We all work when we’re on annual leave (evenings and weekends), don’t we?

[Changedforthisyear]

This new WFH/ managing childcare life has blurred the lines between work and home. I do the school runs during my work time, so then I make that time up later on. My work hours are all over the place. I’m on annual leave today with nothing to do/ nowhere to go and so I’m catching up on work. Are we all doing this?

YANBU we’re all working when we’re on annual leave, evenings and weekends.

YABU most people are sticking rigidly to their usual core hours.

We don't have to work core hours at the moment but I am sticking to them as much as I can and not doing anything late, at the weekend or on leave.

For a few years, I went over and beyond doing a lot of overtime and weekends. I collapsed (with facial paralysis, I thought I was a goner but it was "only" stress) one Christmas Day (the only day I had off as no leave was allowed we were so busy) and all I got was a phonecall from my boss in hospital to ask when I'd be returning to work. I still get symptoms now, including the facial paralysis, four years later.

You don't realise how damaging the getting no proper downtime where you are fully off and the constant checking of emails is as it's a kind of drip, drip, drip wearing down your physical and mental health.

I still work hard, I like what I do but work won't give me back my health or time with my family when they're gone.

If I had died yesterday, they'd have replaced by the end of the month.

I've been WHF for years and for me the bonus is the flexibility. I can take a couple of hours away here and there if I need to, but I make that time up by often being around here and there when on days off, later in the evening etc.

If I'm actually away on holiday or busy on a day out, then that's different and I'm usually taking that as actual down time.

99.9% no

I have in the past, rarely, and looking back for no real valid reason, done some work whilst I’m on leave.

My laptop is off, my work phone is off. I do not switch them on.

If my job was so important that I needed to be covered whilst I was on leave, I’d be covered. My out of office contact will deal with anything urgent.

I do work longer hours and/or at the weekend at particularly busy periods. This is mostly for my own piece of mind and in support of my colleagues who need me, and is not a requirement of my employer.

I WFH, NHS senior-ish technical specialist in back office.

Yes, I do. I much prefer being flexible to working slavishly for 7.5 hours and then rushing to fit everything else in around it. I've worked from home some of the week for years and my job can be done at any time.

We've been sticking as much as possible to our 08:30 to 17:30 hours, then shutting down. It's important for mental health and encouraged by our boss.

I have done a little overtime and I did need to work one Sunday afternoon, but I have also had plenty of flexibility when I've needed longer lunch breaks etc

I’m self-employed so there is no “annual leave” and it’s all my time, if that makes sense. So working evenings and weekends are a given- but that’s the only way I can cope with all the kids off school, and how I balance being able to do the school run / go to prize assemblies / sports day in normal times. It’s actually a much less stressful way to work.

I haven't voted because in your circumstances, I might work more flexibly but, as I don't have small people around to entertain or educate, I'm sticking to my usual 9.30 - 5.30 including a lunch hour or when I do a lap of the local park.

I certainly wouldn't be doing anything on annual leave though!

Oh and, after all the efforts of last year, everyone working so hard to keep things running from home, we have just heard that our productivity targets have been hiked by 20 per cent for this year.

FML.

I had been but now I've decided clearly this is going to be a long time thing and I'm not doing it anymore. I don't get paid enough for that level of stress so no. Home comes first.

for lockdown 1 nearly 75% of support staff were furloughed and those of us remaining were expected to keep going apace and make up for the furloughed.

I worked every weekend and had no leave and then burned out and went off on stress in November. I was back for 3 weeks then off again. I am probably going to resign after we get through this initial phase of lockdown 3 as i am literally on my knees.

It might be common but it's certainly not something we should be aspiring towards.

I'm self-employed so don't do set hours, but I'm now in a place where I can 'afford' not to work weekends so they're now my down time. It's really not healthy to think about work all the time.

When I was employed, I never worked outside of my contracted hours unless it was agreed overtime and I was being paid accordingly. Life's too short to work for free.

