WFH - do you ever just relax?

@randomfemthinker

Yes, my work / life balance is the best it has ever been and I’m also saving significant amounts of money as well as time with no commute.

But WFH FT definitely isn’t for everyone. It can be lonely, boring & isolating which I can handle, but more extroverted people can & do really struggle with. It’s also obviously hopeless for networking, so it’s definitely not for the ambitious, either.

Wow there's alot of jealousy on here!

My job is exactly the same. Im on training course tomo that i put myself up for so i'll make some extra work outside of my remit.

I do work outside of my core tho, evenings and weekends.

You are very lucky and I wish I could WFH, finish the work in half the time and otherwise just be on "stand by". It sounds like a great work/life balance over still being paid for it. Sadly, I'm not WFH nor get paid for my expertise specifically and more low wage by the hour so need to work the whole time so to speak but I'm in agreement with you, when your work is done, it's done and people waste so much time gossiping with colleagues and so on, anyway or some other time waste in the office, anyway. Or sitting on Mumsnet lol. WFH is a much better use of time. As far as the point over you doing the job in half the time others do, I think it's great you have the intellect to do it and you're lucky. I would see it as all fine as long as if a colleague did reach out to you for help, you would try and help and support them, if possible. Employer's tend to suck too much time out of people unfairly so I enjoy any story where someone claims back time to juggle life as time is a big resource.

Yeah just chill OP.

I wouldn't be asking for more. Read a book, watch some telly. Do your online shop/ life admin. Put a wash on.

I’m six months into a wfh role and my output is huge but it is done in three hours.

and then I spend two hours generating more business and following up.

and then what… boredom.

Working from home is the most miserable and isolating experience I have encountered.

My job is senior and doesn’t fit into 9-5. There might be an emergency at 10pm on a Saturday night I would respond to etc

My boss likes presenteeism either in the office or WFH. My output is 4x my target so he says nothing but I have never been so bored in my life.

I’m with you OP. I manage my own caseload and I find the office really boring if I’ve nothing to do so I just get all my work done on my office days and enjoy the rest when I’m WFH unless something important comes in.

I’m currently working more cases than is expected of me so…happy days. I’m lazy AF though, and thrilled to have found a job I’m very good at that pays well and gives me the work life balance I’ve always wanted. It was worth the hard years to get to this point.

There are benefits to being more efficient at your job than most people - enjoy your beverage!

I get far more work done wfh than in an office with people constantly talking and wasting time in the coffee shop, my job simply isn't an 8 hour a day job and there is no other work I can ask for it's a huge investment bank I couldn't give a toss if I only have a couple of hours work to do a day, I am a high performer and my employer is happy and to be honest lucky to have me

I was very busy until recently with some role swaps. My wfh day today was lovely. I did my tasks and listened to and participated in the pointless meeting. I also kept the computer active and did my craft project, made a casserole, did a skin and hair treatment, finished the ironing basket and did my personal admin. I think as long as the work is done, take advantage of the down time. There was a wfh day last week where I didn't have 5 minutes to myself so it does balance.

I think that’s known as stealing a living.

I think it's right that you get paid to do your job - if you do those in fewer hours (because you can be more efficient at home possibly), then it's fine that you can take it a bit easy from time to time.

I work from home and put in more hours than I do in the office - I find it impossible to escape my laptop and calls and my work. I'm currently off work with burnout. It's not always easier being at home!

I’m guessing from OP’s posts that yes tomorrow she will have more work to do but will have finished it before her working day is over, so tasks every day but completes them in say 4-5 hours instead of the 7-8 hours she works… which is exactly the same position I’m in and no I won’t be putting my hand up for more work!

Nope. I'm always flat out with an endless list of work. When I WFH I start early and finish late (work through usual travel time) and I eat at my desk. I do put a wash on but other than that I'm working the whole time. Get way more done with far better concentration- sometimes put on study music and just get into the zone of report writing etc.
in the office I'm distracted by colleagues, chat with colleagues about work and mostly non work stuff. Getting a drink or going to the loo takes way longer as does getting lunch.
I enjoy both and understand why we need both but for me I probably 3 or 4x as much work done at home vs the office.

All the time! My team are the same. There are busy periods where it's all hands on deck and the expectation that we will work early or late. But the trade off is that we are trusted in quiet periods to just be available if needed.

Mumsnet really struggles to get their head around anyone being well paid and not working hours. Some people are paid for their knowledge and expertise not for clocking up a certain number of hours. And people who work in an office generally do not work for 8 hours straight - my office days are by far my least productive. At home, I can focus on writing a paper in 2 hours which would have taken a whole day in the office. Focused work can be so productive and the brain is not actually designed to maintain focus for much longer than a few hours. See famous authors who only write for 3 hours per day and produce a book every year.

Same! Definitely doing equal work to my FT colleagues in less time.

cannot relate as a teacher I am too busy being verbally abused by students and staff until I am allowed to leave 3 hours after finish time 😂

I was pleasantly surprised in my last appraisal that my manager felt I was on par with my full time colleagues with the amount of work I was doing (whilst not working very hard). I guess I'm really efficient.

Woukd like at least one or two days working from home-no chance.

OPs business must be pissing ££ up the wall though as it's likely others WFH may be similar. It could be prudent to be the person who absolutely what the job is but maybe a little (and still manageable) bit more.

That way, if the Happy Days come to an abrupt end and they can't afford to keep paying for hours with zero output OP will be the person genuinely worth their salary. You know, future proof oneself a little

I used to! I'd keep my laptop on and put a film on. These days I'm just way too busy at work.

My job is horrifically busy so unfortunately I don’t get to do this. But no jealously obviously 😂

I think there’s alot to be said for treating people as adults, and letting them manage their workload themselves. As long as you’re contactable and available when people need to speak to you.

Not every job is going to be possible like this, but I don’t like the culture where bosses can manage their own time but don’t trust anyone else to.

Depends on the job. When I started mine was fairly quiet, at the minute it's been so busy it's awful. I would have no qualms having a break if I found myself with a spare half hour. But that's more about surviving at the minute as it's been months of being absolutely snowed under .
If I was regularly that bored or under occupied at work I'd be checking if anyone else was stressed out or overwhelmed and see if I could help.

Or c) incapable of recognising that jobs, outputs and working patterns vary hugely across sectors and seniority.