Courtesy of Jennifer Oliva
- Jennifer Oliva quit her job after a return-to-office mandate in Fall 2021.
- She had worked remotely since March 2020 and found a much better work-life balance.
- Control over her schedule became a priority and now she runs her own publicity firm.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jennifer Oliva, a 54-year-old who quit her job after receiving an RTO mandate. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I spent almost 25 years working as a network television producer in New York City and Washington, DC. I loved my job, and even though it often involved long hours, it was thrilling.
Before the pandemic, I lived on Long Island but commuted to work in the city, which often took around an hour and fifteen minutes each way. It felt like a normal part of my routine because I had done it for many years.
In March 2020, my company sent everyone home
Like most other industries, mine had to pivot and find a way to cover the news remotely. Instead of going out with reporters to produce segments, I worked from my dining room table with people over video and email.
At first, I worked more hours from home than in the office because I felt tempted to always be logged on from when I woke up until I went to sleep. Over time, I found a balance that allowed me to live a better lifestyle.
My commute took me away from my kids and activities that made me happy
I used to walk to the train station, take a 50-minute train ride, and then a 15-minute subway ride uptown. I'd start my day at 7:30 a.m. and get home around 7:30 p.m.
In the mornings, I'd do work on the train, but on the way home, I'd just decompress and watch TV shows on my phone. I always felt like I could've used that hour and a half to be with my kids or take care of important household tasks.
When I started working from home, I decided to keep waking up at 6:30 a.m., but instead of rushing to the train, I used those morning hours to exercise and organize my day. I spent the post-work commuting hours with my kids, family, and friends.
I started to feel so much healthier and happier. Without my commute, I could spend more time with my kids, make them dinner and lunch, and take midday walks.
Spending that extra time with them opened my eyes to a different type of work-life balance I desperately wanted to keep.
In the fall of 2021, my company released a return-to-office mandate
Everyone had to come back into the office five days a week. I asked my boss if I could have a hybrid schedule, but the company didn't allow any exceptions. I was confused.
I argued that I could accomplish my job better from home, I had proven I could do it remotely over the past year and a half, and it saved me time and gave me a better work-life balance. I was happier even though I was technically on the clock and logged in for more hours working from home.
I didn't want to return to the treadmill of a life I had before the pandemic, but I wasn't mad at my company for its return-to-office policy. It's a corporation, and they needed to do what was best for their business.
However, I needed to do what was best for me and my family
I didn't have a backup plan and as a single mother to two kids, I needed to keep this job. I returned to the office five days a week for a few months.
It felt like I was going backward and doing things the way they were done before we knew any other way. All the systems I had put in place over the last year and a half to get more work done every day disappeared because I had to spend my time commuting again.
In November, I asked my boss again if I could work a hybrid schedule and only come into the office a few days a week. He denied that request and said this was a corporate mandate and everyone had to follow it. I decided to quit in December.
I prioritized remote work over my 25-year career as a network TV producer
When I quit, I pivoted to a new industry as a senior producer for a production company. It was a different job than the one I'd had for 25 years, but I was willing to try out new opportunities in exchange for not having to commute.
It was fully remote, but after a few months, I realized it wasn't the right fit for me. I decided to pivot again and start my own publicity company instead so I could control my schedule and my life. Sometimes, I miss that steady paycheck, but I'm more than covering my expenses and am making more now than I ever did working for someone else.
I work many more hours than when I worked my network TV job, even factoring in a commute, but I can spread out the work throughout the day. I'll often wake up an hour or two earlier than my kids to answer emails and check things off my to-do list, and I do the same at night when they're in bed.
I'm grateful my company had the RTO mandate because it helped me realize what I cared about in my career
If the pandemic had never happened, I think I'd still be working in an office five days a week at my same network TV job. The catalyst showed me a different type of work situation I didn't realize I wanted.
I never thought I'd be a remote worker or an entrepreneur. I'm grateful that my company implemented the return-to-office mandate. It pushed me toward a new career path that fits the type of work-life balance I want and turned me into an entrepreneur with a thriving business.
Part of what keeps me motivated and doing the best job possible for my clients is making my company so successful that I never have to work in an office or for someone else ever again.
Want to share your story? Email Lauryn Haas at lhaas@businessinsider.com.