How is almost everybody physically able to WFH?

[someladdersandsnakes]

This is something I just don't really get. I work at a company which doesn't pay that well in a city where housing is very expensive but still basically everybody has somewhere at home that they can work every day. I currently have an office at home because it's a 3 bed and I'm now expecting our second child, when the baby arrives it won't be physically possible anymore to do regular WFH because the only place will be the dining table in the front room, only really suitable for occasional use because there isn't enough space around it for a proper office chair or anything. Nobody else at my company seems to have a similar problem though. I thought appropriately sized housing was a major societal problem yet somehow since the pandemic everyone has a suitable permanent workspace in their house? Including families, young renters, people still living with their parents, etc.

Most people don’t have a home office, it’s in their bedroom or living room. I would make sure I had an office chair for my back though, even if I’m just using a fold away desk when I’m working.

Our BIL works from his bedroom .very few people are lucky enough too be able to have a study! Not ideal but he manages

We moved to a cheaper area during Covid so I could have a home office, before that I was in the living room (Covid) I couldn't work comfortably in the long term elsewhere in the house.

DH shares the 3rd bedroom with toddler. When kids need bedrooms for more than sleeping, desk will have to go in our room. Most people don't have a dedicated office space.

we have a 5 bed house and use the 2nd smallest room as the office.

honestly I made a spare room to use as an office a priority when I moved house - for my physical and mental health. I use at least 2 screens so couldn't easily just set it up and pack away from the dining table every day. But mainly because it's so good to be able to physically shut the door as a way of 'turning off' from work. Otherwise it would be always on my mind.

Obviously I appreciate some people couldn't afford it, but for me I've already been WFH full time for more than 4 years now and probably will for who knows how long, maybe the rest of my career. The amount saved already in commuting, work clothes, wrap around childcare, etc more than covers the additional bedroom, and if it didn't I'd have gone with one of those cabins in the garden or converted the attic/split a room in half or something.

Luckily our bedroom is big. I have desk with room for laptop and 2 monitors. I have an office chair and bookcase for work stuff. I couldn't work downstairs as I work on a support line and need to be able to hear people and not be distracted! Thinking of getting a screen to go round work area for when I am off so I can't see it.

We have two spare bedrooms so I use one of them as my home office. OH could work from the other one if he needed to. I don't think it's rare to have a home office. Both of my siblings have one as well.

Same as you op 3-bed house with 2 kids. I have a corner desk in the dining room and my husband has a desk in a weird dead space on the landing . We both need 2 big monitors so need a proper desk space. I’d love an office but will have to wait till we move to another house or the kids decide to share. I already WFH pre-pandemic.

My DS and his wife live in a tiny flat (you could fit it all in our living room and our house isn't that big) and both WFH more often than not. They have fitted the two alcoves on either side of the chimney breast with shelves at desk height and work from them. They don't have room for a dining table though so have to eat from trays.

OTOH we have a spare bedroom and two unused reception rooms, any of each would be ideal for a home office but he insists on working on the dining table while the other rooms sit empty.

I’m sure if you ask some of them will have gotten a desk and chair, or will be at their kitchen table or in their sitting room. Why do people always assume everyone else has it better than them?

I work from the dining table becuase a wooden chair is better for my back than the special office one occupational health got me . Don’t need to worry about quiet as I live alone.

I've a spare room but I work in the kitchen/ diner as it overlooks the garden which I love. The bedroom feels too closed off from the rest of the house.

Our two DC will share so we can keep the third bedroom as an office / spare room / dressing table area

DH works in the bedroom at a desk. Not ideal, but no spare room.

We have desks in every bedroom and I just moved around depending on the light and tidiness of each space. While the kids were at school, I’d often sit in my comfy armchair in the living room with laptop on my knee. Must admit I hated wfh! Starting a new office based role soon and I can’t wait to enjoy coming home again! X

I just have a fold up table which I use in my lounge. Use my high backed ‘Shackleton’ type chair with a cushion. Use my sun room in summer. Lots of people just have a small table in the corner of their bedroom. You don’t really need bags of room.

I work in what is the extension but basically a cube at the back of the house next to the downstairs toilet. It was only being used to dry laundry. It’s just big enough for my desk. Previously I was in the back of the living room. DH works in the conservatory. He’s on calls all day so not practical for me to be in there as well. Our old house would have to swueeze in the living room as was only two bedrooms and a kitchen like a box

We turned our garage into an office over 15 years ago when XH was self employed and I wanted to start my own business as well when DD started preschool.

It's great having separate space that you can shut the door on, but the downside is that I don't have any storage space.

I work at my dining table and also move around a lot when not on calls. For a time I worked mainly sitting on the floor when we were in a tiny flat during Covid. I find it easier than a “traditional” desk set up.

My dh and I both hybrid work, in the office 2 days a week and an extra day every fortnight. I started wfh first so I use the kid’s old ikea plastic table in the lounge and sit on the sofa with lots of cushions and dh uses the bedroom, sitting or lying on the bed but he does go out and about a lot for his job. When I’m in the office and he’s not, he’ll use the lounge. Both kids have a desk in their room which we could use but happy with the set up.

Internet?

I have a desk in our bedroom. Teams backgrounds hide a multitude of sins.

You do know an office space i.e. cubicle size you get in an open plan office is not very large? It is easy to set up in a bedroom or even in a large landing.

I'm hybrid working.
At ho.e, on nice sunny days I work from my loft as I have large deluxe windows. It's my favourite place in house. On cold days I work from my middle room so if anyone wants to watch tv in the living room I'm not in the way. The middle room is the cosiest room.
Dh usually used the dining room