My friend who also WFH wants us to work alongside one another

[Lorelai007]

I recently made a new friend with another mum who, like me, also works from home while she sends her DD to nursery. We've socialised a couple times, and I enjoy her company, but she's just asked me if I would be interested in working alongside one another on weekdays to create more of an office environment. I'm really not too keen on this idea, since I like coming back to my own home after dropping DS off at nursery, then I clean and do laundry while listening to a podcast, relax with a coffee on my balcony, then I stick my headphones on and do some work in between cooking and other household chores. Sometimes if I'm really tired I have an afternoon nap, or even a small glass of wine while reading my book before it's time to go and collect DS. I'm a bit of an introvert and during the week I like to be in my own space without interruption, it's how I recharge after spending all evening and morning and the weekend taking care of my active 3 year old son. I told my husband my reasons for not wanting to hang out with my friend on weekdays, and preferring to stay home alone, and he just laughed and jokingly said how I hate other people. This isn't true, I just can't function being in someone else's company for an entire day and then having to entertain my DS. I don't want to jeopardise my friendship, but I have no idea how to politely decline her suggestion. Also, we have completely different jobs and I need two monitors to work, plus my office is too small to accommodate the both of us.

I did in summer lol I think drinking in the afternoon is fine! I'm a very low volume drinker, maybe 6-10 units a month just sometimes it's in the afternoon 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not bothered now it's winter though lol all about the cuppa

You could tell her the truth that you don’t actually do much work and she might find you distracting.

Ha ha seriously???

I want your life🤣🤣

Due to commercial sensitivity of the work you do, unfortunately you’re not able to work alongside others from outside the company. No matter what the environment is as this is company policy.

Which 2bh should be the position most people take when WFH.

Tell her you'd never get any work done as you'd be tempted to chat but you want to continue having lunch/ coffee with her.

Just tell her no. Tell her you like to have a glass of wine before school run in the afternoons, I'd love to see her face!

I'm sure when you explain what your idea of working is she will rescind the offer.

Well this is quite the eye opener as to why WFH doesn’t actually work really isn’t it 🙄

Not at all. This is an example of how some work from home. A lot of us are in our home offices with no break throughout the day with some random days in the office based on need.

The people who doss about at home are the same ones in the office who’d be around the water cooler anyway, they’ve just moved the socialisation to their local area now.

Not saying this is OP but just saying - not all home workers can wander off in the day.

Regardless of whether your boss is laid back or not, it's taking the piss to do all that on work time - you wouldn't do it in the office would you.

It's shit like this that will make companies reconsider WFH and those of us who actually do some work will lose out.

Not the point of the thread but it's wound me up a bit.

Just tell her you prefer to work on your own. I'm the same and don't like working alongside someone at home unless it's a partner or I know them really well. But this does sound a bit like a reverse because it doesn't sound like you get much work done 😂. I'm looking for a less stressful job, are there any openings in your company? 😄

Hysterical GDPR overreaction without actually knowing what her job involves.

OP sounds like youve got a great balance as it is so Id be tempted to not upset that and say no.

I occasionally pour myself a small tumbler of wine to get through the end of a tough/boring day. It hasn't led to a bigger drinking problem.

An afternoon tipple is absolutely fine.

How often you’re having these and why you’re having them is what would be concerning.

I’ve had a glass or 2 when meeting up with friends during the day but the thought has never crossed my mind to sit on my own and have a drink right before picking my child up.

If I knew my DH felt he needed a drink before picking our child up I’d be concerned.

This is pretty easy to get out of based on what you've said "sorry friend, because I don't work full-time/ a standard 9-5, I prefer a flexible environment."

I'm calling bollocks on this one. Won't someone think of the Tory donors with their massive office portfolios?! I know, let's put it about that wfh really is this cushy.

Why should the OP stop? It's a glass on wine not an iv drip feeding her turps.

Yep, I wfh full time and I'm tied to my desk from 0800-1630 every day I work apart from breaks and lunch. No idea how some people manage to dick around half the day.

I wonder what your employer would say about the doing chores, drinking during work time, school pick ups. If they are ok with all that it’s fine but if not you shouldn’t be doing it.

Well as it’s not the point of the thread, you don’t need to worry about it, do you?

I would have thought working from home meant doing that exactly, rather than having afternoon naps, reading books and drinking wine!

Needing an alcoholic drink before picking your kid up, is probably something you should think about stopping.

Man mumsnet is weird about solo drinking! A glass of wine affects you the same whether someone else is there or not.

People are so bitter. I too have a WFH job that I can manage to do all my work and all of my housework. Long dog walks, and chill out. Some employers are happy as long as the work is done.

When our office started WFH during lockdown several couples thought it would be a great idea and each set up their home office similar to the office . We all mainly do the same sort of work so theoretically would just mimic a very small team of 2 .
Turned out that not everyone is able to share a close working space with their loved ones. There were some who pleaded to be allowed back in the office while their partner stayed at home . Some swapped turn and turn about with their partner and this seemed to work best.
The problems arose when team meetings or telephone calls were needed . Not because of privacy - we all do the same work and have the same clearances- but because of the sheer noise. Although maybe we are just a noisy lot?

But anyway . As far as I could tell everyone worked exactly as they did in the office. Shirkers are always 'unavailable' and the diligent always answer queries immediately. I would love a job that was more laid back.

This has to be a wind up- afternoon naps and drinking wine- where do I sign up!

I wouldn’t fancy that either! Just say no thanks, for the reasons you have told us in your post