Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH work from home announcement

477 replies

fizzypop100 · 26/01/2022 14:56

I have told DH my feelings on him WFH. He's been at home last 2 years and I can't stand it any more. Said there needs to be some compromise, just one or two days a week in the office.
He's just been speaking to his team leader and asked to WFH for the foreseeable future. I have just told him he's being selfish. His answer was "my mental health". I told him it's affecting MY mental health.
This house is totally dominated by his work. He will not move his computer and desk out of the living room. School holidays are miserable as our teenage son can't do anything as dad is working in the living room.
I'm being an adult right now but can feel anger and tears building up.

OP posts:
fetchacloth · 27/01/2022 21:32

@Quartz2208

I think you need to come up with a compromise that doesnt involve the living room.
Totally agree otherwise OP will not progress with this. Maybe the compromise is that he clears his clutter upstairs and then moves his WFH set up there instead. Failure to do that means he has to return to his office 5 days a week. I really don't think it's fair on the poster and family to continue as things stand 😕
Flexidev17 · 27/01/2022 21:53

@fizzypop100

The spare room is packed full of his clutter
Time to declutter he's had 2 years!
LouBan · 27/01/2022 22:21

I couldn't see why it was such a big problem until you said he works in the living room. That room should be a family space that you can all use to relax or do whatever you want. My DH works from home but uses the spare room as his office. So when he's in there with the door shut he might as well be at the office because his work is not affecting how I spend my day

Thehappygardener · 28/01/2022 00:39

I am so sorry you are having all this difficulty when it could so easily be resolved by him working in the spare room. A friend had a similar problem, her live in partner just wanted to be in the living room, and he would fuss if anyone came round, or make sarcastic comments if she watched what he thought was rubbish tv. There was a spare room he could go to but wouldn’t. Heaven only knows why she put up with this nonsense. And is still putting up with this nonsense! 🙄

BritMommyAbroad · 28/01/2022 00:50

I was already to say you were being unreasonable until I read that he has taken up residence in the living room.
WTaF?
We’ve sacrificed our third bedroom so my husband can have a dedicated office. It works great. He has his own space to work, keep all his equipment, make his phone calls in peace etc.
I absolutely would NOT tolerate my husband taking over the shared living space. How unbelievably selfish.
YANBU.

Mirabella7 · 28/01/2022 06:14

He has to reorganize the spare room.It’s not too much to ask and he should consider your feelings.

LonglegsMumtheBlacksmith · 28/01/2022 08:32

We had this problem too - DW was in the living room working whilst I was at home with a toddler! No other living space in the house and we were all home for two months (whilst I was also furloughed and childcare closed) I stopped trying so hard to make it comfortable for her, then suggested a trip to IKEA for a new desk to go in our bedroom. Maybe you could do the same, but suggest a plan to clear out the spare room and create an office for him?
It's worked for us - now DW works from home instead of us living in her workplace.
It's made

Inertia · 28/01/2022 08:35

@LaughingCat

Which location he chooses to work in has to be his decision - whether from the office or from home.

But yeah, like everyone else, he needs to compromise with you guys as well. Bedroom or box room, out of the way, so you guys can also carry on with your lives. Anything else is just selfish.

Btw, I feel you. My other half and I work for the same organisation. While WFH has been amazing for us as a couple, I am a tad annoyed by the fact he set himself up in the kitchen. I take the bedroom most days, interspersed with walking calls outside. I’ve not seen the dining table for years now and he gets really grouchy if I come in while he’s on calls and try to make dinner, wash up, prep lunch, make brews, hang up washing…everything that happens in a normal family kitchen. And he’s on calls a lot.

I wouldn’t mind if we didn’t have any other space but we have a fully functional office set up in the spare bedroom that he uses for gaming. It’s beyond irritating.

