Some people prefer really formal places, with clear corporate policies and procedures. Other people like more laid back, make it up as you go along. Some like pressurised, some don’t. What culture do you like?
I can’t do formal places, it’s just not me. I’m too different, chatty and plain speaking. Its difficult cos banter is often a cover for bullying, and obviously I want professionalism in a workplace. I’ve tried being reserved and it’s not me, so I gravitate to workplaces where it’s laid back and people have fun
The sad reason that this isn’t every workplace is that, for some people, it’s too nuanced a concept to say “you can be yourself so long as you’re not crass, bigoted or violent”. Any workplace over a certain size has to implement the more limiting but easier to understand rule of “leave your personality at the door”.
Sitting at home with minimal human contact. The few times I tried working in an actual workplace were awful. I’m way too weird, too autistic, and also too rebellious and angry to behave professionally. I can do freelance work because I can delete the curses from my emails before sending them and talk to myself about the bs I’m having to do, which makes it bearable.
Genuinely confused for a minute thinking, “When did I post a reply to this post?”, bc this is 100% my experience too and why I do freelance now lmao! I love having the freedom to take a deep breath and go for a walk for 3 hours and/or watch some comfort episodes to calm myself down before I have to reply to some bs emails haha.
It’s crazy how this ‘working from home’ thing makes all the difference between being able to handle a normal workload and be productive and efficient vs being a disabled person not able to hold a job. When AI killed my freelance business a year ago I tried different jobs. The only ‘normal’ work I was able to do without losing my mind was working outdoors around plants or animals, but my body cannot do this full time and the wage and/or expectations for these jobs don’t permit part time. I was seriously considering just settling into homelessness and call it a day. Luckily the AI hype seems to be dying down a bit and some freelance gigs have come my way again.
