To think working from home is a cushy number?

[MrsSlimShady]

I’ve got a new job that entails loads of e-learning, and webinars. They said I could do it at home and I literally sat there on the sofa and ate crisps and had cups of tea in my loungewear on the computer.

My DH works 3 days a week at home. He has back to back meetings but also manages to go the shops, go the gym, do exercise classes before work and at lunch time and do other chores. He’ll say his first meeting is at 0900, then nothing till 1130, then he can pop out 3-4pm….. it all goes like this.

I have another job and I have a 2-3 hour commute, and I am on my feet all day. I cannot get one chore done for my outside life. It has to wait till I’m off unless it is a text or email.

I know there are people working from home who work really hard too, but come on, AIBU to say that if you WFH you are really lucky and have it a lot easier than most other people?

Yes I'm very lucky but no I don't think I have it easier than most people. I work really hard. Being at home means I have no commute and my work life balance is easier, but I'm not doing housework on work time or going out anywhere! I'm working.

Not sure it’s as cushy as you are making out, obviously some people will have busier schedules and more stressful jobs that others even at home. But I agree it’s easier in a lot of ways, even being able to put a wash on and not needing office ready clothing 5 days a week. I’m sure you will have offended many WFHers with this thread though 😅

I work from home 3 days a week, office 2 days per week. I do the same type and amount of work, and sit at a desk at home and in the office. The only difference is that at home, I can put some washing on at lunchtime and it cuts out the commute (although I usually just work during the period when I would be commuting when at home).

It's a mixed bag. I can put laundry on or prep dinner between meetings but that means the expectations have crept up and I pressure myself to do everything.

Some days I'm more productive at home, some days less - there were always quiet days in the office when I mooched around, had long coffee breaks or took a long lunch. Likewise there are many evenings now where I work late because I can, it's harder to switch off because there's no separation between work and home.

Apologies if I have upset anyone.

I’m just jealous. I wish I could do it. If I had my time again I’d definitely train up to do a job from home.

Maybe it is just my DH. He gets paid a lot of money for what looks like not doing very much.

AIBU to say that if you WFH you are really lucky and have it a lot easier than most other people?

No, you're not unreasonable, but its not a competition, people don't have to stay at a job that's "harder" - they have option to look for another

Comparison is the thief of joy.

WFH & thankful, haven't switched jobs because of it, haven't pushed for a raise, haven't rocked the boat, haven't left when shit got sticky, worked it through because I really am very thankful I can wfh.

Well if all the job entails is sitting watching videos then this will be cushy regardless of whether you’re sat on your arse at home or in an office? Only difference is you’re not commuting.

Surely you can’t be so dense as to think all jobs are the same?

Thing is OP, whilst I’m jealous of WFH jobs too, my commute is 15 minutes. You’ve chosen a job with a 2-3 hour commute so you are the other extreme. If you’re not happy then maybe it’s time for more change. There is middle ground between WFH and stupidly long commute

I hated WFH. I get bored and lonely, even if I'm technically more productive. Fortunately I can't really do my job from home these days, except for the odd day of report writing, so it's no longer a significant issue.

No, you're right, it is cushy! I work from home and don't think I could go back to the daily grind and mandated time in the office. As long as I get my work done, my boss doesn't care.

This. I can wfh a lot, but prefer to go into work most days as my current role is stressful and it became intolerable having that stress in my domestic environment.

Yabvvvu. Yes, I might pop a load of laundry on at lunchtime whilst I'm wfh but it's still a 50-60 hour week. Plenty of wfh roles allow flexibility to go to the gym etc but plenty of non-whf roles involve people standing about doing nothing. All jobs are different- who knew??

ETA it's similar to the debates during the pandemic around people who were "lucky" enough to be working from home whilst supermarket workers etc went to work. I was on maternity leave at the time and was definitely not lucky to be trapped at home all day with the baby 14+ hours a day (my DP works in A&E!) compared to others who were going to work pretty much as normal and spending time in the company of others 🤷‍♀️

Your issue isn’t where you work, it’s your commute.

