Anyone else not want to go back?

[garlictwist]

Although it's great the end is in sight blah blah, I love working from home and really don't want to go back. It's had such a positive impact in my life.

I am lucky enough to be home alone without kids so it's so calm and peaceful compared to the office. I get loads done and if I want a break I can get up and go outside whenever I like rather than being chained to my desk not allowed to leave like I am at work.

I have so much more energy and feel much more in control of my life.

I guess it has to end sometime but wish it didn't.

A question for all of those who enjoy working from home, do you have a separate office so you can shut the door on work when you finish? I think I would feel a bit different if I did rather than having a desk crammed in the corner of the living room between the sideboard and the dining table!

Also, do you find yourself working longer hours? I feel as though it’s expected of me as I have no commute (which was only 20 minutes when I was in the office). I’m finding I’m working until 7pm and I know I need to change that but I’m wondering what other people are doing

@PinkSparklyPussyCat I’m not sure why you’d do that? Surely your working day is the time you’re being paid for. Your commute is irrelevant to that. I am paid for X hours per week so I work X hours per week and the fact I’m now not having to travel in wouldn’t make me work longer. That’s crazy!

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

A question for all of those who enjoy working from home, do you have a separate office so you can shut the door on work when you finish? I think I would feel a bit different if I did rather than having a desk crammed in the corner of the living room between the sideboard and the dining table!

Also, do you find yourself working longer hours? I feel as though it’s expected of me as I have no commute (which was only 20 minutes when I was in the office). I’m finding I’m working until 7pm and I know I need to change that but I’m wondering what other people are doing

Baffled by this

I have very little space but also single, childfree, makes a big difference

The one positive that can come from lockdown is more WFH options. The CBI were quite anti even flexible hours before. Hopefully that will change, the pressure on rush hour transport could be relieved substantially,

I have a home office and feel extremely lucky. I don't feel the need to work over my hours because I'm not commuting every day. I'm still working hard and have nothing to prove.

I do have to go in for some tasks that require it but am at home a lot. I feel sorry for colleagues who join our meetings on mute from the sofa with the kids in the background because they have nowhere to go.

Sorry, just to be clear, I'm baffled by working in what would have been commute time. Why on earth would anyone do that?

I put that badly. What I meant was if I had to commute to the office, even my 20 minutes, I'd leave the office and go home. Because everything is on display in the living room I carry on working.

Work is absolutely manic and most of us are putting in longer hours but it's getting ridiculous - I could work until 10pm and still have urgent things I haven't done. We've all said that we feel it's expected because we can do it easily.

During the day DH spends most of his time sitting in the bedroom reading as I'm on calls in the living room so it's affecting us both. I have no work life balance any more.

(Sorry, this wasn't supposed to be a 'poor me' whinge!)

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

A question for all of those who enjoy working from home, do you have a separate office so you can shut the door on work when you finish? I think I would feel a bit different if I did rather than having a desk crammed in the corner of the living room between the sideboard and the dining table!

Also, do you find yourself working longer hours? I feel as though it’s expected of me as I have no commute (which was only 20 minutes when I was in the office). I’m finding I’m working until 7pm and I know I need to change that but I’m wondering what other people are doing

No home office but a large open plan kitchen. And also a large living room where DH can work, so we are together but in separate spaces at the same time. It is true that I tend to work a little bit longer but not more than 30min a day (my commute was 2 x 40min). I love it!

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

I put that badly. What I meant was if I had to commute to the office, even my 20 minutes, I'd leave the office and go home. Because everything is on display in the living room I carry on working.

Work is absolutely manic and most of us are putting in longer hours but it's getting ridiculous - I could work until 10pm and still have urgent things I haven't done. We've all said that we feel it's expected because we can do it easily.

During the day DH spends most of his time sitting in the bedroom reading as I'm on calls in the living room so it's affecting us both. I have no work life balance any more.

(Sorry, this wasn't supposed to be a 'poor me' whinge!)

No

But I did sit in the office till 9 or 10 for a short period before realising that either things didn't need doing, or my workload was far too high.

Those expectations won't change after lockdown. If they have those ideas, saying "i'm out tonight" doesn't address them. Seniors have to be put in their place. Boundaries must be set. I learned the hard way, nearly had a breakdown. Please don't do that to yourself.

Mate of mine chucks a throw over the work area in the lounge, that might be an idea for you, Pink?

