#worklifebalance

You want to know why so many working moms are drowning? Because we live in a world that says “take care of your babies first”… but also, “make sure you’re bringing home a paycheck”. So we get up, clock in, and make sure our kids have somewhere safe to go while we work. But let me tell you something, this world wasn’t built for us. Work is 8-5, but school runs 7:45-2:45. The pediatrician closes at 4. The dentist isn’t open on weekends. Bedtime is at 8, but practice doesn’t end until 7. By the time dinner is made, the house is clean, homework is checked, and a dozen other things no one even notices are done. Then it hits, there was barely anytime with the kids today. So when you ask the mom at work how she’s doing and she says “I’m fine” just know, she’s probably not. She’s exhausted, stretched too thin, and missing the people she’s working so hard for.

SO FU-K YOU & ALL THE MEN THAT THINK WE ARE SKATING BY!!!

We get paid less than you!
We do more than you every single day!

Flextime was the only way we could slightly achieve it all.

That’s all.

No, Absolutely not. If I have to drag my tired butt into the office for eight hours, I will not be wasting my lunch time learning anything related to Wells Fargo. I will also not let people schedule meetings with me for eight hours straight. No way. I will be blocking time out for me and my mental health.

Who would spend that much money and energy, uproot their entire family, leave jobs, commitments, and social circles, all for a position that could disappear six months later? Seriously? The age of job security and real career growth that once justified relocating feels like a thing of the past. Practically prehistoric.

I don’t understand how any of you would comply with such an outrageous request.
I am not going to sell my house to move to be closer to an office. I am hours away from any real office.
This job isn’t that important to me. It never will be. And I don’t know why it is to you.
What really keeps you here? I rather take a few thousand pay cut and be happy elsewhere.
I will not be working in an office. I don’t care if my coworkers are or even my superior.
I won’t be doing it and I’ll laugh at anyone who thinks I will.
I would ask yourself why this job is that important to you that you would upheave your routine and life for uhg. They don’t give a f about you or your family, probably don’t pay you enough, and wouldn’t care if you ended up in the hospital tomorrow.
Just think about it.

Anyone has a side line of work, a business???

How do you manage to do it?

Is it even possible given the amount of work we have?

Any advice?

He complained about his long commute, uprooting his family, a full parking lot, no car…typical Ginger stuff. But he didn’t mention the bonus part. Yes, bonuses of over 100% multiplier for many departments. Oh…we can’t mention good news. Yes, there will be change. It su-ks. Get a grip. There are other places to work. You can just quit. No one is forcing you to work for Walgreens. With no car you should have a nice savings built up.

Alvind's Pipmunks were trying to say that their featured VC id--t has a work life balance. Oh, really ?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/i-m-the-head-of-vc-at-ibm-my-day-includes-10-miles-with-my-doodles-sign-language-and-meetings-with-startups/ar-AA1MIEq6?ocid=msedgntp&pc=W099&cvid=2ad8df3cd70a4e43aaef3f86740a6bb1&ei=26

Remote work needs no defending. Common sense has to tell you that if you erase 10 hours out of someone's week, you can't expect them to produce the same amount of work as when they didn't have to spend that time commuting. I don't care how many clothes I wash or dishes I do, I'm not spending anything close to 10 hours per week on that. Poor management is the weakness that gets exposed when employees are working remotely. Instead of setting realistic goals, following up on them, and holding people accountable, they want to judge their performance by what they look like they're doing. It's mo--nic, lazy, and they'll unfortunately have to learn the hard way.

I joined about a year ago, and I’ve been unhappy ever since. My immediate boss is rude and inconsiderate, the workload is barely manageable, and there’s no work-life balance to speak of. I’ve never felt this exhausted in any of my previous jobs, and those weren’t in retail. I only took this position because there wasn’t much choice at the time, but I honestly don’t know how long I can last.

I really don’t get all the drama. This whole “market-based culture” thing has honestly been the best setup ever.

