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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

...to wonder how people work from home.

53 replies

Pipbin · 20/02/2014 22:05

So it's half term and as a teacher I'm off work, as is DH. We have no DC. I have been planning on getting some school work done, but so far I have done nothing because I've been titting around on MN and wandering off into town to drink coffee.
Honestly, how do people do it?

OP posts:

afromom · 20/02/2014 22:22

I found it really difficult until this year, when I decided to take a new approach. I now split my day up into chunks. I get up and ready, as if I am going out to work, drop DS at school then come back and do 2.5hrs. Then I take 1.5 hrs in the middle of the day for lunch, shopping, housework or just vegging out. 1-3 I work again and then I catch up on the remaining 1.5 hrs in front of the TV after DS has gone to bed. (I work 6 hrs a day).

2 months in and it's working really well. I had time for a break to get stuff done, make use of empty time in the evening, with the TV on and still get everything done.

RiverTam · 20/02/2014 22:24

deadlines. No security - no sick pay, holiday pay - nothing.

PrincessOfChina · 20/02/2014 22:24

I WFH two days a week (three in the office). I think slightly differently and the time I would spend socialising, getting tea (a five minute round trip at best) and getting lunch doing housework. I hang out washing while on conference calls, and go on the exercise bike too.

BonaDea · 20/02/2014 22:29

Sorry but having one or two vague things to do in your week's holiday isn't really the same thing as working from home.

When I work from home I have a day packed with deadlines, conference calls and emails to respond to. I have to get it done otherwise I'm letting people down and frankly not doing my job. If you are busy, things like mumsnet and daytime tv don't really come into it!

Crowler · 20/02/2014 22:33

If you are busy, things like mumsnet and daytime tv don't really come into it!

I agree with this, but where a task is vague and possibly never-ending, it can be hard to get down to brass tacks.

Original poster

Pipbin · 20/02/2014 22:33

It's a good job I don't actually work from home. I've just done some work and I'm all set for next week.
I think the problem is having DH at home. If I was home alone I think I could get much more done.
The other problem is that there is so much stuff around the house that I have said 'I'll do that at half term', and I've failed to do half of them too.

OP posts:

Original poster

Pipbin · 20/02/2014 22:34

I think as well that there are small programs that you can run on your computer that either restrict your access to the whole web or certain sites during certain hours. Now that I could do with.

OP posts:

scottishmummy · 20/02/2014 22:35

I'm more productive at home,but I'm v structured with the task,calls,and emails
Working at home,I'm at home.laptop,mobile and a to do list
Not out,no faffing.its head down stuff

Original poster

Pipbin · 20/02/2014 22:36

Bona I'm not suggesting that this is anything like working from home.
doesn't want to start off another SAHM/working mother debate

OP posts:

bigtimerush · 20/02/2014 22:38

If you work for a big corporate company then 9 times out of 10 WFH is just a plain day off.
My role doesn't require working from home so if I have childcare issues or appointments or any other need to be away from the office i have to take holidays, the WFH colleagues have a very easy get out option... Simply say WFH tomorrow, job done.. It is a bugbear of mine.

scottishmummy · 20/02/2014 22:45

When I work from home it's never a day off,I work longer hours it's intense

Beamur · 20/02/2014 22:52

I work from home a day or two a week, I tidy up, as I need a clean space to feel as if I am 'at work' and then get started.
I waste less time on chatting to colleagues and stuff like that, and as my office can be noisy (open plan) find working at home better for concentration on tricky stuff.
DP has worked at home much more and for longer than me and he is great at it - once he switches his computer on, he is 'at work' and is never distracted by housework!!!
WFH is good to fit around issues like taking kids to school - I save 2 hours driving time when I'm not in the office which means I can finish work in time to pick DD up from school.

Willyoulistentome · 20/02/2014 22:54

I wfh two days a week. In the office other three. I have busy days in which I can just about make a cup of tea and a wee every now and then, and slow days when I do a bit of housework and MN. I pretty much stay at my desk or nearby, cos the boss could call or email at any point. I don't bugger off shopping or anything.

needtobediscreet · 20/02/2014 23:21

I struggle with it tbh and am home-based full time. it's especially bad when you've not much urgent or reactive work on. I think it depends both on your working style and the type of job you do. I do find job a bit boring ane isolating tbh but try to focus on the many positives of being home-based.

whatsagoodusername · 20/02/2014 23:29

My trouble is that I work in small bursts - answer an email, deal with whatever came in right then, then wander off. I end up working 5-10 minutes at a time all day and all evening. It is actually very frustrating because I don't stop working, but I only accomplish a relatively small number of hours. I need to learn to let my emails and workload build up so I have something to sit down to for a reasonable amount of time.

Marcelinewhyareyousomean · 20/02/2014 23:41

omg I luffs working from by home, Don't procrastinate and start 7 ish. always say I'm going to finish by 4 but never do.

Suzannewithaplan · 21/02/2014 01:02

I love working from home, I've done it for years, I do have a routine and certain parts of the day are reserved for work related things, other parts of the day are for non work related things.

Then again I live alone so there's no one else to disturb me or make demands on my time.

BackforGood · 21/02/2014 01:36

I love working from home and consider it to be a real perk of my job. Completely different frpm when I was teaching for lots of reasons, most of which youve already mentioned...
The fact that when you are not teaching, you dont have a list of things 'you are going to do in the holidays'
The fact that you know, in teaching that even if you get the task you set out to do, done today, you will NEVER, Ever be finished and have done all you could do if you spent another few hours - cant think of other jobs that have the 'nevr ending' bit.
The fact that you get lots of stick for having so much holiday always leaves you with a feeling of resentment at thenusing it to get work done, whereas if your home is where you work, its not your hliday you are using up.
I also work I a diffent room ( on laptop) from wherethe PC is, and I disaasociate myself from home comput things like MNing and emails when I'm on work laptop.

TawdryTatou · 21/02/2014 07:24

Can I ask what you now do from home?

I'm resigning as a teacher next week so need ideas, and would love to wfh.

Sorry for hijack.

TawdryTatou · 21/02/2014 07:25

That was to backforgood

Tailtwister · 21/02/2014 07:28

You have to have a completely separate area where you can shut the door. I have a very scheduled day with lots of teleconferences, so most of it is taken by preparing for those, actioning items, emails, phone calls etc. Once you get going it's actually quite easy, it's the getting started that's the hard bit!

The only thing which is hard is if the children are off school. DH had them this week and they had to be out of the house the whole time otherwise I couldn't work. Hopefully that will get easier as they get older though.

WidowWadman · 21/02/2014 07:30

I'm the same as scottishmummy - I'm more focused and productive when wfh. I think it's important to go into the office and physically see people, but when I need to concentrate I'll lock myself in at home.

LabradorMama · 21/02/2014 07:36

I'm on mat leave but have worked from home for 6 years and never got to grips with it. I've always had a home office, shut myself away etc but it made no difference. Even deadlines don't motivate me until the last minute. I'd prefer to work in an office, I feel much more capable (and less distracted) when I'm 'at work' but it's not possible due to where I live

clearsommespace · 21/02/2014 07:54

I much prefer it to working in an office. I'm way more productive. I find it annoying working in an office when people interrupt my concentration during work hours to talk about non-work related stuff. Some people just don't get the hint even when you keep staring at your screen and typing.

I'm not totally antisocial. I do miss the office chat at lunchtime.

ImpOfDarkness · 21/02/2014 08:59

Try a pomodoro timer on your computer. Increased my productivity no end.

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