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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Am I the only one who actually LOVES WFH?!

149 replies

Battleoftheislands · 23/09/2021 08:13

I genuinely feel like a bit of a freak as I have seen so, many posts about WFH over the last 18 months on here and an overwhelming number of posts on those threads are stating that they hate it. I’ve started to feel a bit weird about it all and am genuinely thinking, is there something wrong with me socially because I’m honestly okay with not seeing many people?

I will pre-face this by saying I am extremely fortunate to have a nice house and a designated study to work in so I appreciate that this plays a huge, huge part, but I really don’t want this thread to be derailed and turned into a bloody class debate.

Is there anyone else on here that enjoys WFH and doesn’t wish to go back to the office? My colleagues and I all meet up every 5-6 weeks for a ‘social’ event so that’s working well in keeping us all ‘bonded’ if you like and I speak to them a lot during the day day on Teams meetings etc.

Honestly, I used to do so much travelling, I’d cover 450 miles a week in my car and I was completely burnt out. I don’t miss that part at all.

I love being able to walk my dog every lunchtime, I have more time for exercise now so have taken up running 3-4 times a week. I see my husband more, I can whip the hoover around or hang a wash up if I get a spare 10 mins etc which means my weekends have been freed up.

I also try and ensure I have a social life and meet up with friends or family every weekend to do something. I have a hobby that I do 2 evenings a week too so see people then. I see the odd person out when I’m walking the dog at lunch and as it’s a small village, mostly know them so have a chat.

Can we have a bit of a WFH appreciation thread for those that enjoy it?

OP posts:

Peggytheredhen · 23/09/2021 08:17

Yes I do. I enjoy it more now I occasionally see colleagues for a catch up in person. I get much more done at home and as I am constantly on Teams I speak to people a lot. We've developed a good Teams cameraderie, and I now know them a lot better as their husbands/kids/cats wander past etc

I am lucky as WFH will now be the norm (after decades of entrenched presenteeism at my work) along with 'collaborative' office working!

Purplewithred · 23/09/2021 08:18

I’m with you. I love WFH and have no plans to go back to the office.

My home office and home tech are a billion times more comfortable and functional than our (now very small and a bit tatty) office. I can build my working day round my home life - run at lunchtime, empty the washing machine, chat to my DH and DD during the day. Or have the house to myself when DD and DH are out/working. For work we see each other on Teams all the time - more than we did before really - and have face to face meetings once a month or so which is plenty.

The only downside is that DH would really like the house to himself occasionally, so I’m trying to make that happen once a week. But not by going in to the office.

Geamhradh · 23/09/2021 08:19

No, there's hundreds of threads from people complaining they are returning to their workplaces as normal.

DressBitch · 23/09/2021 08:22

I much prefer it and I've no desire to go back to the office.

We've been promised hybrid working. To the MD of our division that means two days in the office, two days on site and one from home 🙄.

Luckily I'm going on maternity leave soon so I don't need to worry just yet.

StylishMummy · 23/09/2021 08:22

I love WFH and my productivity has doubled since the pandemic began. I can get little jobs done in the day on my breaks so the weekends are more free for family time.

However, I know we're very privileged that DH and I have a house large enough to accommodate 2 people WFH without encroaching on bedroom space and we have a lovely garden to spend time in. I imagine I'd hate to WFH if in a tiny flat or working out of my bedroom!

Gorl · 23/09/2021 08:22

I love it too. I love the 3 hours a day I get back by not commuting. I love being in my house. I love having the opportunity to walk in the beautiful countryside round me over lunch. I love spending more time with my husband.

I’m happy to go into the office a day or two per week but really delighted to be predominantly wfh now.

SickAndTiredAgain · 23/09/2021 08:22

I understand why people don’t like it, but I love it. We’re back in 2 days a week which I also don’t mind, but wfh is definitely my preference.

Original poster

Battleoftheislands · 23/09/2021 08:23

Where are these threads @Geamhradh as I haven’t seen them? (Not in AIBU anyway) I’ve seen an awful lot of ‘AIBU to hate WFH’ type threads on here of late though.

OP posts:

Banani · 23/09/2021 08:24

I’m doing two days at home and one in the office each week. Really love that balance.

nellytheelephantscircus · 23/09/2021 08:25

I love it too. Actually left my old job when they started insisting on office working 3 days a week and found a job WFH permanently.

Saves me so much time & money- was having a daily Starbucks and often ordered lunch in to the office with not much change from £20. Also my season ticket was £160 per month.

I'm one of those weird people who love company when I have it, but also love my own space so it suits me.

Sunshineandflipflops · 23/09/2021 08:26

I don't hate WFH as such but I don't have a home office so working from my kitchen table is a PITA and we have stopped eating together as a family as much because of the hassle of putting everything away each day and when the kids get home from school I have them coming in and out (open plan kitchen/diner).

