To think the novelty of WFH has well and truly worn off?

[NickingBentCoppers]

For a while working from home was pretty great (once the kids were back at school obvs, when they were off it was hell). It solved all childcare woes, and the mad morning and evening rush.

But now I am so over it. So over seeing my partner all day every day (it's not natural!). So over looking at the same walls, and not getting the natural exercise that comes from working out of the home- on a busy work day I am like a potato sitting at my desk all day.
And very much over trying to work with the kids there after school- it's the most stressful 2-3 hours of the day.

This afternoon, older child is having a playdate and they are playing hide and seek loudly. Younger child is bothering older child and friend. Loudly. I can't distract younger child by playing with them. It's hot. I'm bothered.

Dreaming of an air conditioned office, gossiping with work colleagues, walking back in the sun from the bus stop. I'm just suddenly very bored and pissed off with the whole thing.

Anyone else?

I hated working from home. Literally sat at my desk all day with no one to talk to. I live alone with no kids.

Do you not go out the house? I still leave the house plenty of times a day!

Nope. My hobby is my computer so I literally unplug my work laptop and load up my games.

How do you host a play date when you're working?

DH is back 4 days a week, WFH on a Monday. I personally prefer him being at work because he’s a pain but he prefers being at home. He’s started to resent his job since he returned to the office and wants a new one.

I had a thread about this a few days ago.

I am finding my DP WFH utterly horrendous and it is driving me insane.

It was fine at first. Now it is most definitely not fine. I feel as if I am facing a somewhat bleak future of living in someone’s workspace until retirement.

Pahaha- several people have quite rightly pointed out that I'm a twat for having kids/playdate at home, when I am still working. Naively we thought we could manage without childcare for a couple of afternoons a week while we are wfh- that one of the benefits of having to do it would be that the kids could be at home more. This was, I accept, probably our first mistake.

No I'm still loving it.

Long may it reign!

If your work can be done on a laptop and isn’t call based I recommend finding a nice local coffee house. There’s a lovely cosy one near me with big sofas. Get a coffee/cake every other hour or so and do your work.

The first mistake is not having afternoon childcare. DH works from home since DD was in Y1 and we always used a childminder until 5pm at least, her contract said 6pm to cover longer telcos or trips. If you work after the school run, you need childcare. If you have secondary school children, then they have to learn to fend for themselves.

For me, unless emergency or closure of provider like Covid, not snow day or inset day, I have to provide effidence of childcare if I want WFH approved long-term.

I do agree that I miss my colleagues though. I had been back the odd day for specific reasons and really enjoyed it . Our company now throws around ideas for the future and it will most likely be a 2/3 day office vs 2/3 day home.

I am used to DH being on regular business trips, I actually miss my evening husband-free, it is nearly 2 years now and it gets harder.

@NickingBentCoppers

Pahaha- several people have quite rightly pointed out that I'm a twat for having kids/playdate at home, when I am still working. Naively we thought we could manage without childcare for a couple of afternoons a week while we are wfh- that one of the benefits of having to do it would be that the kids could be at home more. This was, I accept, probably our first mistake.

I think you are right. I've always been self employed working from home, but never with kids at the same time. When it's your money you stand to lose you do your best, not chuck in a bit during a break from childcare. Get them into childcare and your life will improve 10 fold.

@gillysSong I am self-employed! But work on freelance contracts (usually) in offices.

@reannneeee

If your work can be done on a laptop and isn’t call based I recommend finding a nice local coffee house. There’s a lovely cosy one near me with big sofas. Get a coffee/cake every other hour or so and do your work.

Doesn't work for people with sensitive data or where the VPN is not allowing public wi-fi.

@reannneeee

If your work can be done on a laptop and isn’t call based I recommend finding a nice local coffee house. There’s a lovely cosy one near me with big sofas. Get a coffee/cake every other hour or so and do your work.

Please don't recommend this, going out for coffee you don't want it looking like an office, plus you'd be thrown out in our local cafe's and coffee shops. How would you get any peace, they can be pretty rowdy when a group get together.

@reluctantbrit.

Ah, good point. I freelance and sometimes go and sit there for hours answering emails etc. I didn’t consider those with data entry jobs and the like.

I can’t say I’ve ever cared if somebody’s been sat alone with a laptop when I’m in a cafe. I don’t think it even registers to me

I'm over working from home all the time. When I go back it will be hybrid - 2-3 days a week in the office - which I think will be perfect for me. I've always done one day from home which wasn't quite enough. DH and I both doing 2-3 days from home means we don't need breakfast club, no parent ever has to do the peak hour dash to pick up from after school club vs a leisurely stroll down the street - our lives are going to improve so much.