So yeah, I completely understand what you’re going through. Sounds like you two need a good conversation about healthy boundaries and compromise to make this arrangement work for both of you. (And I should do the same :D)

Crikey, I wouldn’t put up with this either. If he has an office space which he refuses to use, I’d be boxing up all the gaming shit and turning the room into my office. Really selfish to demand that nobody uses the kitchen.
GlomOfNit · 28/01/2022 08:45

OP, I really feel for you. My situation isn't nearly as critical as yours, though. DH also works from home a great deal (his workplace has been pretty hot on home working during the pandemic, and he's now on sabbatical!!) and initially I found it very hard adjusting to sharing 'my' space, even though I know I know, it's his home too, etc. BUT he has a paying job with a private office of his own (though he complains he's constantly distracted by people there). He, like so many others forced to work at home, discovered the benefits of home comforts, no commute, etc, and I can't blame him.

But I think it's important to get out of the house. I think it's important to have a work zone (even though the nature of his work means he brings back research, marking etc all the time) separate from the place you relax and have as a haven. And I think it's vital to have a workplace where you interact with other people, not just via a screen. I don't do paid work any more (mostly because I burnt my boats but also because we have a severely autistic child and the hours would be tricky) and really miss these things.

However, DH isn't the selfish prick of the OP. During the worst of lockdown when we had two kids at home, one of whom definitely wouldn't settle to any sort of school work and it was mostly a matter of containing him (ASD), DH had to continue with work meetings and teaching and so on and managed to find places to do this - in the bedroom, in his car, on the patio in nice weather... Later on when pubs opened, he's been known to take his laptop down there (the pub sometimes lets him use an empty room!). He finds a space because he does understand how difficult it is for the rest of us to have to hush when he's on a Teams meeting, recording lectures etc. And while I've had my moments of 'I can't stand this any more! I need some space and peace!' on the whole it's been more of a benefit than a drawback. We have the occasional sneaky lunch out together. He's at home when DS's school transport gets back and can be flexible around that.

But I do still miss my space and time alone. And if I'm having a bit of a bleak, slumped-on-the-sofa day, I don't want my inactivity to be observed. Sometimes I worry that I've now got so used to having him at home that when he does go back, I'll find it really hard to adjust back again!

OP, your DH has what sounds like a perfectly good workspace upstairs if he's going to insist on WFH (when he doesn't need to). You have to be firm about this. He's not the only person in the house who has specific needs - your son needs his space to be himself too, not tiptoeing around. Tell him to clear his clutter out and get a better connection sorted, and read him the bloody riot act! Sounds as if he lacks imagination if he can't understand how important this is.

middleager · 28/01/2022 08:52

We were both WFH. I can work from anywhere, as I have a laptop and no paperwork.

DH was using the dining table, papers spread out, but after a few weeks ot became untenable, so we sorted out the spare room.

He's still WFH but in his own space.

RampantIvy · 28/01/2022 09:16

I simply don't understand anyone who has room for a dedicated office space and then doesn't use it. I have turned a spare bedroom into my office. I need 2 widescreen monitors, so setting up on the dining room table isn't practical.

I have a desk, a proper office chair, the monitors, a PC large keyboard, mouse and headset. Work provided evrything except the desk. In fact my home office is set so exactly how I like it - lighting and heating that I get more done at home than in the office.

Rosti1981 · 28/01/2022 09:31

YANBU given you have a spare room that could be used. I work from home from our living room but that's because there's nowhere else and my DH works from the bedroom upstairs. It is what it is, and I am careful about boundaries, putting computer away etc when not working, keeping the room tidy etc. And I don't work into the evening there, and my kids are small enough that they play upstairs or in the kitchen diner area (which is more family space). He just sounds inconsiderate.

Whatsonmymindgrapes · 28/01/2022 09:56

Clear out (throw away) all his junk from spare room and make it a nice space for you and your son to be when he’s in the living room.

Nemorth · 28/01/2022 10:10

I WFH and have done since July 2019 (not a pandemic thing for me)

Due to furniture reshuffles I'm now working from a secretary desk in the living room.

I've managed to arrange it so that I'm in the corner.

I just wear over the ear headphones when people need to use the LIVING space.