I’m up at 6, roll into the office, grab a coffee, and spend the first hour catching up on news and personal emails. Calls run till about noon, then it’s lunch somewhere good — Plano or the Dallas Design District, depending on the vibe.

After that? Head home early, knock out some errands or business stuff, and call it a day.

The trick is simple: do what’s in your job description — nothing more, nothing less. Follow every rule to the letter, badge in, badge out, put in your six hours, and keep it moving.

Worst case, they lay you off — and you get to take the next six months off to find your next move.. Tell me another Fortune 50 gig that easy.

I go to the office, do my work, and then go home and forget about it until 9am the next day. No one bothers me, pay and bonuses are decent. I don't allow myself to be drawn into drama. I am here for a paycheck, nothing more. A common theme on this forum is you've allowed your lives to become a soap opera. Let go of the drama. AT&T doesn't care what opinion you have about Policy. They ignore employees, so just ignore the distractions they create. Focus on the paycheck. Let it go.

PIP or no PIP, thanks to one of the posts here on Remote hiring, applied for a couple of roles and got immediate callbacks with the hiring manager! Yes salary is less but will do what it takes to get out of the 8 hour solitary confinement - all the best to all! Count your eggs and make choices that align with your values, desires and well being.

Especially not this one. I’ve been doing the bare minimum for a while now. The only times I’ve actually put in extra effort were to help a teammate in a bind. At least when I get the boot, I won’t have any regrets.

As a former follett employee I’d like to let anyone else still working there know…. There are much better less stressful jobs. “Oh but uhhhh the vp is d-mb and we didn’t get temps for fall rush and they cut our hours” yeah no duh dummy you work for a stupid company. Unless Follett is the only employer in your area (which is unlikely) just start applying elsewhere. I work for a great employer now with better benefits, hours, pay, work environment. Your life is bigger than dead end college retail.

I feel so genuinely bad for my old market leader, she ran the Cal State East Bay Pioneer store from her college years into her 40s. And talking to her was like talking to a brick wall of follett information. Zero soul, just regurgitated slop about endless retail. My point here is don’t let that happen to you too. Life is more than shelving books and getting screamed at by pi---d off customers who’s AirPods are 4 months late due to a drop shipping issue.

I was “fortunate “to land a position. Whole team has been impacted and I have no clarity on my role nor does my boss. No one can tell me when the move to Houston will be. It says if my planning and life doesn’t matter at all. I can find out that I will have to move in a month with no previous notice. I am supposed to give my all to this company which I do because I have a work ethic, but where is their work ethic?

I think we got the votes. There's next to no downside. We can even get some Democrat leaders to back us. The management here has gotten beyond abusive and i wouldn't have thought of every doing this in a million years, but at some point you have to fight back. Auto workers gets some insane wages, we can do much better for ourselves and our families.

No calls till 9am
No calls with India unless a manager is present and taking notes and giving action items based on time frames the union agrees to
No weekend or evening work, unless agreed upon, and high over time wages
No in office unless we have assigned seats, the cubes are X height to block out sound and the equipment is top notch, no more testing 10 cubes because of broken equipment
15 min coffee breaks, 1.5 hour lunch breaks, gyms on site
No in office unless there at least 6 fellow co workers at that location
No interacting with offshore unless their english meets a threshold, we're not English teachers.
salaries must meet guidelines, like keeping up with inflation
no medical plan increases above inflation, and the company needs to cover a higher percentage
10% 401K matching
stock options for all employees

They need to show their hourly tracking records if they're going to demand 8 hours in the office, otherwise how are people to know where they stand. Like how are people going to take 3 hours of calls in the morning in the office with India, some of those are like 6am when people are typically dead asleep. I guess we need to demand the meetings start at 9am for our time zone. I hope they enjoy staying around crazy late for that. Does the board approve of this? Do they know there's a real risk of seriously stressed out people making big fat finger errors making these demands. Also keep in mind most locations have people with no co workers at that location. This is in large part because WF is so undesirable as a employer that they have to look around the whole country to put a team together for X cost. Our leadership seems so out of touch with the line and staff employees,

I've been under a lot of stress lately and working long hours. It made me curious about how others define Work Life Balance for themselves. While I can find plenty of definitions online but Im more interested in hearing how my peers and colleagues here at Humana personally think about it.

