to ban my family from the study?

[Niceguy2]

I'm a homeworker. So right now with all the snow, schools are closed.

What's happening at the moment is that the kids are in/out playing on the spare computer, distracting me by making noise or asking how they do x/y/z. My GF is either using her laptop (which then attracts the kids).

I'm constantly having to go on mute for my conference calls to drown on kids shouting. So i then have to shout at them to be quiet which works for about 10 seconds.

Then my GF will come in asking stupid questions and expect me to be listening, even if I am on the phone or trying to concentrate on something.

AIBU if I put a ban on anyone else being in the study but me during the day until I finish work?

[SantasNutellaFairy]

Start calling it the office and explain it is there for work purposes during working hours. Emerceny entrance only for those not working

[sethstarkaddersmum]

yanbu to ban your kids but banning your gf sounds a bit controlling.
You also sound like you don't like your gf very much; I think you should move out. Problem solved.

[thefurryone]

YANBU

I suppose if they're not usually at home they are just treating you like they would at a weekend.

Tell them to get out and that they can come back in at 5.30 or whenever, surely there are other rooms in the house.

[TattyDevine]

I dont think its unreasonable at all. I wouldn't market it as a "ban" to the GF though, but if she walks in talking when there's a possibility of you being on a concall that's not ideal. When DH is shirking working from home I always open the door very quietly, stick my head round the door to make sure he's not on a call, and THEN ask him ridiculous questions.

[MrManager]

YANBU.

Most people get the change from home-mode to work-mode on their commute. Home-workers don't get that, but they can create strict mental thresholds to cross to mark the workplace out from the rest of the home. This will increase your productivity.

[lovereading]

yanbu

[AlpinePony]

YANBU.

Nip down to B&Q and buy a bolt lock!

[Lonnie]

YANBU but I would strongly urge you to simply have a straight up conversation with GF and children not a ban

[Niceguy2]

thanks all. I've had a word with GF last night and with the kids this morning.

So far haven't banned them but already we've had a fight today over the laptop.

MadamDeathStare...i'm glad someone else gets this too. I'm on an important call and then all of a sudden someone will burst in with some life changing news like "suchabody won't give me the remote/toy/chocoalate/whatever". My GF is just as bad. Was on a call with a very senior manager yesterday when she burst in ranting about the car keys and I had to go on mute quickly. Luckily a colleague stepped in and talked whilst I dealt with the fallout.

[MrManager]

Get a lock on that door, stat!

[dreamingofsun]

niceguy - i've always had same problem - they are banned whilst i'm working but they often forget.

i live in dread about pressing the secrecy button at the wrong time on my phone and shouting 'will you xxx get out of here i don't care who's eaten the last biscuit etc ' in a conference call.

i once ended up supervising the making of rockcakes during an important cnference call using the secrecay button.

[MumNWLondon]

YANBU - and get a lock for door and some earplugs!!!

[MorganMindy]

Hi Niceguy, I understand where you're coming from, I work from home a lot too. My problem is that I don't have a separate study as my house is all open plan! Luckily the vast majority of my work is via email so when I do have an audio I disappear upstairs (with dire warnings to the kids to not interrupt me).
My suggestion would be an open/closed door policy, when the study door is open you're ok with the odd interruption and if it's closed then they have to knock and wait for you to respond?
I am a tad concerned though that your GF isn't respecting your work boundaries though, surely as an adult she shouldn't need reminding so often?

[togarama]

Earplugs are a wonderful thing...

[lindsell]

Ds and I are banned from DH's study even when he's not at home... and he doesn't even work from home! So I think yanbu. DH's argument is that DS & I have the whole house in which to create mess and so he needs one room to himself which actually I think is fair enough so I try and respect that. Certainly if he was working from home and DS and I were in then I would respect it and ensure (as far as possible ) that ds wasn't too noisy etc when he might be on the phone.

Sadly it doesn't work the other way as when I work from home it's usually because ds can't go to nursery for whatever reason so I get to make my calls/emails etc with ds enjoying taking the phone mid call/switching off the laptop etc etc....

Anyway I'd just tell them to keep out!