@AnxietyDrivingMyLife

I don’t want to go back- much much happier working from home. Never liked the office atmosphere- I haven’t caught Covid yet but fully expecting to as soon as I go back into work/

I’ve been working the whole time, around senior school kids and I haven’t had it.

Put in a flexible working request to see if you can continue to WFH - even in a blended model.

If not, look for a new job - lots of companies are moving to remote working / blended

ps - I agree with you and will be looking for a home based role going forward if there is not sufficient flexibility in my current role to wfh on at least a 60 / 40 home / office split.

I think many employers will consider permanent remote working. If productivity rates are high then why not, it would save the business money on rent and utility costs for the offices

Absolutely - after all if it works for the employers why wouldn't they do it?

However those "productivity rates" can be a big issue, and while it's natural for folk who enjoy WFH to insist it's all just fine, companies can sometimes have a different view

And in a depression with millions out of work they'll have the whip hand

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

A question for all of those who enjoy working from home, do you have a separate office so you can shut the door on work when you finish? I think I would feel a bit different if I did rather than having a desk crammed in the corner of the living room between the sideboard and the dining table!

Also, do you find yourself working longer hours? I feel as though it’s expected of me as I have no commute (which was only 20 minutes when I was in the office). I’m finding I’m working until 7pm and I know I need to change that but I’m wondering what other people are doing

I go for a walk as soon as I finish (same hours I'd normally work, probably take more breaks but usually get more done due to lack of interruptions). By going out as soon as I finish, that's how i separate the working day, so i walk back in the door fresh (and without the stress of a commute).

There’s one good thing about working from home - no commute. That’s where it begins and ends. I really resent how my home life and work life have become merged together.

I am worried about what this is doing to me, there's been quite a few times when I've sat at my desk and cried. DH has said to me to leave if things get that bad, we'll manage and he doesn't want me making myself ill. I'm currently taking less breaks and working longer hours just because I can.

Thank you for the advice, I'll have a look for a throw - anything so I don't have to look at it work any more! I'm thinking things will become more bearable when the nights are lighter and it's spring and I'll definitely be going for more walks.

Tonight I'm finishing no later than 5.30!

I don’t think it should be immediate (I’d wait until most adults have had their vaccinations) but I hope more people do go back to work in offices. The reasons given for working at home are usually about the employee being happier (less travelling, cheaper childcare, breaks during the day) and not about value to the customer. I’m finding many companies are giving an inferior service and ‘because Covid’ won’t be a valid excuse for much longer.

I also wonder if the government will start ‘bribing’ major employers to insist employees return so the economy (Pret!) is given a boost. That is going to be the next major, major focus. I know I’ll be told you are working very hard and it saves the company money - and it’s no real skin off my nose anyway - but it will be interesting to see how it develops.

It's really interesting because I chose to work locally (used to work in the city) but I can't work from home. Absolutely love my job, money took a nosedive when I switched careers but I have a better work life balance, hence one of the factors I changed. Many of my friends still up in the city were always going on about how they would never work locally, used to love the buzz and after work drinks etc but are now adamant they never want to return to the office. Ever. They now have a taste of freedom, no commute, saving up to £400 a month and it's funny how obviously before they can't have liked the commute and going into London.... it was only the money after all.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat you have my sympathy, I work far far more hours wfh and struggle with the divide between work and home, and I have a separate office that I can shut the door to. It’s not unusual in my job to work beyond 9-5 in normal times (and not in an unreasonable way, it’s simply nature of the profession) but I am working more than I have in years as workloads are so high and it’s just so easy to carry on working late as I’m at home - but it’s not worth it, it’s harsher doing the longer hours whilst wfh as there’s no gap between the office and home and I’ve nearly cracked a few times so it’s definitely taking its toll in ways it hasn’t in the past.

I’m now setting alarms to prompt me to stop work earlier in the evenings!

I'm a teacher. Want to go back, but now realise that full time teaching is not conducive to family life with a small child. I'll be going part time as soon as I can, and am looking to leave the profession more seriously. Being around, and not out from 6am - 6pm and totally preoccupied with work in evenings and weekends, has been good for my child and family.

I find it off that you wouldn't want to go back to normal life. Humans are social animals - it's not normal for us to be locked away.

Me too.

I love the peace and quiet, setting my own schedule, no commute, access to a proper kitchen and garden, able to wear whatever I like, no need for make-up, nobody coming up to me saying "can you just ..."

Bliss