I’ve been staring at my work laptop for 3 days now

[UseHerName]

I’m working from home, I sit down for 8 hours a day, But I’m not doing anything. I don’t have small children but we’re all working at home together.

I’ll sign into meetings, I’ll respond to some emails but I’m paralysed and I don’t even know where to begin with the big stuff

I’m not normally like this

Is anyone else the same? Is it lockdown? Should I talk to my manager? I’m worried they’ll just think I can’t be arsed or something

Definitely relate to this I am basically ticking the boxes doing the tasks required but not really getting deep past week or so.

I’m worried I’m not even ticking the boxes to be honest @S0CKS

I don’t know if I can do it anymore, but I don’t think it would be easy to get another job at the min

As a manager - I'd want you to talk to me.

Oh my goodness I'm exactly the same since New Year. If I looked at how long I'd spent reading shit on the Internet on my phone throughout the day I'd be horrified. It's awful.
One thing I noticed is I have a lack of pressing deadlines and I'm also an extrovert so get my "energy" from others and wfh with nothing really to look forward to is really sapping my will.
I feel massive pressure (from myself) to "use the time" and get my cv up to date/ get on top of all the shit but I just have zero energy to start it.
I have no solutions but maybe someone else does???

Coffee and lots of it.

I also realise the irony of joining this thread - in many ways, it's self sabotage to convince myself wasting time on the internet is helping me stop wasting time on the internet...

Lol I hadn’t thought of that @Cavagirl

I’m relatively new too so I don’t want them to think I’m a basket case

I’ve currently go 3 screens on the go - Mumsnet on my phone, a Stephen King book open on my tablet & my work laptop

exactly the same.

it sucks.

started walking for an hour a day, which helps.

Totally normal. I "joke" that my get-up-and-go has got up and gone.

Do you know what you are meant to be doing? Or do you not have particular projects that need starting? If you've got stuff you've not really got started with, speak to your manager about some direction on them etc. Something to start the ball rolling.

I'm about to start using these people for a couple of sessions to see if I can kick-start myself a bit.

www.morehappi.com/

I walk for at least 5 miles everyday and do yoga

I have stuff to do and I know how it should be done, but as I say I’m relatively new and my role is standalone so I need help. Plus the org don’t do things by best practice so there’s that to overcome. I’ve done the job before but elsewhere. I have weekly 1-1s but these are things that crop up in between

@Cavagirl that's so interesting, it's the other way round for me.
I'm an introvert and get my energy from being alone...
so while not having anyone around me to drain me I've got more done than ever, however I feel exactly like you described every day in the office and never get anything done there.

I'm similar OP... it's very hard to motivate yourself in lockdown. I have days where I do hardly anything (in fact I should be working right now but I'm here...)

It's really not easy. I don't have much in the way of answers, but lots of sympathy.

I have spoken to my manager a bit but she's not very sympathetic to things like this and is very much of the "get on with it" school of thought. Which is all well and good, I guess, but it isn't really helping me.

So you could try talking to your manager, depending on your relationship with them... do you think they'd understand and relate?

I've been doing moreorless similar (and doing work) but my workload has gone way down anyway.

A new starter (PA like me) is starting soon so I have to get my arse in gear.

I’ve worked from home for years and I use a pomodoro timer to break the inertia cycle as i have the attention span of a goldfish It breaks tasks into 25 minute chunks (during which you focus totally on that one task) followed by a five minute break (to fuck around on the internet/make a coffee/stretch etc etc). It can be a really good way to get you doing SOMETHING productive as you know it’s time-limited.

I dunno @wildraisins I think she’d relate up to a point , and understand but ultimately give me practical advice. Which is what I would do with my team too I guess.

also - it’s hardly surprising that we can’t focus easily during a global pandemic while trapped in our homes! be kind to yourself x

Second what @KnitFastDieWarm has said.

Timer in short blocks, 1 thing per block - make a list.

Sometimes it’s the starting that’s the problem, once I’m into a task I sort of autopilot.

I’m struggling the last few weeks though as well if I’m honest (hence posting this at 4pm)

Combination of more work than can be done in the timescale so where do I start and lockdown apathy.

It’s difficult at the moment.

Yes, me too, WFH is crap for me, I get all excited whenever I get an email but the lack of proper interaction makes me feel sluggish and unmotivated. I still get everything done eventually but all the enjoyment is gone from the work. I can't wait to be back on site.

I have put parental controls on my phone but I keep overriding them.

And my cats keep wanting to sit on my laptop.

@UseHerName

I dunno *@wildraisins* I think she’d relate up to a point , and understand but ultimately give me practical advice. Which is what I would do with my team too I guess.

Yeah. I suppose it depends what you would hope to get out of such a discussion.

For me, there's not a lot my manager could do for me anyway. I have a much smaller workload than I had pre-Covid, so I'm not too far behind on things. Although there's definitely stuff I should be doing, she's not unhappy with my performance.

But it's more about the way I feel about myself sitting around and doing nothing, and not being able to get up any motivation. Normally I'd be going above and beyond the minimum, but now I just don't. We are relying so much on self-management and self-regulation in these times so if like me you are a bit of a procrastinator it's hard!

I do like the look of the pomodoro timer that someone else suggested though. I might give that a try!

Oh I hadnt even factored in the cat @EssentiallyDelighted

Yes! Totally the same. I was fine in lockdown one but really struggling now! It’s pretty out of character for me too

@EssentiallyDelighted that really made me laugh putting parental controls on your own phone and overriding them!
I started putting my phone in another room and rewarding myself with wine in the evening if I didn't look at it all day.... it worked to a point but then I decided it was probably a) a bit unhealthy but more importantly b) I'd have the wine anyway...
I really like @KnitFastDieWarm and the timer, that feels doable.
One thing I'm not doing (but I should) is create deadlines OP not sure if this could work for you? Eg if I've got a piece of work which is important but not urgent, in the past I've set up catch up meetings with stakeholders to talk them through progress & get input, therefore meaning I must have done something by then!
Could you do something like that with your boss, and also use as an excuse to get some help/guidance?