My DC are older and more likely to be out or in their own rooms but they have equal priority in the living room.

If my DS is gaming he'll often wear headphones.

Just use the room. Ask your DH to come up with compromises and solutions to anything that annoys him.

StargazerAli · 28/01/2022 10:16

Yes, he's being incredibly selfish. Insist he either moves out of the main living area or go back to the office. If he can be stubborn, then so can you.

Spinninsweetness · 28/01/2022 10:51

I hope you show him all these responses, he sounds a right selfish so and so!

Shell4429 · 28/01/2022 12:32

@fizzypop100

I have been caring for our son for 14 years (SEN) and I care for my mum every day. She lives at the other side of our city. I have no income, only some tax credits. No money to get my own flat
When I was in this position I took out a loan to pay for a deposit on a rented house and then claimed housing benefit. You could do it if you really wanted to enough. But maybe you don’t. Can’t you move the hub? You could get a phone socket put into the spare room. I have a Wi-Fi booster that will plug in anywhere and doesn’t need a phone socket, maybe look into that? But your OH is being really selfish.
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/01/2022 12:38

@RampantIvy

I simply don't understand anyone who has room for a dedicated office space and then doesn't use it. I have turned a spare bedroom into my office. I need 2 widescreen monitors, so setting up on the dining room table isn't practical.

I have a desk, a proper office chair, the monitors, a PC large keyboard, mouse and headset. Work provided evrything except the desk. In fact my home office is set so exactly how I like it - lighting and heating that I get more done at home than in the office.

I don't understand it either, I would be so much happier if I had a dedicated work space. I even tried working in the shed last year but that didn't work for various reasons so I had to move back to the living room. I'd love to be able to shut the door on my work stuff and not have to look at it all the time - when you walk in it's the first thing you see so I don't understand why anyone would be happy with that, and all that is before all the other issues.
DrSbaitso · 28/01/2022 12:43

@Spinninsweetness

I hope you show him all these responses, he sounds a right selfish so and so!
I hope you don't. They may be right but seeing this thread will only make him defensive and angry.
HAF1119 · 28/01/2022 13:31

If he's in the living room live life as you normally would. Be mindful that this is his choice, therefore don't be accommodating of it

I WFH and will do indefinitely. We don't have a spare room, I work in the kitchen (there is a table) or living room most of the time.

No one has to accommodate this. I have flexi hours and my partner works nights so I do some hours in the night when DS is in bed, then when he is at childcare I continue. When my partner gets up he can watch tv etc in the living room and I can work the kitchen if I need to concentrate, or go to our room as it will then be empty (no desk so not comfortable, but if needed I can do this)

When I worked in the office people listened to the radio and spent time on calls, so my partner watching tv/making calls has no impact on me I tune it out. If I needed full concentration or a zoom call I would let him know in advance and go in the kitchen for that period, or if he felt like it he may head out for a bit

I would let him crack on in the living room but if he asks anyone to be quiet/not live normally just say 'we need to live a normal life, you're choosing to be in here, there is a spare room and an office if you need quiet time but the family won't be affected by this any longer' and crack on

Should never have changed behaviour longer than a week for him to sort the spare room out, it's made him think it's ok what he's doing and it really isn't.

Good luck!

Gardeningcreature · 28/01/2022 13:49

I would tell him you are going to use the living room. Offer to help him clear out the spare room and get rid of all his clutter. If he refuses fine, you just use the living room and carry on.

OfstedOffred · 28/01/2022 13:50

He needs to move out of the living room. If not spare room then garden office or what have you

FlasherMcGruff · 28/01/2022 14:09

It’s a living room, not an office. It’s a family room, not his own room. Treat it as one. Talk, watch tv, do anything you would normally do in a living room regardless of whether he wants to use it as a full time daily office. Don’t pander to this absolute nonsense from him. What a selfish, selfish man he is.

ArchibaldsDaddy · 28/01/2022 14:31

His ‘mental health’ about going back to the office?

Where is the office? Aleppo?

I work from home and prefer it - but my work crap stays away from family areas.