Worries, frustration humdrum

BENGALURU:  When Somil Uchil arrived in Bengaluru in July 2019, he had a clear plan: Work in the city’s advertising scene for two years before exploring other fields. However, some months down, the coronavirus struck, leaving Uchil, along with everyone else, stuck indoors as bedrooms and living rooms turned into workspaces.

“I always had a feeling I didn’t enjoy advertising much but the collaborative vibe in an office, spending time with colleagues and impromptu lunch plans compensated for the work. But with work from home (WFH), everything I liked about my job disappeared,” says the advertising professional who hails from Mumbai.

By July this year, the 25-year-old was on the lookout for other jobs. Now serving his notice period, Uchil adds, “Remote working caused my existential crisis to peak. Once the frustration hit the roof, I knew I had to cut my original plan of two years in Bengaluru short and look for something else back home.”
Uchil is one example of the many professionals who are grappling with the downside of working from home. A recent Workforce Confidence Index by LinkedIn found that at least two in five working professionals in India are experiencing increased anxiety due to the pandemic.

About 42 per cent of remote workers were concerned about long hours at the job, balancing work and home, financial insecurity and social isolation. For Santhosh K Gowda, the biggest gripe with WFH comes from the lack of breaks. “Earlier, I logged off by 7pm but now, I have work till 9pm. The two hours I used to spend commuting is now dedicated to working,” rues the techie.

Nivi Selvaraj misses her old routine. Though motivation was high during the initial days of the lockdown, it gave way to working in pyjamas, lunch at late hours and showering in the evenings. But there’s more worrying the digital marketer. “I love jogging in the park but now, with safety restrictions around that, I can’t push myself to pursue the goals I set for myself. Some days I don’t even get out of bed,” she says.  According to Dr Jini K Gopinath, chief psychology officer, YourDOST, in one month alone, over 22 patients (from B’luru and Hyderabad) have expressed WFH dilemmas.

These were all women clients, whose numbers were much higher than the 5-6 male clients he attended to. “Unfortunately, women bear the heavier burden of this lifestyle. Not only is she working from home, she is also working for home.” Just ask Chitra N, teacher, New Pratham Public School. In addition to adjusting to a new way of conducting classes, she also has to look after her own child’s virtual classes. “I have to sit next to her or help her with her own online classes while also ensuring that my own students are able to understand what I teach them,” she explains.

Her colleague, Roshini Singh, who teaches Hindi in the same school, echoes similar concerns. “My husband, son and I all work from home. Our kitchen, living room and bedroom are all temporary workspaces but the work doesn’t end there. There are always house chores to attend to,” she says. It’s been six months since the lockdown but the situation still looks uncertain, leaving professionals to adopt different coping strategies. While Chitra looks for peace in meditation, Selvaraj turns to hula-hooping. Gowda, who finds a run therapeutic, sums it up: “I never knew I’d say this but I can’t wait to be back in office soon.”