Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

Working from home - it's not all it's cracked up to be

31 replies

ILoveJoeBrown · 02/03/2020 20:46

Am I alone in not liking working from home?

I can, but I don't. It sounds like a great concept but...

My DH does and now my kitchen table is permanently covered in all his work stuff. Even the worktops are covered in junk. The kids come in to do dinner and have to keep quiet if he's in a call to USA for example. You can't make a coffee if he's on a call. I have 'my chair' at one end of the table but it's been commandeered by all his stuff.

There is a desk that I use when I do wfh. He has a study upstairs that's such a junk hole, he can't work in there and tbh he'd feel very isolated up there. in the kitchen, the dog keeps him company and he can watch the news at the same time if he wants to.

If I'm wfh too, he distracts me as most of his work is coaching via teleconferencing and so he's always talking and pacing up and down while I'm trying to concentrate!

Work is trying to encourage wfh, but theres no real buy in to teleconference or skype etc.

Maybe coronavirus will force people to change their outlook and wfh more?

Anyone else feel grumpy about the idea?

OP posts:
KitKatKit · 02/03/2020 20:49

I personally love WFH and do most of the week. However, you do need a designated work space and not just share the kitchen table.

DH and I both wfh the same 3, sometimes 4, days. I'm permanently on video conference calls and he's always on Skype audio calls. So, I have the box room aka the office, and he takes the telly/dining room. We would never ever get any work done otherwise.

I think the junk hole study is the issue here. You could take that space and then he takes your desk, wherever that is?

BigSandyBalls2015 · 02/03/2020 20:51

It only works if you’ve got a separate area, get that study sorted out.

FruityWidow · 02/03/2020 20:56

Def need seperate spaces. Dh and I both work from home, he's upstairs and I'm downstairs.

VodselForDinner · 02/03/2020 20:56

I don’t think WFH is the problem, I think it’s down to your husband behaving selfishly.

Mixingitall · 02/03/2020 21:00

We both work from home in separate spaces and love it. If we can we eat lunch together and may go to the gym/do some washing too! We both have desks in different rooms, it wouldn’t work otherwise, we’re both noisy!

TechnicalSergeantGarp · 02/03/2020 21:05

I love WFH and am very productive. Oh is a teacher and works in evening and weekends.

You both need to use your space better. Your DH could spread out like that in an office so he needs to be more organised. Even if he likes working at the table he would be cleared up ready for the DC to able to grab a snack when they get in fro school. If he needs privacy, he need to go into a quieter space.

ShivaDestroyerOfEvil · 02/03/2020 21:06

I am not a huge fan of WFH, I find it fairly isolating to be honest and generally prefer going into the office.

Fizzypoo · 02/03/2020 21:08

I love WFH. I get so much more done in the day at home than in the office.

I usually stay in my pyjamas with snacks and Netflix. I do like it.

Namechangexyz1 · 02/03/2020 21:08

I couldn't wfh

I'd go mad with isolation and miss the office

delilahbucket · 02/03/2020 21:13

I hated it when I had no specific work space. Now I have a designated work room I can differentiate between work and home. Time to sort out that work room. Don't worry about him getting lonely as it sounds like he needs the peace. If he's at home all day on his own then he needs to get a hobby if he's lacking social interaction.

ElderAve · 02/03/2020 21:14

The large corporate I worked for in the early 2000s thought they'd be able to save ££££ on London office space when technology developed sufficiently, by having many jobs home based and initially staff loved the idea too.

However, in reality most people hated feeling so disconnected from colleagues and it had a terrible impact on mental health. It was a fairly short lived experiment.

I like that I am able to do it if I need to wait in for a repair man etc but I'm rubbish at it and don't get much done if I'm honest.

Russellbrandshair · 02/03/2020 21:15

I hate it! Mainly because I like boundaries between work and home. When I leave work I want to physically leave the building to go home- my sanctuary. If I worked from home I would feel like I could never get away from work. My home space would be “invaded” if that makes sense

woodencoffeetable · 02/03/2020 21:18

your husband is behaving appallingly.
just make yourself a coffee, clear 'your' chair. it's your home do homely things when it suits you,

he can clear his study and work there. that's what it's for.

