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Hey, for those who went from a skilled trade to an office based job, what was your initial experience like?
I've been in the skilled trades (and very good at it) for 15 years now, but my body is a bit tired. I have an offer for a position that will require me to be in the office full time which I think I'm fine with. It's still within the same industry, but I will be doing a different task.
I am in great shape, so I have to figure out something to maintain that since I will be in the office full time. Any advice on this?
Also, did you find it hard to transition from being on your feet all day, to being at a desk all day?
I feel like I will be fine, but it will definitely take some getting used to. I've done office work before, but never full time
Yes, I wasn't in a skilled trade but I was a nurse, running around on my feet for up to 13 hours a day, pushing stretchers, lifting heavy people, etc. Then I went to an office job.
It was a noneventful transition as far as the physical aspects of sitting all day. There were other factors that were more difficult to handle than the sitting. For instance, the office culture.
Many office people walk at lunch time so you might try that. Some companies have on-site gyms and ours did so I was able to use the treadmill some mornings before work and then shower there. That was cumbersome (dragging everything with me) so I stopped doing that. The best solution for me was that I jogged or walked every evening after work. I'm not a gym person.
You can have an office job and still be up and on your feet a lot - I know that I was constantly running between HR/Accounting and between various departments in my section.
I'm currently in an active job and I've noticed that the people with the "desk jobs" are very rarely actually seated at their desks - at least not at this place.
Yes, I wasn't in a skilled trade but I was a nurse, running around on my feet for up to 13 hours a day, pushing stretchers, lifting heavy people, etc. Then I went to an office job.
It was a noneventful transition as far as the physical aspects of sitting all day. There were other factors that were more difficult to handle than the sitting. For instance, the office culture.
Many office people walk at lunch time so you might try that. Some companies have on-site gyms and ours did so I was able to use the treadmill some mornings before work and then shower there. That was cumbersome (dragging everything with me) so I stopped doing that. The best solution for me was that I jogged or walked every evening after work. I'm not a gym person.
Solid advice. Yes, the office culture gets me a little. In my industry, it is super fun to joke around with coworkers out in the field, but the office environment seems "stuffy". I can do both, but I think I will miss the clowning around.
I am a cyclist by hobby, so I imagine I will be putting in more miles per week since I would possibly have more physical energy after work. I cook 90% of my meals at home, so eating out is a non-issue for me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by springfieldva
You can have an office job and still be up and on your feet a lot - I know that I was constantly running between HR/Accounting and between various departments in my section.
I'm currently in an active job and I've noticed that the people with the "desk jobs" are very rarely actually seated at their desks - at least not at this place.
A lot depends on the nature of the job.
True, I guess I will have to see how the environment works at this place. From what I saw, there aren't many people walking around there. I have a feeling I will be the guy to run to change a light bulb or unclog a toilet. Just to get out of the chair.
You need to make a conscious effort to stay active. If your body gets used to being inactive you will lose your energy.
My current active job is pretty much kicking my butt right now (in a good way), I don't really have the need or desire to workout after work. But the same sort of thing was the case when I was on my feet a good part of the day at my office job.
So, if you do find yourself chained to your desk a lot, be sure to always do something active either before or after work. Even walking during your lunch break helps.
This is going to sound silly I know. But I think my main concerns with this are getting bored, feelings about producing something tangible vs non-tangible, losing energy and gaining weight.
This is going to sound silly I know. But I think my main concerns with this are getting bored, feelings about producing something tangible vs non-tangible, losing energy and gaining weight.
In the Elon Musk thread, you emphasize the importance of being in an office. But you seem to have some hesitation here. Why is that?
In the job I've had for decades, early on in my career I was mostly on the floor type of worker. At my first job we didn't even have office space and desks. Nowadays I do a bit of both, on the floor but also desk work.
At first the transition was hard for me. I didn't like sitting around as I feel more engaged doing manual work and also the time goes by faster.
But now that I've had a taste of both, an ideal job for me would be one where I did desk work, and on a flex schedule where in the office sometimes and work from home at other times. So long as I have a lot of work to do, it will keep me preoccupied. Maybe because I am older, but I've definitely gotten softer in terms of not wanting to over exert myself physically.
In the Elon Musk thread, you emphasize the importance of being in an office. But you seem to have some hesitation here. Why is that?
Apples to oranges you are comparing. In that thread, we are talking about sitting our butts, wfh or in the office. It's still sitting. Here, I am talking about sitting on our butts vs being on our feet. Polar opposites. Your point?
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