Does anyone else just love being at home?

[Smallsteps88]

I’m a total introvert and homebird. I work outside the home but I spend my life waiting to go home. I’ve deliberately found work as close to home as possible so that I can A) come home for lunch and B) get home ASAP in the evenings. I’ve put off taking WFH jobs for years because I’m a single parent with a small social circle already and I think it would be really isolating but the pandemic has gotten me thinking It wouldn’t be so bad. I feel guilty saying it but lockdown did wonders for my mental heath (i feel bad because I know it’s had the complete opposite effect on so many) I got to really properly relax and just be at home and do all the things I never have time to do. I went back to work a few months ago (after being in lockdown) and all the stressful feelings I’ve been living with for years flooded back and stayed. But I accept I must work so I just get on as best I can. Then having been off work recently with I’ll DC I was so happy again. Should I take the leap and look for WFH work? Or will that be like just shutting myself off from life completely?

Yes love it.

I love it. I have a comfortable and happy home and am secure, bloody lucky in fact.

I’ve also been a combination of SAHM and WFH since 2006. I honestly feel my social circle is as big as I can manage which is ‘not very’ but I’m pretty happy! I’m older though, I’ve had extremely gregarious jobs in the past - ready for a deep clear breath in my middle years tbh.

Yes I don’t particularly want to expand my social circle. I find socialising exhausting unless it’s with close friends who I can be relaxed around.

Why not try a mix? 2 days office, 3 days home? I wfh for years pre covid and I was starting to feel lonely, so I got a mixed role. Then covid happened so I am back to wfh. I can't see the end now grrr.

I relate to the lower stress feeling but loneliness is insidious, you don't realise until it has its tendrils round you. A small amount of stress is healthy. That is just my experience. Also it depends on the setup, if you are permanent wfh and others are office based I often felt like I had to explain/justify. My situation was I asked for it at interview as I have a disability, so a bit different.

I do miss getting a work outfit on and random conversations. The same environment becomes a bit stale too- you start to want to do more home improvement and I need zero clutter!

I'm like this too - there is nothing I love more than being at home with my family and animals. I used to work around 30 mins from home but have been 'forced' to WFH for the last 8 months - I've never been happier!

Definitely me, I hate socialising, I often wonder how people with big social circles manage because to me it just seems exhausting. I have a couple of low maintenance friends that I can meet up with for coffee and a chat but other than that I’m happier in my own little bubble with my husband and kids.

Yes, I love it.

I've been made redundant so I'm home all the time and it's bliss. I've always worked full time, big jobs, travelling but now there is no constant organising school run cover, no stress about traffic. Suddenly I can be a SAHM and I love it.

I'll need to find a job soon but for the moment I'm enjoying this unexpected bonus.

Yep absolutely love it. I'm not a people person which is a good job really because I've been housebound with rare chronic illnesses for 25yrs. Only been out to move house a few times over that timespan. I'm never lonely, never bored either.

As an antisocial introvert my home & my solitude are the best things in life for me.

I can put off food shopping for days so I don’t have to leave.

But, this gets worse the worse my MH is.

A small amount of stress is healthy. That is just my experience.

Yes I agree. I think the stress and discomfort makes me appreciate home more so if I don’t have the stress would home become a bit of a prison? Trying a mix is a good idea.

I absolutely love days like today where we have no plans and we can just bimble about doing not much. Also, I feel very lucky to be able to say we have a happy and safe household so I positively look forward to the clock signifying the end of my working day and I can come back here.
We are busy during the week, both dh and I work outside the home and continued working through lockdown although I did less days at first for about 6 weeks then back to full time.
We have spent a considerable amount of time and money making our house a home that we love spending time in, it’s my favourite place, my sanctuary.
I’ve lit the fire now, one dc has plans to go out and see a friend, dh will be home from work by about 3 and apart from that I’m just relishing in the fact that I don’t need to be anywhere but here. Saturdays and sundays with no plans are sacred to me!!

TBH I am getting bored of looking at the same four walls all the time and feel a little imprisoned.

Introverts love this kind of life, extroverts don't.

I don't mind working from home as I have proper office space and equipment. I can have the lighting and temperature exactly how I want it, and I don't miss the commute.

However, I miss my workmates (yes work mates, not just colleagues). I miss the banter and gossip, brainstorming new ideas, and basically just seeing someone else other than my DH all the time.

It's hell on earth and that's with me working 5 days a week away from home. I miss seeing my friends, we're a sociable group and I miss our get togethers so much. I've always felt very lucky to have such amazing friends but this shit show has made me realise how important they are to my life.

I think if I had work mates and enjoyed my job I’d feel very differently. I don’t and am looking for a new job but my mind keeps veering towards the idea of WFH.

I’m an introvert. I’ve been WFH for 7 months now and I HATE it. I don’t necessarily want to be in the office 5 days per week, but never going in is horrible. I’m so sick of being at home. And virtual meetings are so much more draining than ones which happen in person. Plus they’re making me reluctant to videocall with friends/family as it just feels like an extension of work. Which is limiting my current social circle still further. And it’s relentless. There is no end in site - I doubt my office will be open before next Easter.

I have friends who WFH who feel exactly like you @HainaultViaNewburyPark which is why I’ve not done it so far. I did look at the start of lockdown but not seriously.

I think if I had work mates and enjoyed my job I’d feel very differently.

I realise that I am very lucky. I work part time, love what I do and get on really well with my workmates. When it is eventually safe to work in an office I will still work mainly from home.

See I’d consider myself an extrovert but antisocial. I love being at home.

I think this pandemic has shown us that many people prefer being at home.Especially the poor souls crushed together on the rush hour tube or harassed Mums responsible for getting themselves and DC to School/Work on time ! I have benn a SAHM for a long time apart from a couple of temporary jobs so feel I am quite "lucky" However DH prefers to be back in the office !

Definitely @dottiedodah. It’s been a real eye opener for me.

My commute was motorway driving along 4 lanes of smart motorway. It was OK in summer, but awful in winter, especially near Christmas as I had to drive past a busy shopping mall.

I am an introvert. I hate drop ins and unexpected door knocks. I have had my small circle of friends for decades and do not wish to add anyone else in. I have been very comfortable in lock down. My home is my sanctuary.

I've gone from leaving my house at 6,30am every weekday morning and returning after 6, whereby, I would spend two frantic hours preparing dinner, cleaning up, preparing for following day and trying to fit in some time with the kids before bedtime.

Since lockdown, I get up at 7, go into my spare bedroom and do an hour of yoga online, sort the kids out, log on to work, tidy up the house throughout the day, have lunch ready for dd, and eat with her, see my ds at 3 when he comes home instead of to minder. See dd at 4. Finish work around 5.30, cook dinner and relax for the evening.

My families quality of life has increased so much since Covid.

No, I hate it. I was on furlough for 4 months, hell on earth. So much happier to be back at work (I can't WFH).

Yes. I love my home. Its beautiful and old. Its rural - proper rural. And I’m surrounded by smashing walks and mountains.

Now a lot of the visitors had gone home, i can enjoy them again.