to take my 'downtime' during work hours?

[wishfortime]

By 'downtime' I mean nice easy things, like online shopping, coffee breaks, and a bit of random internet surfing.

I work full time and have a 90 minute standing/rushed commute.

Mornings are a rush with early start and nursery drop off etc, My DH picks up DC from nursery between 6 and 6.30 pm, and i reach home about 7pm, spend an hour doing bath, bedtime routine with DC while my husband cooks, we eat at 8.30 then its cleaning kitchen, laundry and general housework, and getting sorted for next day while my DH catches up on work emails. Weekends are also quite jam packed as both our families live far away, so more often than not we either are travelling 300 miles (at least once/twice a month), or family/friends are staying with us.

So I don't get any 'free time' at home, hence i feel i need to take some 'down time' at work. My workload isn't always 100% capacity, but its the type of job where i need to be there and available or it impacts the team. Its paid well and often things kick off i do need to work late into the evening, and sometimes at weekends from home. (I don't get paid for this 'overtime', which is how i justify to myself that the downtime at quieter times during the day is ok).

Oh for god's sake is this going to degenerate into a 'whose job is busier' contest? There aren't prizes on our deathbed for being the busiest bee in the hive you know. Some people don't get much downtime but they aren't morally superior to those who aren't. And more fool the many for whom it is self-inflicted out of some misguided puritan ethic (looking at you, mil)

Already has, hasn't it, frog?

Competitive busyness and employee-of-the-monthness at its stupidest.

No Wish but in my organisation (CIC on agenda for change T+Cs) any overtime payment has to be approved by a senior manager before working overtime. Being as I generally work overtime in emergencies it is never preapproved and therefore I don’t get paid. The nhs is propped up on the good will of nhs workers doing unpaid overtime regularly, don’t think you are the only one in your position!

My manager would rather chronically understaff us and expect us to do half our job in our own time than let anyone have any "downtime". It's our own fault for putting up with it I suppose but sometimes it's the devil you know.

I suppose if your boss is nice and flexible, as long as you produce results and can honestly say you put in the hours elsewhere then morally it's probably ok. I'd just be wary as others have said if using work computers, if it would appear to be setting a bad example or if the business restructures and decides you must be underutilised.

Have you ever managed a team before Violet ? You seem completely naïve if you think all staff members can simply be trusted not to take the piss/misuse the internet etc. I would bloody love it if that was the case, my job would be a dream! But as it happens, my organisation has to have these robust policies in place (like the internet use policy) because not everyone can be trusted unfortunately.

But as it happens, my organisation has to have these robust policies in place (like the internet use policy) because not everyone can be trusted unfortunately.

Or it could invest in better recruitment and better training for managers, and improve management and performance processes, which when done effectively will identify those not pulling their weight, without treating all like the worst (and scaring off the talent).

You are taking down time at work because you don’t have time to do it in your own time? If you were my employee I’d be having words.

If you can’t cope with your workload, then speak to your boss about that. If your home life needs more time then give it more time. Say no to the late hours and constant weekend working and cut down on the trips to friends. It’s only “easy to get booked up” if you don’t say “no, I have other things I should be doing”

Cowbag. I currently manage a team of 7.

Say no to the late hours and constant weekend working and cut down on the trips to friends.

I can’t say no to the out of hours work - my contract and role requires it.

We are not willing to cut down on the monthly weekend trips to parents - they are important for various personal reasons.

We tend not to visit friends/extended family but will happily accept them staying.

The my original question was, AIBU to take some downtime during office hours? The alternative is to do my work more slowly/not delegate as much/create extra work/try to go ‘above and beyond’ more.

Or change jobs, to one where I am at full capacity during the day but no excessive overtime, so the downtime is in the evenings and not during the day. I do love my current job though.

fruitcider - my apologies, i suppose there are so many different parts of the nhs. I have a close friend who’s unpaid overtime would only be a bit of time tagged on the end of a shift (so a few hours a week max). If she were unexpectedly called in and asked to do extra that would be paid overtime.

I’m with the ‘being productive’ and ‘as long as you get the job done’ brigade here.

I work in sporadic bursts and take more breaks than anyone - surfing online, eating, tea, going for a walk - coming in when I like, leaving early etc. Some days it’s the opposite and I’m in a mode where I just flow for hours and suddenly find it’s 8pm.

Either way my overall productivity is measurably higher than average, I’m a fast learner and I don’t get frustrated or stuck - there’s always many ways round a problem and a number of solutions. The breaks help that because I’m still thinking about those without panicking. People know this and will ask me for help and respect me. I’m sure some people might raise an eyebrow at my other behaviour but management knows they can rely on me to solve the hard issues.

If you are good enough, in an environment where presenteeism isn’t how managers measure your work you can and should be able to do what you like. They pay me for my brain - how I find the best way to effectively use it is up to me.

To add to this - it helps if you can genuinely value yourself. Do you feel that you offer value for money? I’m paid quite well - but know that what takes me 20 minutes of solid work takes others hours or days of teeth gnashing and vocal frustration. I don’t grumble and I focus when needed. Thus I am worth the money regardless.

ethereum - thanks that made me feel a bit better. I am overqualified for my role in terms of education and very good value as I was promoted into it from a junior position. A decent replacement for me would cost about £10k more than I am currently paid.

Glad it helped mind you, If you are 10k underpaid - that makes your case open and shut - never feel bad. Indeed if you’re that far off market rate you have three options imho:

A) ask for a rise
B) get another job that values your skills to that market rate
C) take even more breaks to the value of that .

I've been in your place. First I did A...But got the usual platitudes about their figures for market rate blah blah blah which I told them were absolutely hogwash.

This demotivated me massively because they were lying. so I did C for a bit without a problem...But I wanted to be stretched.

So then it was time for B. The new job offer was so much better (above market rate 🙂) they couldn't even counter properly because their entire wage structure was too far behind the times by then. And By switching I ended up with a lot more than I imagined possible - not just in financial terms but in it being a more challenging and suitable role for me. Knowing your value and going for it is priceless - not for your bank balance- but for your self esteem and belief.

Those are great posts ethereum!

Wish my point was, you aren’t the only person that does unpaid overtime. If you feel your job is that awful look for another one! I came on here to defend your position but your attitude stinks to be honest. I’m out.