If I was new to the workforce, I’d be thrilled to land a job at Humana. And justifiably so.

But I finally had enough of “member-centric,” “right care, right time, right place” and Perfect Service > Perfect Experience > Green Glove drivel. Fully supported it for years but, after hearing the same rah-rah for years, you realize none of it ever really mattered.

I’ve always believed if you don’t like something, get out. Taking ERP was a no-brainer for me. I hope those who chose to stay enjoy as many Humana memories and friends as I did through the years.

If you people don't think they are whittling the company down to make it look amazing on a balance sheet for an eventual sale, you're going to be blindsided when it happens. Don't trust them or what they say. Keep your bills low and your lifestyle in check, you haven't even begun to see the hard times yet.

We need to rise up against split days off and now mandatory overtime. This “We can’t do it without you” and “it’s such an exciting time” is bs. It’s a ton of work and stress. Stop sugar coating and let’s ask for what we deserve, two days of rest in a row!

Does anyone else find hobbies and interests freeing? Almost like an escape from the weight of work? I’ve noticed how important it is to have something that feels like yours outside of all this. What are your favorites — the things that give you a break from the noise?

So the guidance is that you need to work a full 8 hours but should still feel free to pick up your kids or attend medical appointments etc? I literally asked what happens if it’s snowing and I need to leave a little early to pick my kid up before school closes or my kid is sick and I need to get them and the answers was find a way to be here 8 hours/ find another day to come 8 hours or you risk being ‘noncompliant’ which may impact your performance LOL so the real answer is that the RTO guide that was sent to managers is straight up BS and there is zero flexibility for unexpected events. Feeling so tired of this company which I’ve foolishly worked hard for all these years. We are truly unappreciated and disposable.

It is coming folks

5 day rto is brutal for families with kids. How r u surviving this.

This is crazy. 3 day is understandable. 5 day is torture.

I’ve been trying to figure out how to drop off kids work 8 and pick them up. With no notice this is ridiculous. So I think my option one day a week is to drop them off and then head back into the office in the evening and sit there. So do the reports just so first in. And last out? Do they calculate gaps? And don’t play the curse on you because you have kids or pre-Covid . This was never a problem before because I always get my work done, work late if needed and am an adult.

I’ll never get why some people act like they’re chained to one company. You're not. Not a single one of us is. If you’re miserable, update your resume, practice your pitch, and start applying elsewhere. No job owns you and there’s always another opportunity waiting, even in this job market.

Which has a better work environment?

https://www.reddit.com/r/developersIndia/s/IRDuqwVf86

Almost two hours wasted on the commute. On a good day. Feels like that was the plan from the start, to force people out without paying a dime. People mention real estate/tax incentives as the main driver of RTO, but I think it’s mostly about cutting headcount on the cheap. Everything else comes second. Time will tell.

But for the rest of us - run. Start putting yourself first, because no company ever will. If you’re not already looking at other options, you’re late. Don’t kid yourself that loyalty, long hours, or dedication mean anything. They don’t. Your skills are yours alone. Treat them like currency and use them for your future, not for a company that’ll cut you without blinking.

Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, has stated that AI could probably bring 4 day work weeks. "We're at the beginning of the AI revolution... and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across industries could probably bring a transition to four-day work weeks."

This comes as the CEO of JP Morgan (Jamie Dimon), the CEO of Zoom (Eric Yuan), and Bill Gates said similar things.

JP Morgan CEO: "AI will lead to people working “3 and a half days a week"

Zoom CEO: “I feel like if A.I. can make all of our lives better, why do we need to work for five days a week? Every company will support three days, four days a week. I think this ultimately frees up everyone’s time.”

