How much time completely alone at home do you have?

[ExpectTheWorst]

Is it enough / too much / just right? And do you think it's important?

I noticed last lockdown (we are not in UK btw) that with the children home all the time I never had a minute where I was alone in the house any more. I usually have every morning (kids in nursery/school, husband at work), and I missed it so much. I hadn't realised it was so important to me to have this quiet time.

I'll be in a minority as a mum without primary care of my teenagers. I'm alone pretty much every weekday and one to two weekends a month.

We've reduced contact during lockdown as I'm high risk and I'd need to use public transport.

My eldest pops round if he's in the area, but stopped once there were covid cases in his school. I'm seeing my youngest once a month as they live further afield.

Adopted a cat so I'm not too lonely, but I do wish I had the kiddos to snuggle.

I used to get every weekday morning on my own at home when dc were at school, DH at work and I only worked part-time in the afternoons. It was bliss.

Nowadays I have practically no time to myself at all, all 4 of us work different hours and there's almost always someone here when I am, even if they are in bed.

It drives me crackers to be honest.

Alone but wfh - so time when I am not at the beck and call of others about an hour a week unless I make an effort to get up early 😃

About two hours a week, we are both working from home, so my only time is the days my partner walks my son to school.

Can't wait till lockdown is over, and the weather improves. Then ExH can take dc out for a few hours at the weekend.

I'd love to get a few hours peace, to drink tea and watch tv.
I can do that once dc is in bed, but it's not the same, as I still have the responsibility, and chores to do.

I’ve had maybe 6 hours total since March, that was a few hours at weekends when DH took the kids to his parents’ (out of lockdowns of course!). It’s just not the same vibe when he’s working from home and keeps coming down to make cups of tea and telling me about his meetings ugh.

None unless I engineer it.

There is 5 mins between H taking DD to school and me leaving for work. I have started to leave work a bit later so I 'miss' the school pick up and park trip just so I can have 1/2 an hour to myself. H never takes DD out alone,I was ill this weekend and they were both in the house the whole time.

None, because DH works all day from home except for a walk in the evenings. I used to have 12 hrs a day or so. I really hate it right now. I go out myself, but I would love to just be able to be alone at home for a bit.

Lots. Only one DC (18) left living at home who goes to college. I wfh.

Rest of the time DC is home because of Covid but they are normally out a lot.

About 15 hours a week. I love that time & really need it.

Oh wow, lots of responses, and like me it seems many really need the time.
I agree with lots of you - going out is not the same, neither is evenings when kids are asleep. Actual day time when there is nobody else home is something I really savour.

Might show this thread to my friends who told me I must have had suuuuuuuch an easy lockdown because I don’t live alone so must have had a great time always having someone in the house 🤔 I JUST WANT TO BE ALOOOOOONE!

(Although yes, loneliness is awful and everyone is having a shit time in their own way. Seems my friends didn’t get that memo though!)

12 mins drive to work and 12 mins back. I hate it.

6 hours a year.. I save 1 days holiday for my birthday and am home alone. All other times there is at least one other person at home

Loads and I bloody love it!

None only when it's bedtime. X

None occasional day working from home and if DH isn’t doing his invoices that day I get 9-2.30 but I’m working so it’s not really time to enjoy the solitude.
I love being alone in the house just pottering and really wish I had more of it.

None. When lockdown lifted and the DDs went back to school I booked a day off the second DH went back to work so I could be alone and not do any jobs and could just potter about and do my own thing and it was lovely. Hoping to do the same one day before Christmas

Zero and never really have. DH wfh and always has and I work ft anyway so am either working or have DS. I honestly can’t imagine having every morning to myself (or similar) - I’d love it though!

Very very rarely. Dh works from home, I work full time. By the time I'm home from work kids are home and dh is there. At the weekend I occasionally get an hour or so if everyone is off doing their own thing.
I absolutely relish every minute I have the house to myself.

Almost all my time at home is alone. I have friends round occasionally, parents hardly ever because I go to theirs at least once per week. I don't have or ever want children. I wish I had a partner to love, but other than that I couldn't bear being surrounded by people.

Six hours four days a week.

I knew even before lock down that I really needed it, but lock down really drove that home.

Poor dp gets none. He does fairly regularly go for a walk after work. I am all for this because it does no end of good for his mood.

I try to make sure he gets at least a few hours alone in half term.

I’ve had no days to myself at home since... well, forever. In normal times I’d probably book a day off a year to have by myself and would also have the house to myself working at home once or twice a month. It’s probably been at least a year. I try and go out for a walk in the evening to have space for my own brain most nights. DH is lovely in most ways but does not need alone time and it drives me potty.

I love working from home as I class it as my ‘me’ time. So 8 hours a day, 3 days a week. I go for walks with the dog, have long baths (occasionally do a bit of work too ). I don’t know if I’d even call myself an introvert but I did feel very peopled out when I was working before (client facing role, busy all the time and constantly worried, whizzing around having to run to collect DD from nursery).

Almost none. It's driving me mad. I used to WFH one day a week and get that full day clear, plus the odd evening or weekend when DP was out at something.

Now we're both WFH at the same table, soon at nursery thank goodness but no childcare even I'm not working, so I have barely any 'off' time. I really, really miss being on my own.

My DP very rarely goes out, even for a walk. I keep trying to make him go - for his health as well as my sanity! - but he just says he has to work. So I go out for walks, but it's not the same as having the house to myself.

A pp said they resent doing housework while other people are home and not doing it - same! I used to keep in top of stuff on my WFH day, but now I'm always home I really resent having to take time out of my day while DP does nothing. He does loads of other stuff around the house and cooks, so I'm being completely unreasonable!