Forum Discussion
Remote working and what it takes
It just makes you think about reconfiguring your home to be a WFH friendly environment DavidWarner! For me it's always been a big part of the way I work, not so much WFH 5 days a week but having a space to do that voluntarily. I'm just wired that way, but I wonder how people are adapting their space and just making do with what they have?
AnnaChu We do have a challenge that if my husband and I both have a wfh day and both have calls, it quickly can irritate each other. While we do have a home office, it was designed to both have a space to be comfortable rather than sit at a dining table on a wfh day. Our desks are in the same room. This space feels small when suddenly one of you is leading a meeting and 1-2m from you!
So recently, with the increase in wfh for both of us, we have setup a break out space. A spare desk, or being able to use one of the kids desks for times when we both are on calls. That keeps the marriage nice 🙂
Otherwise I rely heavily on music and noise cancelling headphones to keep his voice out of my head when I am doing heavy focused work time.
It is key to have boundaries with family and also with work. So often while I am making dinner or in family time he will say "I just have to go write something down" or reply to something. His boundaries are more fluid than mine and I see work slip into family and he is in and out of the home office. I am stronger and drawing a line and ending my work thoughts once the kids are home. It is key to have balance.
- I have a no too dissimilar problem here. My 14 year old son and I share a space where we have two desks next to each other. My son is of course not working, but rather playing online games with friend or watching videos. Which can get pretty loud at times.
Normally it is not an issue, yet my son does not go to school on Wednesdays. So if like at the moment I am working from home do I work in that room or move out of it for the day?
Yesterday for example I did not have any meeting scheduled, but I would have moved if I had.
Noise cancelling headphones only go so far but at least make working tolerable. MStrant OMG. I haven't even thought of what would happen if my husband has to stay home and we have to shock, horror, SHARE the space. (I think it's only a matter of time. He's already telling me that they've co-ordinated his entire team to spread across regional sites - and some from home - so he doesn't have all the people in the one office). It's a matter of time before he gets ask to stay at home...I think it's time we started to have "a plan"...
- That is a really good point. I did not think about that scenario about multiple people in the same space. I already have that worked out. Our home has a work space for each individual. Though my son and I share a space with two desks. My wife has a desk setup in the lounge (my old closing cabinet I mentioned in the post)
Just think about flexibility and if each of you can move quickly and easily when appropriate.
It is a bit of challenge for sure.
Is your response adding to the conversation, or just an opportunity to vent MStrant?
I feel like some dirty laundry has been aired...
Loryan Strant These are true challenges. And with current issues, there may be many couples in corporate roles who can wfh and do occasionally, but suddenly have to share a closer working space for much more time. It is a realistic problem to have to consider and ensure the work space for both people is comfortable, productive and allows them to continue working with minimal disruption.
MStrant I can agree, with the sudden move from occasional wfh to fulltime due to the COVID-19 crisis, me and my partner are both working from the same diningroom table, which usually works out pretty well but get annoying when one of us have a meeting with a lot of talking. Noise cancelling headphones are an expensive but essential tool for me to stay focussed and/or create some distance from the life at home that isn't work (read: cats going crazy).
Obviously, our home office setup has room for improvement and will be considered if/when wfh becomes a more permanent option.
