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Original poster

How are you finding working from home?

29 replies

SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 08:28

I’m just interesting in how this is going for others who are not used to working from home regularly.

I have had phases of enjoying it, lacking motivation, missing being in the office... overall I do miss the social aspect of going into work but it’s nice to be able to get up later and be done at 5:30 (without adding on an hour for travel), to be able to do some exercise in the middle of the day, and make a proper lunch at home.

I know I’m lucky to be able to work from home.

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Original poster
SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 08:29

I’m interested, probably not interesting at all (typo) Grin

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TeddyIsaHe · 28/05/2020 08:30

I usually wfh 2/3/4 days a week, BUT dd is at nursery so I can actually get stuff done! I haven’t enjoyed it at all trying to navigate parenting and work (lone parent) and am v looking forward to dd going back to nursery next Tuesday so I can get back to the office for some normality.

Original poster
SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 08:33

It must be tough at home trying to work and look after a child.

I do like being able to do laundry any time!

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Burpalot · 28/05/2020 08:33

A bit like you op. Mixed bag. I appreciate the flexibility, being able to put the washing on during the day, eating better, zero commute. However I miss my work chums, I'm exhausted by endless video meetings, I miss the definition between work and home, I miss my desk and monitor. I hate that I'm working in my living space. I'd obviously much prefer to have a separate study (or two). It can be pretty intense WFH with dp who does crazy hours. Days go by where we're too busy to leave the house for even a walk. At least when I was in the office I did that....

Burpalot · 28/05/2020 08:33

Oh and no DC at home so appreciate we are extremely lucky in that regard

nowornever1 · 28/05/2020 08:40

Stressful and exhausting.

Trying to work full time as is my DH. I appreciate we are lucky to have jobs but the 3 kids are spending up to 10 hrs plus on screens and I just want to cry as I'm such a bad mum but I don't have time to do anything with them. And we are on constant calls etc.

I was hoping youngest would be back at school as she is in reception but they are only offering 6 hrs a week and I am genuinely worried about her being so lonely and spending so long on screens

I am working from 7-6 some days as we are so busy at work and even taking annual leave is not helping as I don't have time to take it and it will just be more work.

Meruem · 28/05/2020 08:40

I was working from home pre covid, (For about 2yrs now) and I have always loved it! My prior commute was hell as I live in London and had to get packed tubes. My office was open plan and depressing. Don’t miss it at all. A tip if you don’t have a separate room to work in, if you can fit in a “work” desk of some kind that you only use for work, you can still have that separation. My desk is in my bedroom under the window so I can get sunlight and fresh air. I only sit at that desk when I work. So my “commute” now is up and down the stairs! But I take a full lunch break away from my desk and go downstairs or sit in the garden for an hour. So in my mind work is confined to just that desk rather than half the house.

Original poster
SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 08:41

Burpalot You sound v similar to us. We were both working at the dining room table for a bit and that was tough at times but I’ve set up a study now and that helps, but dining room is still taken over by DH so we’ve started eating dinner on our laps which we never did before!

If you can get out for a walk I’d recommend it even if it’s just a 20 min walk at lunchtime.

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TeddyIsaHe · 28/05/2020 08:54

@nowornever1 you are NOT a bad mum. It’s a hideously stressful time and working from home with 3 kids is basically impossible. A few weeks of screen time isn’t going to harm anyone. Be kind to yourself Flowers

Dizzylin · 28/05/2020 08:55

I find it stressful sometimes and OK others but can't wait to get back into the office.

I have 2 primary aged DC, one reception age, on Yr 4. DH can't WFH and is a Key Worker so trying to get the kids to do their school work and do my 8 hours (which we have been told we should do in core hours i.e. 9-5) is hard work. The Yr4 child is OK and will get on by herself but I can't leave my reception aged child to do work alone so we usually end up with him sat beside me and I try to work and help him at the same time. He only does about 20 mins a day, he can't cope with anymore.

I'm lucky in that DH is classed as a home worker so has an office which I've taken over and I go into the office for a couple of hours, once a week, when DH gets home from work.

I do worry about work expecting us to go back into the office before schools are ready and safe to be back. We have no childcare options.

SweetPetrichor · 28/05/2020 09:22

I'm loving it. No children to work around thankfully, but I enjoy the lack of commute, the flexibility, the peace and quiet.

bumbleb33s · 28/05/2020 09:27

I love it. Don’t have little ones to contend with, can keep on top of my housework and gardening, sit in the sun and read :)

Original poster
SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 09:40

Yeah parents you need to give yourself a break because this is unusual circumstances and I’m sure you’re doing great. It must be hard juggling work and looking after children.

I don’t have any children at home. I’d love them but hasn’t happened for us yet. I can imagine it’s tough at the moment though.

Having a separate desk or area is a good idea if you can do it. Another tip I saw was, if you are working on finding table for example, to have a box and put everything away in it at the end of the working day. So there is some separation. Trying to stick to working hours helps too as it’s so easy to work odd hours.