Manageable for 1/2 days a week but not full time. If I'd wanted a purely WFH job I would have applied for one.

knittingaddict · 23/09/2021 08:26

Not the only one. My husband loves it and I like that he's there. We are good at giving each other space though. He certainly doesn't miss the long commute at either end of the day. The office isn't back in person yet, but when it does it's going to be booking a space and only going in 1 to 2 days a week.

Even the extroverts who missed the office at the start of lockdown are converted to wfh and want it to continue.

PooWillyNameChange · 23/09/2021 08:26

I like a mix. I WFH 3-4 days a week and go in once or twice. Our office is quite swanky and I love it (you can get a manicure or massage and see mountains and a beautiful cityscape from where I sit, the cafe is subsidised and yum too)

But love home because:
Less time commuting
Can pop a wash on occasionally
Easier to eat cheaply/never forget my lunch/brolly/coat/pass/phone
See DH in passing
Can have nice leisurely poos without fear of being found out

Frequency · 23/09/2021 08:27

I was so relieved when our office closed permanently. I'd been dreading the return to the office.

ErrolTheDragon · 23/09/2021 08:30

YANBU.
I've wfh since 1995, so I'm properly set up to do it. It's even better now my colleagues are too (a few trickling back into the offices now) and so meetings are properly set up to be online and there's a monthly zoom 'social'.

DarlingFell · 23/09/2021 08:31

I absolutely love WFH. I get to spend more time with my DH (also WFH) and my lovely dogs. I’ve got an office in the summer house looking out on horses in a field, I’m so much more productive, I can concentrate, I don’t get distracted like I do in the office. I go into the office two days a week so am still able to see colleagues and collaborate but when I have to get into the nitty gritty of a project, WFH provides the peace I need to keep me focussed. I can walk my dogs in daylight and I’m fitter than ever. Tomorrow lunchtime I’m going horse riding. WFH has made me appreciate my colleagues more, familiarity breeds contempt and all that! Its so much healthier to not be with the same people five days a week, looking back, seeing the same faces all the time felt a bit ‘stale’, now I genuinely feel pleased to see my workmates

Sunshineandflipflops · 23/09/2021 08:33

I can't imagine anything worse than a monthly Zoom social to be honest!

Vaselike · 23/09/2021 08:34

I love it most of the time but like you I think having decent space and tech to work in is a major factor.

I don’t love it when work is too horrid and then it’s in my home. I don’t even want to go in and hoover my study when I’m on annual leave. But that’s about the work, not about WFH.

I really feel for those for whom the equilibrium of life has been disturbed - a SAHM who can’t go into her bedroom during the day because her husband is working there, a child who has to be out of his bed by 8am as his room is where his Dad works, etc.

Orla1970 · 23/09/2021 08:34

Same but I think it’s because I’m in a similar position to you. I’ve got the space so have a nice home office. It’s a real surprise to me as I thought I would really miss the office. I now use my commute time to work so putting more hours in which means I’m much more on top of my work. I actually manage to clear my inbox daily. Not looking forward to going back into office even if it is only for a day or two a week x

Sunshineandflipflops · 23/09/2021 08:35

I've noticed too that those who love WFH mostly have home offices, which does make a huge difference to comfort, productivity and concentration. Other than make a kid leave home I will never have that!

Outbutnotoutout · 23/09/2021 08:36

I love it ❤

I love being at home, I get way more work done. My partner also works from home.

We have a dog and can fit life around work, so I'm less stressed.

It's about an hour and a half commute, either way, in a car, as no other way to get there, then massive parking charges.

Nah let me WFH forevermore

NatashaRf · 23/09/2021 08:36

Yes I love it. Now do it full time unless I have a meeting etc.

DH does too. We both work in the same room apart from if we both need to be on a call.

Love love love it.

Feel so much more productive with both work and home life.

gannett · 23/09/2021 08:37

@StylishMummy

I love WFH and my productivity has doubled since the pandemic began. I can get little jobs done in the day on my breaks so the weekends are more free for family time.

I've been WFH for over a decade and I started out in a new industry working out of my bedroom in a houseshare. It was still infinitely preferable to the office and I managed to network and build an entire decent career in that industry.

I was evangelising about WFH massively improving my mental and physical health back in 2011 even in that houseshare and I swore I'd never go back to the office. It's even better now it's just DP and I in a medium-sized flat. I'm so happy it's been normalised.

Sparklingbrook · 23/09/2021 08:38

I would hate it because I love going into work and seeing my colleagues, going to lunch with them and we help each other depending on workload etc. My commute is twenty minutes by car. Sitting at home alone would not suit me at all.

BUT my friend loves it. She had a long commute on public transport, hated the people she had to sit with every day, and when her company announced WFH was forever she was thrilled. She could cancel the dogwalker and she would be there when her teenagers got home from school. Also she has a home office, so she's not sitting at the dining table/breakfast bar whatever and she can shut the door on it.

BeautifulandWilfulandDead · 23/09/2021 08:39

I've worked at home for 8 years now, I love it! The only difference now is that my OH works at home with me.

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