This is just making redundancy rates higher. Please think of that.

Work your hours, nothing more.

I work for the nhs. My AL has been cancelled for the third time in a row due to covid. I’m working 68 hours in my AL instead

Last year I was on the laptop in the evenings and weekends because our project wasn't going well and I had so much work to do, but it took a massive toll on my mental health. Some people are good at mixing home and work - I'm not. Over Christmas I put my home work station away - was for visitors who couldn't come - and actually not having it accessible was fantastic and I had a proper refreshing break.

This year I'm trying to be more disciplined and work hard during work hours - less mumsnetting (today is my nwd before anyone jumps in) - but be pretty strict about logging off once I've done my hours. DS 14 is at home so I can use the excuse that I need to check on his school work, although school seems very organised this time round.

Nope. I will flex my hours round other stuff and will do additional hours when required for critical business needs, but in general I would not work outside my contract which is 9-5 Monday to Friday. I also take back any additional hours worked as TOIL, although it’s really not strict at all.

I haven’t had any meetings booked outside of my normal hours and would decline them unless critical.

I don’t get overtime. I wouldn’t get any extra bonus unless I can demonstrate I’ve delivered something additional. Also, I work to live not live to work and it’s stressful enough doing my contracted hours!

i'm usually very strict with my hours (although they're flexible) especially at weekends and on holidays. However, I was presented with a choice of being forced to go part time or making up the time that I'm going to miss to homeschool, so I'm thinking that my holidays are going to go. I've got enough A/L to take one day off a week, but I'll have to work on those days when I'm not homeschooling.

I suppose it's fair enough although my company made several billion in profit last year, so I'm disappointed that they're not being more clear about worker welfare. (This is in direct contrast to my old company, which said that you could take off any time needed and it would be fully paid, no questions asked).

Nope...I walk out the door at 3 o'clock!!if they want me to do anything after that then I will do overtime!! I don't check emails at weekends or on leave. Not a hope!!!

Nope. Never have, never will. And I have a good professional job. I just prioritise my downtime.

I already worked freelance from home and yes, there is no such thing as a weekend or days off. Currently averaging a 15 hour working day most days, working 7 days a week, only took off Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I sit down at 9am (having got up early and sorted laundry, dishwasher, made beds blah blah) and frequently still working at midnight or 1am, only stopping to cook everyone's dinner and eat it and/or if there's a pile of ironing so massive I can no longer ignore it. Can't tell you how much I wish I had a House Elf. Hoping by the Spring it will be quieter and sunnier because I plan to sit in the garden with a vodka and coke, and I don't care if it's only 11am. Disclaimer - On mumsnet now because I'm eating lunch, so there.

No. DH WFH, he does the school run "in work time" so makes up those hours, but only does overtime if he actually needs to do so, and neither of us do work on annual leave.

My new year's resolution (starting today) is to stop this.
It doesn't help me or my children (currently being home schooled) in the long run, and my employer will reasonably grow to expect it from me. If we can't do it for ourselves, do it for another woman who ended up absolutely shattered in the last lockdown.
I'll do it for you and you do it for me!

The hours in the day have flexible of course but annual leave is still annual leave and email is off.

Nope. After years of having a crap work life balance I honestly do not bring anything home at all now. Only work my official hours. If it's not done in that time then it just isn't done

My work have been incredibly flexible with me over the last year with homeschooling and childcare so I’m flexible back. I work part time but if something needs to be done then I’ll work on it on my days off and over the weekend. Ultimately I’m the only one that will do my work and if the deadlines aren’t met then I’m in trouble.

Neither, I am not rigid with my hours, but during weekends or an annual leave day the laptop stays switched off. I need proper breaks from work and can always find something better to do than work!

If it suits you and give your more flexibility there is nothing wrong with that, just make sure it does actually suit you and you aren't struggling without quality time off.