It does help that the weather has been pretty good.

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Burpalot · 28/05/2020 10:51

I have the box! Laptop, mouse, notebook all get chucked in a felt bucket thing in the living room at the end of the work day. Dining table then gets reclaimed for dinner. Little thing but really helps

CorianderLord · 28/05/2020 10:54

If I could WFH 4 days a week and just go in Fridays I would 😂

PhoneLock · 28/05/2020 11:02

I'm enjoying not having to commute and being in an office with just me in it. My workload has increased though, so I'm not really seeing any time benefits.

Original poster
SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 11:24

I think I need to get DH a box as he’s taken over the dining room!

If I could WFH 4 days a week and just go in Fridays I would

Grin

My workload has increased though, so I'm not really seeing any time benefits.

That’s a shame or maybe a good thing you have work. Delete as appropriate!

I’m quite busy at the moment but it gets like this anyway and being at home has its advantages.

I’m working mostly paperless now (I have a notebook) and miss printing things! I like having hard copy files and papers but this is the way things were going anyway

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PhoneLock · 28/05/2020 11:40

That’s a shame or maybe a good thing you have work. Delete as appropriate!

It stops me getting bored, although I am a bit jealous of some neighbours who have spent every day since lockdown started revamping their garden.

We have been told that there will be no redundancies, including furloughed staff. That has to be a good thing. Smile

Original poster
SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 11:46

We have been told that there will be no redundancies, including furloughed staff. That has to be a good thing

It is good. We have taken a small pay cut across the business and don’t know what will happen in the future but I know people in the same industry who have been made redundant so I do count myself lucky to have a job and one that I can do from home.

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AnnieGetYerGun · 28/05/2020 11:52

Overall it’s been positive.

No rushing about.
No commute.
Time to exercise before work.
My lunch hour is spent eating home cooked food in the garden or going for a walk, not stuffing in a sarnie in my gob in front of my screen.
My interactions with some of the dickheads at work are kept to a minimum.
I can zone out in boring Zoom meetings with a cuppa and my own thoughts Grin.

Ideally I’d like to continue working from home at least a day or two a week. I’m feeling much more relaxed, less stressed, just as (if not more) productive than I was in the office.

But I would like to get back in to my workplace for at least some of the week. I miss the social interaction. I miss being ‘out and about’. I miss time away from home and my family commitments.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 28/05/2020 11:59

Love it. With all the palaver about the mental health of those asked to stay home for a little while no one has thought about the mental health of those who loathe having to do small talk, shake hands and play office politics but who are forced to do this every working day of their lives no matter how exhausting it is. It's even more proof that it's an extrovert's world that this is seen as normal and something we should have to put up with.

I'm also staying home for as long as possible because I'm on the cusp of being disposable vulnerable and because I have a friend who died of COVID-19. I know it's real and magical thinking 'I've had enough so there is no danger la la la' won't save people.

wheresmymojo · 28/05/2020 12:04

I've done training with over 1,000 people in the first 4 weeks of lockdown on how best to work from home and how to manage remote teams because I have a lot of experience.

Would it be helpful for anyone if I did an AMA on it?

Original poster
SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 13:07

I miss being ‘out and about’. I miss time away from home and my family commitments.

Me too. A mix of some time at home and 2 days in the office would work for me, but then if we all did that I expect we wouldn’t see colleagues as we’d probably be in on different days!

It's even more proof that it's an extrovert's world that this is seen as normal and something we should have to put up with.

I don’t agree it’s an extrovert’s world. We now have technology that allows us to work from home but that hasn’t always been the case and requiring people to go into work was just a fact of life, and still is for many. I’m sorry you have lost your friend. Stay safe Flowers

Would it be helpful for anyone if I did an AMA on it?

Yes Smile

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MrsJBaptiste · 28/05/2020 15:15

Positives:
I get to put the washing on and get it dried during the day
I can make the evening meal on my lunch hour
I finish at 5pm and have exercised and showered by 6pm - if I went to the gym after work I wouldn't be home until 7.30

Negatives:
I cannot get motivated to work my 8 hour days
I now have a bad back from working at the dining table
I miss chatting to (most of) my colleagues
I hate not needing to get dressed into my nice clothes (although I still sometimes do)

Generally, I do not like WFH and can't wait to get back into the office. However as I work in a University, it's looking unlikely any time soon...

Original poster
SomeBunnyovertheRainbow · 28/05/2020 22:41

I think there are definitely pros and cons. I save time, not only in not having to do my hour each way commute, but I also don’t spend an hour getting ready in the morning.

Then again I always enjoyed that hour in the morning. I suppose I could still do it! I still get up, have a shower and get dressed, though usually in something loungey that I wouldn’t wear out, like leggings or even shorts if I’m likely to sit outside.

I miss the human contact but then this time is also making me realise I don’t need it as much as I thought Hmm

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