Bill Gates: "What will jobs be like? Should we just work like 2 or 3 days a week? If you zoom out, the purpose of life is not just to do jobs."

I've now scheduled my ME day three times, and each time something comes up. Today was the third attempt, and I've been told I need to provide information to my manager by noon. Every time I try to take this day, I'm told there's something due or overdue, and because we’re so short-staffed, I need to step up. I’m just exhausted.

On top of this, my boss has already said I need to start coming into the office three days a week before November 1st. They’ve also questioned why I haven't done any charity work this year, saying it could affect my performance review and that I should try to schedule something. I’m working seven days a week, and yet it still doesn’t feel like enough. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep up.

HP has really turned into one of the worst places to work. It feels like nothing more than a sweatshop. I am told, no salary increases and no bonuses this year and that I should be happy to have a job considering the job market. I am just tired and ranting and I am sure no one cares especially here.

Anyone else have issues with their pets seeming depressed? Not only is my spouse upset that I'm never home and misses our lunchtime walks and heathy food prepared together, but my cat has acted strange ever since I stopped returning home until the evening. Last year, it was only 3 days in the office and I was typically home in the early afternoon. Now, with full time RTO, he stays in the garage all day, according to my spouse. He always runs to the door when I get home, but then disses me again and goes back to the garage. He used to always hang out in the house with us before this year. It b-ms me out that this has affected him as well.

Many people join companies like Amazon and Meta not to stay long-term, but to get a powerful stamp on their resume. They know the high-pressure environment means they can't last, but the initial stock and the brand name are worth it.

I saw this firsthand at Meta. The system is brutal: a performance review every six months and a yearly evaluation that lets go of 10% of the workforce. Despite this, people still join because that “Amazon” or “Meta” on a resume leads to bigger salaries and more stock options elsewhere.

Oracle used to be a different story—a place with good work-life balance but lower pay. Now, with its focus on AI, the pressure is on to cut costs. The plan is to lay off 10% of each team every six to twelve months. This makes it a risky place to be.

This instability is a huge problem for many H-1B visa holders. Constant layoffs can prevent them from applying for their I-140 or Green Card, putting their future at risk.

No longer look for WLB. Just focus on salary, promotion if not run.

What you have with your employer is a business relationship and not emotional. So stop using words like company loyalty, work family, corporate culture and other BS. The more loyal you are to the company the more you will get hurt when they clip you. Always remember- you are getting paid for your talent and the time spent there. If you want to show loyality - show it yourself, your family, your skills, your health and wealth but NOT to the company you are working for.

You look to your left and then to your right. You did it. After months of uncertainty and awkward days in the office where you and your peers were told to report to work only to be cut by day’s end - you survived. You feel pretty good, pretty relieved. You still have a job. You are better than everyone else. That’s what leadership will tell you. You were ranked higher than those who were culled. Your role is valuable to the company and so are you. As the days pass, the office is quieter but work quickly starts to pile on. As the months roll on expectations increase dramatically and you find yourself working endlessly, stressing about work when you come home. We need to do more! Better than last year! Last quarter! Last month! By the end of 2026, you sort of wished you were packaged out - free from having to do more with less. Sure the job market su-ks and yeah you saved yourself from the embarrassment of being laid off but there are opportunities out there. Sometimes a fresh start is nice - sometimes it is actually better.

Written by ConocoGPT

Five years of micromanaging, angry clients, and being treated like a kid. I finally hit the point where I said no more. Scariest move of my life but now I sleep through the night.

Leaving this company was the best decision I’ve made in years. If you’re smart and want your life back, start planning your exit. We all deserve workplaces where our time, effort, and wellbeing actually matter, not just a revolving door of chaos and stress. Don’t wait until it’s too late to make the move.

Oh right, because there aren’t that many different options out there. They’ve cornered us into putting up with absurd levels of bullying, pressure, overtime, and exhaustion, while the only payoff is the chance we might get to keep our jobs. Just might. This is a sc--wed-up system, and State Farm has turned it into an art form.