Not me but my DP. His job is 100% WFH but he only does a few hours in the morning at home, then does the rest of the day in cafes. His reasoning is that it is harder to switch off work when you are basically living in your workplace.
He could never cope in in office (has ASD). At 3 years, this is the longest he has kept a job.
It works well for him, even if he spends a fortune in cafes.

In some ways it’s “cushy”, as in there are obvious benefits.
But I also find it really isolating and miss having adult company during the day.

I’ve wfh for almost 10 years. In that time I’ve mostly been working very hard, and my productivity is far higher than in an office.
It’s not wfh that’s cushy. It’s using commuting time to get stuff done that makes life a bit easier. Useful, productive time instead of being sat on a train /in a car, which is just dead time.

On the flip side. Recently spending more time in office and have been shocked at the levels of non productive time - people chatting endlessly, going for mental health walks, coffee breaks, smoke breaks, meetings of all shapes and sizes about nothing that requires a meeting. The chatting is the big one though, some teams are just genuinely have one big convo for hours - not about work stuff, it’s mad.

I work hybrid. As much as my WFH days mean I can pop a wash on etc, I wouldn’t say it’s cushty. Generally I find I work harder from home because I know there are slackers when they’re at home (regularly disappearing for hours to the gym, appointments but not making the time back) and I don’t want to be grouped with them. I’m also more inclined to work past my end time to just finish something off. Whereas in the office I’m out by five on the dot. I also sometimes find my lunch break doing chores isn’t the great thing people tbink it is. I prefer a walk in the local park, that I get when I’m in the office.

It’s all personal preference, but I wouldn’t ever say one is better than the other.

My partner works from home, I am not disciplined enough to be able to do this. His company keep taking about going back to the office but so far it hasn’t happened. Mainly because they are all more productive at home than they were in the office. When there’s a big project deadline lots of unpaid hours happen as they at home. If they were in the office there’s a set time that they’d have to leave. With being at home he can stay online until really late.

I think as with anything it depends on the job. If your employer expects you to be tied to the computer and monitors your usage then I wouldn't say so, but if your employer is happy for you to work flexibly as long as the work gets done then yes it can create a much better work- life balance.

It’s not luck, it’s a smart decision. OTOH my work pay £0 in overheads, because I’m paying for the accommodation, electric and internet to keep me working, so it’s very beneficial for them too. I certainly don’t eat snacks in my PJs, I work, with an enormous workload. The main positive I can think of is nobody is trying to engage me in waffly inane chat about Love Island which takes up hours of my day.

It is quite cushy, yes. Just being able to empty the dishwasher, put some washing in, throw some food in the oven for dinner is so convenient and gives me more free time in the evening. Not to mention the time saved by not getting ready for work and not commuting. Although I used to go to the gym next door at every lunchtime when I worked in the office, now it would take too long. And I can't say I've got entire hours free during the working hours to do whatever I want, the work still needs to be done. But overall, it's a much better work - life balance.

I think it has its advantages and disadvantages. For me I now have a little one and I find being at home means I can spend more time with her, can pop a wash on on my lunch or make a start on dinner. There’s no commuting costs or parking costs.
But if I was starting my career in early twenties, I don’t think being at home is such a good thing. You need to get out there and mingle, learn the independence of getting yourself to and from work, getting lunch in a busy cafe, socialising with colleagues etc. It can be a bit isolating for younger ones.

As someone who manages a large team of people, a mixture of remote, hybrid and in office, it’s very clear who they people who make an effort and the people who coast are.

I’d say people like your DH need to be careful that when cycles of redundancies come around (as they do for every business), then these coasters will be the first ones out.

My DH works from home quite a lot these days.
He starts working at the same time he would usually leave home if commuting, and works until the time he would normally get home.
He has an awful lot of meetings, but has a lot of work to do between meetings too.

He likes WFH because he gets so much more done, with a lot less interruptions from others.

Surely those of you that can have an exercise class between meetings or do the shopping have other work beside the actual meeting? Don't you have to prep for them? Or do something decided at the meeting?