Reflections on returning to the office

Sarah Anderson, Community Engagement Manager for the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability: 

"Even though I have a nice home and garden, looking at the same 4 walls day and night is really impacting negatively on my mood now. I feel a sort of agitated cabin fever a lot of the time these days. The other parents at the school gate and the staff in my local corner shop are often the only adults from outside my home that I see in person for days on end; my husband is great, but he is not adequate as a sole source of adult company for 5 days at a time! It’s really hard on weekends when my husband and son want to chill at home, having been in work/school all week, but I’m desperate to be anywhere other than at home. 

On the days my husband does school pick-up, I get noise and disruption when he and my son arrive home which makes my stress levels spike! 

As a busy mum, my main exercise has always been walking; I miss my walking commute to and from work and between meetings, which not only gets my steps up but gets me out in a green space (I walk through the Meadows) and gives me a chance to think through the stuff from work that’s tricky.. The school run and weekend exercise ‘binges’ just don’t cut it and I’ve gained a lot of weight. The fact that no one can see my grazing on food at my desk is another reason why my clothes don’t fit! 

I love being in the University central area, seeing students about and just the familiar architecture of the Old Town. It is such a tonic and reminds me why I do my job. 

I have been worried about whether me going back to the office will mean I need to use more paid childcare again. However, as I am only in town part-time, I don’t think the change here will actually be big. Now my son is more settled at school, I am less worried about being away from him a bit more, and he usually complains when we come to collect him from after-school club!"

Ruth Millar – Assistant HR/OD Partner

"I’ve found it a very good experience. I personally live and work alone and have found it very difficult to concentrate and stay focused on working from home. This has led to feeling that I should work until 7 or 8 o'clock at night as I feel I haven’t been productive enough during the day. 

In contrast, having a start and end time with a short commute on either side has been great for me to focus my mind. Having some human contact, even with people I didn’t know before has been great and it’s nice to be back in the city with some signs of normal life returning. 

The building has clear signage with disinfectant spray and hand sanitiser everywhere so you can feel comfortable disinfecting the areas you’re working in. The layout of the desk space is also great, with no one too close. 

I am able to walk to CSH however I have got the bus up from Leith about half of the time and this is also fine. The busses are still very quiet with everyone wearing masks and keeping a good distance. I appreciate some people will still be nervous and this is completely understandable but once you get over the initial fear you should find it’s a great environment to work in."

Susan Burns – Health & Safety

"Being back in the office has been good, no great for my sanity.  At work back to some kind of normality and structure.  

I’m not in the least anxious, we all need for our mental health to get back to some kind of normality. I just could not go on working at home, my home life was being affected and now with working 3 days a week in the office I am happy, more relaxed and enjoying my home once again."

Geraldine Halliday, Insurance

"I've enjoyed being back in the Office and definitely feel better for it both physically and mentally. Just being back in a familiar routine has made such a difference."

Christian Davis, Business Planning

"A big benefit of working from the office rather than from home is that there is a finite stop to the working day. This means I relax and unwind better in the evening, and I sleep better. I work more efficiently from the office. This is because I am more focused in the office, and there is a 4.30pm deadline to stop working."