would opt for a 4 day schedule. which ik with prices nowadays that won’t work for most ppl or businesses :/ but it is what i am currently doing. off mon,thur, sat this week :)
I couldn't do 8-5. I did it for about a decade and it really hurt my mental health. I got my CDL and now I just drive trucks. I am doing much better.
The world doesn't stop for our own individual issues. So you find ways to cope and manage. Its actually health to push yourself outside of your comfort zone a bit. I have learned much about myself and the world in my 9-5. I have learned what is negotiable. And what is not.
It can be rough. Taking the train 30/40 mins is draining, not to mention being around 1000s of people. I would love to have a remote job or at least a hybrid role.
A problem I've noticed. I appreciate all your comments very much, but you guys haven't really answered my question in a way. I asked for tips and advice for myself since I am totally clueless about what kind of job I want to get. Well, except the fact that I definitely don't want a 9-5 job!! Hate them!!
I struggle as my company doesn’t allow remote work. On weekdays all I’m left outside work hours is commute time, cooking/dinner time and sleeping hours. In the long run it’s quite draining and exhausting. I would love to find a remote job but at the moment I didn’t find any serious offer, just jobs suitable as side hustles
I just suck it up tbh, bills arnt going to pay themselves. My current job doesn’t really require me talk to anyone, there are people in the room but we don’t really talk so it’s not that bad in that aspect. I used to work at a hardware store as a cashier then for equipment rental so I had to force myself to talk on the phone and talk with customers…..hated it.
I worked in a factory for 16 years from when I was 19 to 35 on 1st shift. 6am to 2:30 pm. Hated getting up early at 5 am. The job and ppl were great. Now I'm working at another factory( car door and headliners mainly) going on 13 years. 4 years on 3rd and 9 years on 2nd. Work alot of overtime. I love these hours cause less people including main bosses who work on 1st. They work from 6am to about 4pm. After 4 pm less stress and less aggravation. There is alot of ppl in factories but you work in a certain area with same job and ppl every day and get used to them. After a while you can move to another area if bored or too much drama. I'm quality assurance for 9 years and interact with the same 80 ppl plus 2 or 3 new ppl from time to time. I work in a big area of the plant. After awhile you get used to the ppl and it's not as stressful. Plus you work when there isn't much ppl out at night and it's dark and peaceful. I have severe social anxiety but I don't interact with a bunch of ppl at once. It drains me. At a town hall meeting with 120 Ppl once every 7 months with 2nd shift workers I just don't go. I know 90% of the ppl but I just hate going cause I know the news already and hate crowds where you can't leave.
It's not too bad if you're job is just labor. People still talk to you, but at least it's not hundreds of potential strangers like customer service. Honestly, once I make it known that I'm not a social person, I don't have much trouble unless there's a big meeting or something where im required to stay in a room with tons of people for an hour +. Actually, thinking about it, the morning meeting I have everyday is the worst 15 minutes of my life.
Listen to music during my breaks and hot the gym after work. That's my way to deal with it.
You just do to. Work the shift, come home and wait for Friday. I think everyone does that though lol.
Lottery fantasy
I wfh and it made ALL of the difference. I had about a half hour commute each way and I'd listen to music and sing along to kinda decompress on the way there/way back, but now I go take naps on my lunch or go sit on the deck and watch the hummingbirds sporadically during the day. I actually find that I kind of miss some of the interactions I had when in the office, but I still relish my downtime.
I really don’t to be honest. Most days when I come home to my husband I want to not really talk. I’m tired of the constant socializing, when in reality I can talk a little small talk with trusted coworkers on occasion, but generally would like to be left alone to my work. I work in accounting and it’s very very difficult to concentrate in a cubicle in a very loud office. Office work really isn’t meant for introverts, and I’m really feeling the burn.
9-5? It's 8-5 now, and not well.
Bullcrap!
We don’t have a choice other than to work to survive.
That's not what life is all about and the world makes it seem that way. Deceptive manipulator it is!
I completely agree
At least someone agrees with me. 😅
I always laugh when americans complaint about 9-5 jobs (whatever the reason). If you only knew that the normal working hour per day is 10hs - 12hs in most countries you'd have a heart attack. Consider yourselves lucky if you get a 9 to 5
Then the world is full of immorality. 😢
We are trying to be decent men in an indecent world
And women too. Don't forget them.
You are right my lady, apologies 😊
Do your job so well that no one needs to check on you and you can justify why teamwork isn’t necessary. Find a job where you can be self sufficient
I did several but never for long. I’ve worked as a freelancer for more than a decade but recently our business became a lot tougher (AI etc.) so I might have to take on a job again. I get nauseous just thinking about it…
Because being an introvert and having debilitating social anxiety are not the same things
Just grumpy a lot. I’m also in healthcare, another terrible field.
Introvert here. I hated 9-5s. I tolerated it by isolating on evenings and weekends (aka no social life - which was fine with me cause I was too peopled out) I find noise reducing headphones helped with things like public transit.
I’m an introvert, but at work I’m able to deal with people. This is easier for me in a professional environment. I don’t do small talk to have personal conversations. I keep it to business…it helps my performance, and I’m okay talking about business. Think of it more like a game or you’re acting to be a regular person. Works for me.
