"Most friends understand and support this and are considerate, but a small group repeatedly dismisses my concerns-telling me to retire, "suck it up," or insisting office work is better for collaboration and socializing, despite the realities of my workplace. In reality, my potential work friends live far from me, making after-hours catch-ups difficult, and our teams don't always sit together due to a lack of desks and the aforementioned commute."
"These same friends who dismiss me either don't work or are self-employed and mainly work from home themselves. Yet, they expect me to accommodate meeting times that would require me to leave work early, travel late at night before early next day risings on office days, or take time off. They're unwilling to adjust plans or meet halfway, and their comments often include digs about people "slacking off" or mothers taking time for school pickups."
A woman in her 60s reports that working primarily from home improved her health, energy, productivity, and daily functioning after years of five-day, multi-leg commutes. An increased return-to-office mandate would reinstate burdensome commuting and create practical challenges because teams lack desks and potential coworkers live far away. A small group of friends repeatedly dismisses her concerns, urging retirement or telling her to 'suck it up,' even though those friends often work from home or are self-employed. They expect scheduling accommodations without reciprocating and sometimes make derogatory comments about others. She has explained and changed the subject, but the comments persist; she seeks better response strategies to protect health, time, and finances.
Read at Slate Magazine
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