How is somebody coming in, sitting quietly in the corner with a laptop any less intrusive than say a mother and baby group congregating there with a load of prams etc?

@reannneeee

If your work can be done on a laptop and isn’t call based I recommend finding a nice local coffee house. There’s a lovely cosy one near me with big sofas. Get a coffee/cake every other hour or so and do your work.

Sounds appealing but I’d be even fatter if I did this! I’m over FT WFH now, my motivation is slipping but also not really looking forward to going back in the office, and restarting the commute etc. Chances are it will be a hybrid arrangement but that means we don’t be sat with close colleagues and there will be strict rules about movement around the building and communal areas so it won’t be like before.

I still love it.

Understand the lack of exercise, but I don’t miss the morning stress of getting the kids to the childminder on time, & rushing home to be there for them at the end of the day.

If I was to be asked to go in now, I’d see it a major inconvenience!

My work has always had working from home options, & I did 2 days a week before. They are working towards us going back, but we’ll get to choose how often we go in. Might do a day a week just to show willing 😉

I like it, I like my DH being home (we work in different rooms but we pop in when we’re not busy to say hi/ offer a cup of tea etc) I’ve gone for a walk every lunchtime unless the weather has been awful or I’ve been too ill or busy.

I do not miss the hot sweaty summer public transport commute home or the rush in the mornings. I’ve been able to work on days I would have otherwise had to be off sick when I’ve had bad morning sickness and wouldn’t have coped with the commute, and at the stage of pregnancy now where I get tired and out of breath easily I’m glad I don’t have to do more than a leisurely walk round the park at my own pace. I love the peace and quiet and that I can eat snacks all day without annoying anyone or being judged, I can listen to music, on days I have no meetings I don’t need to do my hair or make up (so my skin is better) I haven’t had to buy a work maternity wardrobe. I generally prefer my own company or that of people I’m closest to. My evenings and mornings feel much longer. Pre pregnancy, I was less tired. There was more time to cook and do activities like yoga from home in the evening. It’s been easier for all the hospital appointments. My life is just much happier and less stressful like this. After maternity leave I’m going to do a flexible working request for hybrid working (and if I do get to WFH I’ll obviously put my child in childcare but we will still save money by that being for less time due to no commute).

Ironically kiki all the above is what I can’t do because DP is home all the time!

Another thing that annoys me about coffee shop etiquette is that it seems acceptable for 2 friends to have a cake, and then stay for 2 hours afterwards chatting. But god forbid somebody alone takes up a table and orders something every now and again.

Anyway sorry, derailing the thread

I like it.

Though I don't have someone else in the house, have three parks/commons nearby for a walk, no noisy neighbours, am saving 75 minutes journey each way, and am able to talk with work colleagues via the various tech we use (and used sensibly).

I recognise my situation is different and the OPs more typical though I expect.

@suckingonchillidogs

I know what you mean - I went into the office yesterday and clocked up over 17,000 steps. Today WFH - 1,400.

This is a really good point. There is a real value to the exercise you get commuting, but I think you just have to use the saved time to get out there for exercise. I made myself go out for a 5k walk this afternoon (though that was only 6000 steps, not 17,000!)

@gillysSong

You need childcare like you would if you were in the office. Surely, you can't do a proper job with kids around the place. What childcare issues has it solved?

People on MN are obsessed with this - I have never heard anyone in RL moan about people working while having children at home.

If you work at home and don't commute, you save the commute time. So you may well be able to save on eg breakfast club as you can take your child to school, and you may also not need after-school club if they are old enough to walk home on their own, or your employer is happy with you nipping out to collect them. There are loads of ways in which WFH can make childcare arrangements easier.

I'm completely the other way round from a step count perspective. When I was in the office I'd regularly only do 2-3K a day. Drive to work. Stay at my desk / in the office all day. Drive home. Whereas now on an average day I'll do 12-15K.

Use my commute time in the morning for a walk everyday before I start work. Often go out at lunchtime for a walk and then either a walk after work into town to pick up whatever we need for dinner, or can fit in a workout in the time I would normally have been driving home!

I much prefer working from home. My work life balance has improved considerably now I'm not commuting.

My children are older though so pretty self-sufficient. Although its nice when they pop into my study to say hi when they get home from school.

Luckily my company will be offering hybrid when we eventually get back to some kind of normal. But that won't be until September at the earliest.

Just goes to show everyone is different. One person's heaven is another's hell. Hope you get to go back to your office soon OP.