After 2 years mostly at home, Singaporean worries about making small talk at work again

SINGAPORE: After nearly two years of being our in the corporate workforce, a netizen shared on Reddit that he has been experiencing a struggle that many of us would definitely understand: relearning the basics of having social interactions.

According to the post, the netizen admitted that he rarely leaves the house in the past years, and his social life has become very limited. 

“ I meet my friends about once a week for sports and see my girlfriend roughly once a week, but even when I’m with friends, I sometimes find myself zoning out internally because I’d rather be back in the comfort of my own room. The rest of my time is mostly spent at home in my room mindlessly scrolling or playing games,” the netizen claimed. 

What worries him most is going back to the workplace and needing to interact with people every single day. 

He added: “We all know that being able to read the room, build relationships and navigate workplace dynamics can make your life so much easier. I’m worried that after being isolated for so long, I’ll be terrible at this.” 

To help him out, many netizens shared their thoughts, opinions, and own experiences. One commenter stated that in the workplace, there is no need to overshare one’s hobbies, and that it is better to avoid talking about niche subjects such as politics. Also, it is better to not be negative in social settings. 

Another netizen declared that the fact that he is meeting up with friends on a weekly basis does not sound like a total shut in, he is just someone who enjoys his alone time. 

“Don't overthink it. You'll be fine, buddy,” the netizen remarked. 

One more netizen suggested that he should start going out and socialising more before even returning to work. Some also stated that it is normal for newcomers to go through the awkward stages when starting in a new workplace.

“Just remember no one pays attention to you as much as you pay attention to yourself, so don't stress too much about it.,” a comment concluded. 

It is true that re-entering the corporate world after a long-needed break takes time and patience. It is important to remember that let us not be too hard on ourselves, and that taking things one step at a time is progress toward finding one’s footing again. There is no harm in rebuilding social interactions with one casual conversation at a time.