to think WFH can completely change one's work life balance?

[LoveWFH]

I worked in an office full time for years and it always felt like my actual life had to be squeezed around work. The commuting, the constant rushing, the feeling of always being behind. I started a new role and now I WFH three days a week and the difference in balance is huge.

The biggest thing is how much more life I have now. I spend so much more time with DC and I am not constantly exhausted and snappy or trying to cram everything into evenings and weekends. I feel more present and calmer and like I am actually on top of things rather than permanently catching up.

Even Christmas was different this year. It is usually really stressful for me but everything was so much easier in terms of food, shopping and presents. I was organised and I did not have that last minute panic. It felt calmer and actually enjoyable.

It has helped my health too. My fitness levels have improved because I can fit exercise in more easily and it does not feel like yet another thing I am failing at. I also eat better now because I have time to cook proper meals rather than grabbing whatever is quickest after getting home late.

I have introduced lots of systems at work to make things run more efficiently, I passed my probation period and I have been offered a permanent contract. So it is not like I am doing less, I am just doing it in a way that leaves me with energy for my family and myself.

I understand that not everyone WFH is having this experience and for some it is really manic, busy and pressured all the time before people start rushing in.

AIBU to think WFH is not just a perk but something that can genuinely change your quality of life?

I've been working predominantly from home since covid and I find I have less boundaries than when I worked from the office, BUT I can go to the gym before work. I can walk the dogs at lunch and as my husband has recently left leaving me with 3 dogs alone that is quite useful.

@Yih I have had friends in office jobs that barely had any training, they didn’t really interact with anyone in the office and also vice versa, I don’t think it’s clear cut of wfh = impossible for young people to train. It’s more likely coming down to ethos of the company vs wfh or in person.

Also depends on the type of work. Our new starters have to work closely with other staff within a team as there is no way they could be let loose on their own, they don't have the knowledge or experience. I was still learning after 5 years in my career, there was always something you'd not come across before.

I work hybridly and it's perfect for me. Two days of not doing the commute makes a huge difference and using my lunchbreak to do some basic chores and sort life admin is a game changer. I am fairly sociable though, so I enjoy my office days and the location of my office and surrounding area is great, so I enjoy going in.

Couldn’t agree more. I have hybrid. So on home days I have more sleep, no public transport, no packed lunch to make, no office nuisances like constant annoying noise or smell. Fewer office clothes to sort out. And the house jobs are done. Even something simple like putting a load of laundry on makes a huge difference, I remember that was difficult when I was full time in an office. Wfh made such a difference to my mental health that I will never go back to full time office.

Are you under house arrest? You can work anywhere surely. I take my laptop to lovely cafes.

If you look around, many jobs now mention hybrid working.

I'm a teacher and WFH approximately 12-15 hours per week in the evenings and on weekends in addition to my pupil and parent facing role during school hours. I get much more done of the tasks I perform at home (planning, marking, preparing displays and making resources etc) than if I tried doing them at school. I obviously don't get additionally remunerated for these hours; teacher contracts stipulate working however many hours it takes to do the job, so clocking off isn't really a possibility, but being able to do those extra hours from home makes a huge difference.

Yup, i only wfh now. I hate cramming my actual life around work! The commute is a real killer: we used to live round the corner from DPs office so he was home at 5.10pm and we felt like we had a proper evening together. Now we're an hr away so he's up much earlier, home at 6 if lucky and by the time we've eaten he only has 2/3hrs to cram his whole damn life into :/

I’ve lost four stone as a result of remote working. Exercise wasn’t a part of my life pre-pandemic. I was on the go 7-7 and weekends were about recovering from five days of commuting. In retrospect, it wasn't a healthy way to live...

I do hybrid now, after 5 years full time home working and I like that balance better now. I’m in the office 2 days and home for 3.

I agree with you. I wfh permanently, get far more work done than I did when in an office and will never go back to office working

I’m a chronically ill disabled person. WFH means I can work and support myself. It’s a game changer.

