To ask if “wfh” for you consists of doing nothing

[Azaelia]

Right I know there’s people who would love to be in this position so I’m not complaining, but I’ve been working from home since last Monday along with the rest of my team. Work has totally dried up yet we are required to log on for 8 hours each day as usual. For now we have been told to “file emails” and this has only taken about ten minutes to do! I’m not sure why we haven’t been “furloughed”. I’m currently drinking a gin and tonic and watching Hayu with my laptop propped up on my knees!!! Is anyone else in this position?

Absolutely swamped with work but that's fine. I'm glad to have a job and be paid, and I would find it really tedious to have to pretend to work. Work is ok, not working is ok, but sitting there all day like you are, to make it look like I'm working, would be so boring.

I understand why it is distressing--it is unsustainable, and thereby it is anxiety-producing. And we are living in a time of plague. It is natural that it would be making you very uncomfortable. You're in a very real and dislocating place. You aren't "lucky." This sense of disorientation you are reckoning with is important to acknowledge. Don't be afraid of feeling as scared as you are. Let the feelings run through you and write them down. Only then can you master them. This is a step to something deeper.

I'm struggling to fill my days with "productive" (i.e fee earning) consultancy work - we usually go to client premises, although the work we do on site can easily be done remotely. But it was quiet for me even before this, I have a couple of big clients but not so many of the bread and butter ones.

Much of my days are spent answering queries, drafting or reviewing documents, and generally dicking around keeping records up to date, but that isn't earning my employer any fees. And they mentioned the "R" word yesterday, hidden in amongst another communication.

I've got the same amount of work to do as I would in the office but it just doesn't take as long. There's no chatting when you get to work, popping for a coffee, meetings, so a day at work is simply that - 8 hours stuck at the laptop.

I didn't mind it at first (and I'm so thankful that I don't have little kids getting in the way) but it's dull and crap without the usual banter of our office of 25.

Definitely less to do at home. It’s going to be a shit show when I get back though.

It's weirdly up and down: a lot of my projects have been pushed/postponed, and I don't really have much to replace them. I reckon I'm maybe doing 1-2 hours work per day. I'm not complaining because frankly keeping DD occupied fills the rest of the time, and we're still getting paid, but I don't see how this can be sustained.

If anything I'm busier. I work as an in-house marketing manager for a professional services firm, any point when the rest of the business becomes quiet everyone decides it's time to get on with their marketing goals for the year! Have booked Friday off just for a break, it's torture being in the same house as my sofa and not having time to sit on it...

Currently in a meeting, with my 3yo on my lap making a paper man, and I'm also fielding IMs coming in from four different teams.

And MNing a bit obvs!!

DP is doing our 6yo's Maths, and emailing at the same time.

Soooooo many conference calls.

I'm not complaining, happy to be busy.

In fact I have no idea why I'm dicking about on MN!

Me OP, me.

Very very very very happy about it!

Still working. I’ve got to do my
Billable hours. If those dry up, I am screwed.

Yup, exactly the same here op.

I write a regular column for a magazine, I review plays, shows (bbc good food etc) and occasionally food or drinks.

No work, nothing to write about. Not sure really what your question is, definitely not sure what you AIBU is.
Log on, deal with your emails, enjoy your gin n tonic.

My approval is not necessary.

Deffo me, I have a couple of hours to do a day maximum, a self sufficient 14 year old and very little else to do.
I'm filling my days with the odd long run or dog walk (not both!) and cooking and cleaning.
I can't wait to get back to work, I realise I'm lucky but it is boring.

I'm doing the same amount of admin, but not having to actually go in (teacher)
So I have the luxury (and it is a luxury) of having the day to do the work I normally would have squashed in the evenings and half term. Added bonus of not marking books too!
Missing work though.

I'm the same as you OP. I am limited in what I can do from home. Thankfully my boss understands and is not expecting the same productivity. It is getting very boring and I am missing the company and banter from the office.

Don’t complain, I am working 16 hour days for the nhs from home.
It’s weird for everyone though.

I'm very busy but WFH is a real adjustment for me. I get very easily distracted by wanting a nap, snacks, TV, books etc.

Nope, doing my normal job and then some!

No. I'm busy. We supply the NHS and other emergency services, so I have loads to do.

We support the dwp, so am definitely still working. Things seem to ge calming on our end (tech) but the dwp staff are busier than ever, often while trying to work from home with technology they're unfamiliar with.

I am getting more study done between calls, which is a positive.

My days are terrible - I started my job just 5 weeks ago and know very little in a job which seems overly complicated and nuanced. I have very little to do but have to pretend I do - every morning we have a team call talking about what we are doing - the established team are way too busy to train me. If I ask for something to do I get given really crappy pointless stuff or stuff I can’t do without support and if I ask for help I get bare minimum and told to get on with it.
I spend my time online (in teams you can see if you are away), looking at bbc news and thinking up things I can pretend I’m doing.
I’m a single mum and have primary aged daughter to home school and keep entertained but wish I had a busy relatively meaningful job to keep my mind active and positive. Just feel like every thing is pointless at the moment 😢

Can you get your email on your phone? So you don't have to be on your laptop all the time?

Lucky you

I am currently working earlies, lates and nights in custody

We have teams set up and they chat and view people status on that
Is there anyway I can set my status to active when I’m not ? Although they do randomly ask pointless questions so need to respond to those

Not here. DH and I are on week 3 as we were self isolating before the official shut down.

I teach and have been coordinating the home learning and parent communication in regards to that from before schools actually closed. At home I am doing my normal hours, though spread over longer time, plus monitoring over weekends - and officially my holidays as we are now on Easter holidays.

Dh is a probate and wills solicitor and is busier than ever. He's only had one probate job from CV19 as yet but had a lot of people wanting to make wills in the past fortnight.