9-5 Life

I must admit, I’ve been a bit reluctant to write this. Basically, 6 days after I published my last article bemoaning the trials of unemployment, I got offered a job.

It is wonderful, and I’m really glad that I now am out of unemployment! But I felt like my last post was relatable and I was pleased by that- and potentially now I’ve lost some relatability.

However, from the perspective of someone who’s never had a full time job before (I’ve been in full time education from ages 4-21) and who’s never worked in an office environment- let me tell you my first impressions.

It’s so cushty! Thinking back to my most recent work experience, waitressing, this seems crazily good. Waitressing, I’d be on my feet for a whole 8 hour shift- that would be the average maximum number of hours I’d do without taking a break. I wouldn’t bring food because there was no time, and no place away from customers apart from the cellar to eat it. Sometimes I’d snatch some sourdough or a bit of stale cake that we couldn’t sell but other than that it was nil by mouth most shifts.

Now I have a nice packed lunch or I’ll buy something if I’m feeling particularly generous to myself (or I’ve forgotten my lunch) and get this- I have a desk drawer full of snacks! So good!

I am sitting down pretty much all day, but I have an hour long lunch break so I try and use half an hour of that every day to get out on a walk. I’m also hoping to get out and start running again once the weather gets better. (Yes, I’m only a fair-weather runner…)

A lot of offices can be pretty sterile places to be, but I’m really lucky in that mine has plenty of natural light and also a lot of plants.

Having said all that, working 9.00-5.30 is quite a big change in pace from volunteering a couple of times a week for a few hours when I felt like it, and there are still lots of things that I want to do to make the most of my free time.

So this blog post is a start- I really do enjoy blogging and it’s something I feel that’s worth the time and effort. Hopefully it won’t be so long before I’m present again on here!

Hope you’re doing well,

Lauren