For context I'm a real property specialist for the KY National Guard. Basically every so many years I have to physically go to the site take pictures and fill out some forms. That account for like 10% of my work and once done means no physical site inspections needed for months or years at a time. For the most part I just edit forms on Excel or add assets to an online data base.
We used to be WFH during COVID but now we are full RTO and I hate it. They will openly admit on some days there's no work to do but then insist you cannot leave before s certain time. I commute an hour into work everyday to no joke sometimes just sit on my phone on Reddit for 7.5 hours and then go home.
I hate not being able to WFH to some capacity it doesn't even make sense when a large portion of work hours are people walking around, talking, wasting time, and trying to do anything but be at their desk. I wish there was a way to ask for WFH but the stateside of work is notoriously stubborn about having to think.
I dream of WFH even one day a week. We have a flexible schedule option where we can make our work week 4 days with ten hours shifts but for someone who commutes an hour each way that just sounds miserable and exhausting turning my ten hours days into 12 hours just for a break. I just mentally hate spending $15 a day and 100miles of wear and tear driving a day to sometimes come into work and just exist until I am allowed to go home.
It bothers me so much that if I could have 1-2 WFH days I would be better slept, have more money, be less stressed, be more efficient when working on my projects, and not have to deal with the distractions of the office which largely boil down to everyone else also not having enough to do on a given day to justify being at their desk for 8 hours.
Is there anyway to professionally advocate for this without drawing attention to myself? I'm introverted but efficient at my job. I've gotten tasks my boss said would take a few days done in one shift etc I just hate most of my time being empty but being denied the option that would allow me to still be efficient at work but also allow me to stay on top of tasks that need done during work like laundry, dishes, dusting, etc.