It’s life changing. I say that as an older worker, no kids at home etc. However I would say that a lot of the younger parents in my office who WFH do take liberties. I’m not sure if I’m for or against that really but I see a dip in productivity from approx 2.45 onwards. Trying to pass a call through to around 5 different people at 3.15 is impossible (and no they don’t have time off then for school runs, they are supposed to be in afterschool club). I get it’s hard but if they were in the office they wouldn’t all be popping out at 3pm for school pick ups. We are more flexible in the mornings though, 4 of them officially start (from home) at 9.15-9.30.

I WFH two days a week and it has made things much easier, yes. I used to work in office 5 days a week, my twins were 2yrs old then.

I think if I had to go back in 5 days a week I would have to find some way to manage – we all would.

YANBU

Aside from a summer job when I was a student, I’ve never had a job where I needed to be in 5 days a week. I honestly don’t know how people do that year in, year out. I would hate it.

I did the same job hybrid that I used to do ft in office. No 2 hours a day wasted commuting plus money saved on lunches and petrol. Plus I hadn't realised how much of my time my boss took up complaining about senior management, other things that weren't my remit. On my home days this was cut to 1 call a day I got so much more done plus on lunch break I could go a walk, hang washing out deal with personal admin eg banking, calls to dr etc

It’s the norm. Think doctors, nurses, teachers plus reatail, hospitality.

When you say you pick kids up from school during your Wfh day, how is that possible unless you use your lunch break? Or are you given an extra break to do that?

Where I am people work flexibly and core hours aren’t really enforced so people just pop out and do it and will work the time back. I’m personally not a fan of it though as it means it’s difficult to get meetings in in the afternoon if multiple staff are frequently doing it. I personally kept my son in after school club until secondary school due to the disruption to my diary if I hadn’t.

After about 25 years working FT in offices, I now WFH FT and it’s simply incredible not having to navigate a 3hr round trip each day. Used to have to wake up at 5.30am and now get up 7.30-8am. That’s been massively helpful especially as I’m peri and often barely get any sleep some nights. Can go to my local gym for a quick class in my lunch break or a long walk if I want. Can cook a healthy nutritious meal for lunch. I’m also more productive because I have more energy and am more responsive to issues as they arise as I don’t need to ‘panic log off’ at certain time to avoid the worst of the rush hour. If someone wants help or a query comes in late, I can stay late to resolve it. Most of my team are national scattered also so I’m not missing anything being in the office other than some general social interaction but my contract allows me to still work in office anytime I want to so that’s easily solved or wanted to meet someone for lunch.

From an additional well being pov, means I can get a kitten or puppy as well as I’ve wanted one for many years but my hours out the house were always an issue but no longer!

So yes, I agree WFH is life changing predominantly because it offers the ultimate life work balance.

My husband works from home and its brilliant for me and his relationship with our child.
I get to go to the gym in the morning and simple things like having a shower just makes mornings so much easier. He gets to take her to the park and play with her all before work.

Same in the evenings he switches his computer off at 5 and we have dinner.

If he was commuting (would have to to get equivalent pay). He would have to leave the house around 7am and he would not be back until after 6pm. I would be doing bedtime on my own probably as he would want his dinner etc).

Whereas i get to sit down after dinner or do dishes other chores while he starts bed time routine, so we get the evening together.
He also has lunch with us. So he is more present for us. He can also do flexi if i have appointments just makes life easier espec with young children.

We were in the unusual, for the time, situation of my dad WFH when growing up. It meant he was the one who looked after us if we were off sick, he was around in the evenings, he came to school plays and parents evening etc. It was our norm and I only realised it wasn't for most of my friends as it clicked that I knew their mum's well from playing at their houses or parties but the dads were just one homogeneous man in a suit who was barely seen.
I don't know how it's impacted our relationship I've the years, because he's a pain in the ass now, but we must have had so much more time with him as a result of WFH.

1000% yes. My husband works from home and it makes such a huge difference to his work/life balance and also our family life. Huge difference.

I see, thanks. I guess it’s that type of thing that makes some companies want people in the office. Some always take it too far- not you personally