Working from home forever

[Ehupflower]

AIBU to be honest about how hard it is to be motivated working from home! I've had to work from home since the middle of March last year, (like lots of other people) and we got told today that this is probably going to be permanent! I love my job but I'm so fed up of working from home full time I'm finding it harder and harder to keep motivated and not be distracted......

I hope there will be a more balanced approach in future. Less presenteeism for the sake of it. But some opportunities for face to face contact between colleagues (particularly important for junior ones that need mentoring) and clients. My team did a fab settlement by virtual meditation a couple of weeks ago and our barrister exclaimed "now we'd normally go for a victory drink ... but we can't" and it was a bit of a shame. It's that sort of thing that helps cement client relationships.

I have days where I feel like I'm going loopy with cabin fever (the stress of home schooling doesn't help) but I'm also glad I'm not tearing up to London every day and I'm seeing so much more of my children. It's not quality time when I'm working but they seem to like us "being around".

One of the things I think will change for the better for working parents is that if everyone is in the office less then there is less of an "us and them" culture where the parents (let's face it usually mothers) have to rush off at 5 to collect children and the others get to do all the after hours bonding and schmoozing that has historically been critical to client and career development. I think there will be less people in the city every day and that sort of culture will still happen but to a lesser extent, making it easier for working parents to join in semi regularly and harder for the Billy Bigballs lot to get more work from boozing rather than good results. I hope, anyway!

I want to get back to the office too. I started a new role at work three months ago and I honestly think I'd have felt more settled and picked up my new tasks more easily if I'd been sitting with my new colleagues and could just ask them to quickly check what I'm doing instead of having to ask questions over Teams all the time. I live alone and miss people in general, to the point where I just start crying for no good reason sometimes.

Yes, that's hard. My friend did the same, so much easier to tap someone on the shoulder & ask for help then try and get in touch with them remotely. She's 7 months now & feeling much better. One plus we thought of was it's a great answer to the "tell me about a challenge at work & how you managed it" style questions.

I am so much more productive working from home. This is because I work when I feel like it and get it done in peace and quiet. In the office I am forced to sit at my desk in a noisy office until 5pm regardless of whether I am in the mood or not.

This is interesting. At my work we're WFH but have to clock in and out and do the normal 9-5.
I find that very draining. Sitting at my home desk all day except a lunch break.
At work the day is broken up more naturally.
The only thing keeping me going is knowing I'll be allowed back in the office soon, at least part of the time.

^ This is exactly my life when WFH. My team all know what hours the others are planning to do each week (8-4, 9-5, etc.) and we follow them. I work 8-4 so am sat at my (homemade) desk at 8am, only breaking for lunch before logging off between 4.30-5pm depending on my afternoon meetings.

After 11 months of this, it's wearing thin now. If we could work whatever hours we wanted as long as we did our work and got our hours in, it would be a different story. However I don't know how you can do this if you have a lot of meetings as everyone needs to (roughly) follow the same daily work pattern.

I’ve worked from home for well over 10 years and much prefer it to being in the office. It’s very difficult now though, we DH and the children at home. I hate never being alone and can’t wait until they are back at school/office!

I reckon the ideal for most people would be part time at home/office. Not everyone has the room for permanent home working and it doesn’t work well for those in house shares or those starting out in their careers. For some it can be very damaging to their mental health.

I love it.

DP and I have worked solely from home for a decade so we have a nice office in our house and we deliberately live a few minutes walk from a lovely high street and several parks. It takes some getting used to but has more advantages than disadvantages.

I can totally see how for some people it isn’t fun at all tho. One of my colleagues used to working in our London office quit as she lives alone and couldn’t stand the isolation, she’s doing supermarket work now. Quite a few of my colleagues who are also usually office based are off with mental health issues currently, WFH isn’t helping them either.

A balance is a great idea for many I think - two or three days in the office a week .

@BlackForestCake

A daily meeting on Teams can’t replace a quick “What do you think..?” when a new idea comes to you.

Oh, you're one of those people who interrupts others when they're trying to get work done?

I beg your pardon? Did you intend to sound so unpleasant?

I was explaining why home working does not work for me, or for my team. We evidently work in a different way to you and any colleagues you have. Delighted for you that it works so well for you, if indeed it does.