WFH Every Friday: The Fading Boundary Between Personal Life and Work

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Every Friday, when the work from home (WFH) policy is enforced, the boundary between workspace and personal life gradually fades. The home, which should be a place of rest, transforms into an office, while working hours no longer feel clearly defined. Behind the efforts for efficiency and flexibility offered, a new reality emerges: workers are required to remain productive, yet at the same time must deal with household distractions and pressure to be available at any time, even after working hours have ended. This is because she worries that if she is not on standby 24 hours in front of her phone, she fears there might be sudden assignments that need to be completed. It is this that sometimes makes Kiky feel that the boundary between her personal life and work is fading. “Sometimes yes (feeling there is no boundary). Because the workspace and home become one,” she said when contacted by Kompas.com on Monday (4/5/2026). One way Kiky creates boundaries is by setting work hours and rest times to keep them balanced. Although she often feels the boundary between personal life and work frequently fades, this civil servant still feels more comfortable working from home. For Kiky, working from home is more comfortable and flexible. Additionally, the atmosphere is very warm because she is close to her family. Besides that, she can also save on expenses in terms of transport costs if WFH every Friday. Small things like coffee or snacks that usually “go unnoticed” outside become more controllable at home,” Kiky continued. This is because if going to the office by motorbike or public transport, she has to travel approximately 18 kilometres (km) and must arrive at the office around 07.30 WIB to avoid traffic jams. On the other hand, when riding a motorbike, the transport money spent is quite economical, only about Rp25,000 for petrol for two days. “Taking public transport can be Rp40,000 to Rp50,000 per day. So, there is a noticeable difference,” she said. Another civil servant named Natasya (28) also admitted that even with WFH, there are no boundaries for her to remain optimally productive. “It’s just called work from home, but WORK means, yes, during working hours we must be ready if we get assignments; the difference is just a change of location from office to home,” she said when contacted by Kompas.com on Monday.