To think you don't just turn up when someone is working from home .....

[BigSandyBalls2015]

…. friend has driven an hour to 'pop in' for a coffee with her teen.
I feel bad that I've turned her away, but I've got almost constant phone/zoom calls this morning, plus other stuff going on. I can't just ignore them and sit with her.

I know I've stopped to do this , but that's literally seconds!

I know she doesn't get it, and thinks I'm being a rude cow.

Of course it’s rude to knock on the door of someone you know is working from home, @MereDintofPandiculation — it’s pretty rude to bring them to the door In the first place, and to put them in the position of having to tell you they’re busy.

@MereDintofPandiculation

Not rude to knock on your door. But rude to expect you to drop everything - she should have been prepared for you to say "sorry, not convenient".

Pretty dumb if you are driving for an hour to see someone that you don't check to see if they actually can spend time with you first?

Pretty rude when you know a person is wfh and you rock up with your kid to be entertained.
I expect she thought as she had driven all that way op would drop everything for her. Selfish and stupid all in one.

I'm afraid that I used to let my landline and personal mobile go through voicemail and had my blinds slanted so people couldn't see in.

I also ignored callers at my door because I was working. I figured that I'd been in my company's offices I couldn't open the door anyway so... and I think anyone who drives for an hour to "pop in" uninvited really are rude and shouldn't be surprised if they are turned away. I might even be less than polite!

Sometimes I don’t park my car in my drive and park on the street behind so I can pretend I’m not in if visitors stop by.

Pandemic or not, phoning ahead is just a normal and polite thing to do.

It’s bloody cheeky. A friend (who doesn’t work) did this with her kids in tow and then got the hump because I had a conference call sprung on me with hardly any notice.

It’s called “working” for a reason.

Not rude to knock on your door.

if you only pop in to drop something and don't expect to spend more than 2 minutes on the doorstep, and even that I am not a fan.

Otherwise it IS rude. Your time is not more valuable than mine!

It’s rude to just call in on someone uninvited, regardless of someone working from home. I’ve loved lockdown because people can’t visit!!

I'm not one of those never answering the door kind of people but I treat my home like work when WFH. The door an house phone don't get answered till lunch. If I was in my office I wouldn't be able to answer it would I?
My neighbour popped round for a chat earlier but ignored the door and went later to find out what was up.

You all need a sign saying working no social calls.

It’s rude to just call in on someone uninvited, regardless of someone working from home. I’ve loved lockdown because people can’t visit!!

I agree. It was one of the reasons I stopped working from home when I started my business and moved out to rent an office instead. I got fed up of clients turning up, day, night, weekend, without prior agreement. What pushed me over the edge was some absolute clown who rang my door bell at 6am in the morning to drop off a box of paperwork (as he was just passing!).

I now have an office where I can work behind closed doors, literally. No one can see whether I'm in or not, so if I'm not expecting anyone, the door doesn't get answered. People quickly learn to email or phone beforehand!

YANBU. I think working is irrelevant to be honest; it’s so rude to pop in unannounced on someone.