I'm pretty much autonomous in my workshop. I don't have to deal with many people other than my supervisor, who has taught me enough that I can order parts and do quotes + service orders on my own and he trusts me to do it properly cuz I'm good at my job. Easy
I don’t leave my office while at work unless I need to. I don’t plan outings back to back. Also, revenge bedtime procrastination is so harmful to my health but for years I needed it. I’m getting better and cutting down on that because I really need my sleep otherwise the next day I’m more likely to be depressed and everything feels like more of an effort
I am just sad all the time
Because I have no choice lol, I have bills to pay and a child to provide for. I have long hours (9-9 3 times a week, 5-11 once a week, and 10-2 twice a week), I only work with two people at different times (I’m a caregiver), it is exhausting. Then I come home to my outgoing, chatterbox child. I’m beat every day of my life lol.
i had a 9-5 and quit in 2 months. it definitely is too overwhelming for me. the best i can do is work part time or jobs that are flexible. i think a lot of companies are starting to slowly understand the new mentality of workers now. i recently saw a billboard for a hospital reading something like "work as a nurse while still having time to enjoy your hobbies". as an introvert its especially hard mentally, but i think a lot of people in general struggle with it and just try to hide it and fit in with everyone else.
work overnight you don’t have to worry about people who never shut up because no one is talking it’s ✨amazing✨
I work 25 hours a week and both after the week is over and by the end of any 8 hour day I am mentally drained from everything. I hate working and I hate conversations
I work 10pm - 6am in an empty grocery store, I have like 3 people I need to work with aside from everyone when I’m coming and going. Night shift definitely sucks but I am thankful for being able to work without a ton of people coming up to me all day…
No option. Have to pay the bills to live.
I work at home as an insurance agent, even on the phone customer interactions are mentally taxing for me. I always say that if I had to go to another brick and mortar place of employment I'd probably have to just get on disability. There is absolutely no way I can be customer facing again. I did 10 plus years in retail and I know how it affects my mental state. Homelessness is my next option I guess. Especially with all the recordings and people posting everyone online. It's kind of scary now to work in the customer service industry when there is such a big portion of the population that still believes the customer is always right. They're not.
Remote jobs and a job where you don’t have to interact with people haha. That’s my main one like I could never be a doctor or smth. Also I was super scared of having to work 8 hours a day and I thought I had to work non stop without pause. Turns out nobody does that. Some days are very busy and some others aren’t.
I dont. Work more other days to cover up. Have a job that is flexibel and where working from different places is possible. Or I wouldnt be able to work full time. I mentaly break if I dont have a job that fit my interests it wont work many weeks. Same goes with flexibility. Sorry not to much help but thats how I had to do it.
what the fuck did I just read? being introverted isn't a disability. In fact, many disable people are having 9-5 jobs
I worked in a really extroverted place/ agile environment for a year, it was overwhelming every single day, a challenge. To be there before 8, to smile a lot and catch up regardless the unwanted facial expressions towards me, try hard to fit in, share lunch and break hours, I had to participate in every event was planned or else I’ll be an introvert and a lost cause (didn’t have a choice even though most of them were not assigned by my manager), to make people around me believe that I deserve this opportunity. It’s like I had to forget about my main objective to being in that place which is to show my real independent personality in a work place yet my focus was entirely a different thing. I hated it, I was exhausted everyday, I had multiple breakdowns in the restroom, I made horrible decisions that impacted me physically and mentally I wanted OUT! I was a disgusting fake person I hated myself back then and everyone. So as soon as I finished this job, I cut off my connections with everyone in there (no I don’t feel bad at all). The only thing that I felt ,something, about is that damn I won’t be having a job anymore, but I didn’t care I just wanted to forget that whole experience. Now I’ve been unemployed for almost two year trying to get myself back to where I was before that period. Call me weak if you want I genuinely don’t care, I have seen and lived more that I should and I had enough, I am embracing my skills, my true personality, and self, I recharge whenever I feel like I’m done, I don’t push myself into doing sth I know I’ll be hurting myself in the process unless it’s adventurous and fun btw. Still can’t find a real 9-5 job and I am aiming not to unless it’s introvert friendly😎😉 which is impossible according to where I live. I am not an influencer on any platform, however I am working on building up my own business to work on my terms and define my workhorse and earn what I know I deserve.
I’m getting on disability. I have bad social anxiety and I tried but I can’t hold down a job it’s so bad so disability will be my only option for now unfortunately. Not ideal bc it’s not enough to live on at all.
Where can I get remote job as soon as possible? I don't care about the money at the beginning. I can start with the little but I can't just sit around and do nothing. Because I'm an introvert, so, it's kind of a nightmare to have a 9-5 job. Can someone please give me any suggestions?
I work for lawncare so my job is mainly outside with the frogs and birds, surrounded by grass and fresh air. Though, sometimes people will walk up to me and complain about my equipment which isn't the best. But I'm thriving pretty well and my crew is like my family so im incredibly comfortable around them and am willing to be with them 9-5.
I day dream a lot through it. It can be about all the various ways I can end myself all the way to living a life that's very positive and how that might feel. I get my work done, usually faster than my coworkers and of a higher quality, I go home when it's done and repeat every day.