Iggly · 02/03/2020 21:18

Clear the study out??? That would be my first task.

The dog can come and visit him in the study and he can still watch the news on the computer/laptop.

Figgygal · 02/03/2020 21:19

I do it a couple times a week it makes life with the kids so much easier in mornings and evening cutting out my commute, being able to get dinner on earlier etc
I get my shopping delivered, get some washing on and still get a lot done

BUT I think I’d find it isolating if I did it more than that I like the balance it gives but wouldn’t want to do it all the tine

BigFatLiar · 02/03/2020 21:22

We had an issue with remote workers feeling isolated. Particularly if they were single they missed just having another person nearby. We organised a office in one of the managed blocks for them to use. They would arrange amongst themselves which days to be in and which days to work from home. I think the social aspect of work can be underestimated and having the chance to sit together and discuss issues is a lot better than a phone call. (it also provided a place for me to go and be away from the head office some days)

lottiegarbanzo · 02/03/2020 21:24

Commandeering the kitchen for work is ridiculous. Especially when he has a study available to him.

WFH is great for getting things done, like report writing.

TeacupDrama · 02/03/2020 21:25

if you have an office that is where phone calls conferences etc need to take place you can't expect the rest of household not to use kitchen as he is talking when there is a perfectly good office space
the kitchen table is not suitable unless everything can be quickly folded up and put away ie just a laptop and cables

DH and I both work from home I need a lot of stuff for my business so I work from dining room aka office ( we have a table for 6 in kitchen) DH mostly uses his workshop but occasionally for ordering tools supplies needs to use the 2nd computer in office, when he does he can't resist talking asking me about things I have to just keep repepating i'm working don't disturb
to be honest he really disturbs me coming into office as he just can't come in order his parts and leave
we discuss household stuff over lunch
my DD ( now 10) knows she has to entertain herself until I finish work in evenings because of certain events it can be really late the night before preparing ( it can't be done earlier) this happens once occasionally twice a fortnight other days I can finsih at 3.30 when she is home

northernlittledonkey · 02/03/2020 21:27

I love WFH, it’s amazing! Own spaces, DH too. Clear out that study!

HelgaHere1 · 02/03/2020 21:32

Get a kettle and tea making stuff elsewhere in the house.

Wildthyme · 02/03/2020 21:38

Get a kettle and tea making stuff elsewhere in the house

No. Why should she? It's a bloody kitchen not an office. One person WFH should not be able to take over a whole house.

fuckoffImcounting · 02/03/2020 21:47

DH is being selfish and entitled. His work is important but should not rule in the communal space the rest of the family use. Get him into a private work space, put a dog bed under the desk so they can keep each other company. I have worked from home for 25 years and never have I taken up residence in the kitchen because I am not a selfish twat.

user1487194234 · 03/03/2020 21:46

I like having the option to WFH
But really only do it occasionally
Am too sociable to enjoy it more than that
I also like the differential between home and work

LettyFisher · 03/03/2020 22:10

I don't like it either - I go mad and need company. I do it occasionally because it helps me get a load of house jobs (washing usually) done and gives the dogs some company.

my dp works from my house occasionally and it drives me mad if I arrive back while he is there - he stays in the kitchen too with his laptop and papers and loud calls and similarly paces up and down. On the rare occasions we've tried to do it together, it just hasn't worked. (even if we're in separate rooms - he's in the kitchen being annoying).

OldWomanSaysThis · 04/03/2020 01:51

I did not like it. I worked for a big corporation that put a lot of people out to telecommute to save on real estate costs and to embrace a work-life culture. Sounded good on paper, but the reality was different.

LOTS and lots of people didn't actually work (several fired). We had surveillance on our laptops. We were out of the loop on so many things, like a change in a process. It was a career and compensation killer. Out of sight, out of mind.

Personally, it was very isolating and I had constant interruptions from family which was bad when I was leading calls. I forgot how to dress myself. I gained weight. I got depressed. I liked it in the beginning - 6 months or so, but the novelty wore off. After 4 years, the company decided it wasn't a good idea and recalled everyone back to the office.