To think people who work from home don’t understand this?! And they’re paid more usually

Well, bac in the day before we all worked from home part of the time, I was in the office 50+ hours a week. I absolutely did do appointments at lunch etc - but yes, I had to find a lot of these near the office. I got my hair cut at a salon roudn the corner that opened late on Thursdys so I could get there at 6:30. I had a local (to the office) chiropractor and physiotherapist.

I did my online shopping at lunch and bought all my Maternity clothes from the New Look in the City - the only place that sold mat clothes in those days in the area. If I needed to buy a gift.... I did it at lunch in the shops near the office.

Medical appointments for which I needed to access my NHS people near home - my company was obliged to allow me to take. It was a bit stressful sometimes, but it wasn't unusual to be in late or leave early for a doctor's appointment or similar.

Agree. I actually do more hours on my WFH days as I don’t have the commute so I log on earlier and often stay later as I’m sitting indoors anyway.

More holiday entitlement fir doing a different job - give me strength 😂😂

And I don’t squeeze a haircut into my working day - I manage at weekends or evenings like many people.

Life isn't fair.

I actually did less of those things when working from home than when I was office based - we always had flexitime arrangements but when I was at home I was more conscious that people see WFH as slacking so I took less flexibility

I work from home. I have no more free time than you have OP.

I'm finishing up now for today, but I started at 6 this morning. My job couldn't be done in an office.

Why should I have less holiday time than you?

Of course you shouldn’t get more annual leave, what a really odd proposal.

I work from home sometimes in a senior role and would never go to the hairdresser in the working day! But I do put ok washing, emptying the dishwasher and do household tasks. I recognise that this is a privilege.

Wfh saves me an hour a day commuting, time at the weekend because I can pop on a wash in the morning and hang it at lunch time or run the hoover round
I don't have to waste time collecting parcels because I can have them delivered to home.

I save money on fuel, lunches (as the temptation to buy a sandwich rather than make one is taken away)

It's much better for work life balance

However, I don't like it! I'd miss my lovely colleagues!

I only do it if I have to

I work from home and I have to use my time off to do all those things you mentioned. I barely get time to eat lunch.
A lot of my friends who also work from home are able to work flexibly and will be able to nip out for appointments, stuff for the kids ect but that's not my business, they are still getting their jobs done presumably.

I think your strange bitterness about working from home is making you a bit resentful. Your mate can do whatever she likes.

Is your friend expecting you to go to doctors appointments during the day?? If so tell her to mind her own business.

Or are you expecting those who WFH to be forever apologetic or to never make a daytime appointment lest they offend you?

I just don’t get your point?

Yes - I think it may be flexibility rather than WFH. In my previous office role, I was always able to attend medical appointments on work time but obviously not hair or nails unless I went in my lunch hour ( which I did sometimes do). I do now work from home in a senior role and I do have a lot of flexibility. But I also almost never eat lunch and it is not unusual for me to sit down at 08.30 and then get back up at 5.30 when I leave for school pickup, not even getting up to go to the bathroom it’s so hectic. I also usually work 1-2 hours in my evening. So if like today I have to go pick something up from a shop before the close at 5 and I have a very unusual gap in my calendar, I will leave early to do it. It will mean catching up on the work in the evening or on the weekend though. I understand that it can be frustrating if you can’t work from home, but there is generally a counterpart to the flexibility. In my case, my work get a LOT of work.

I think this is down to flexible working rather than WFH. I used to work in an office but flexibly, so if I wanted to take two hours out for something I could, id just go back in and finish later. This has been around in some places for years and years. WFH does make it a lot easier obviously!
What's she saying to you? Surely she's being a bit um... stupid, if you've told her you cant leave and she acts like you can?
What does she say if you say you cant leave?

And you getting more annual leave because you are jealous isn't fair either.

People who work hard to get to these positions like your friend, don't owe you fairness because you haven't.

I work hybrid. But I live in the middle of fucking nowhere, so if I want to do gallivanting during the working day, it's a lot more convenient from the office. I got my hair cut during my lunchbreak from working in the office the other day.

Op you do know that the vast majority of people who work from home have also at some point worked outside of the home? There’s benefits and drawbacks to both. I’d go literally insane if I didn’t have to leave the house to work

My friend worked 100h weeks sometimes, usually almost all in the office, and she was allowed to gallivant around to appointments during the week too, OP.

So nyer, someone had it worse than you.

Or alternatively, not everyone understands everything about other people's situations and you can just talk to your friend rather than make bitter accusations online.

Doesn’t make what fair? You think all jobs should be exactly the same?

Nothing is fair. You need to train for and work towards the lifestyle you want or the job you want. You do something different from her, what’s not fair about that? You picked the job.

I have only worked from home, now hybrid, since the pandemic. Prior to that I worked in the office. It’s no different. Time for appointments is worked back (as your friend does in the evening) or booked off as annual leave.

Now you sound like a petulant child

Life is not always ‘fair’ although in this case it’s down to your life choices

and by the way, noyou shouldnt get extra holiday, what a ridiculous suggestion

I have managers who have much more flexibility than I do. I need to answer the phones.

But you are right that I don't have to book annual leave to have the boiler serviced or a handyman to visit. I am very aware how lucky I am to have this option.

In my experience, people who take the piss and shirk work will do so whether they are in an office or working from home.
I can’t imagine any workplace who allow people to work from home would be ok with them taking a few hours off for a hair cut.
It sounds like the senior friend has an element of flexible working for her hours which is different.

I WFH and can’t pop out, I’m on call for all of my working hours. I still do all of those things outside of working hours.

If anything I miss my lunch break when I was working in the office, I actually ate lunch, read or caught up on my tv shows it was relaxing 😂

However, wfh does mean on said break I can throw a wash in or prepare dinner for later and it does also mean I am closer to kids school if there was ever an emergency

I work from home, as do my team. but we HAVE to be online during our "office hours"
We can't go off and catch up in the evening.

How are you isolated from your friends? Even if they’re working from home, they aren’t planning days out and lunches and cocktails during the working day so you’re not missing anything.

And most people who work from home do actually need to work. Like you said, if she has an appointment during the day or goes out then she has to work over her evenings to get the work done. So… how exactly does she have more free time than you? You go home and have your evenings to enjoy.

I used to work in an office, hair appointments were on a weekend, and even now I work from home it’s still not in ‘work’ time

likewise dental and drs appointments are normally allowed for by employers, it’s accepted they can’t be done at weekends, if that’s not possible for you then that’s an issue with your employer as reasonable time off should be allowed

Most people who work have home don’t galavant around