WFH - do you ever just relax?

[ringoffiire]

I love working from home, and when I do, I will quite often do half a day's work and then put my feet up.

I do everything I need to do, and I do it to a good standard. My manager praises me and has no concerns at all about my work. I'm not behind at all.

But if I've done all my work, I simply leave Teams active so that I hear if anyone wants to contact me, and then I get on with whatever I want to do.

If I was in the office, I would still be sat there doing nothing, but just feeling frustrated that I had to look like I was busy until 5.

Right now I'm sipping a delicious beverage at 4pm and browsing mumsnet, because I've finished all my work.

Anyone else? And do you think it's OK?

That's what I'm wondering - what is the actual issue? I am meeting all of my objectives. I am happy, my boss is happy, our service users are happy. So is it actually a problem and if so, why?

I spent the first few years of my career in admin doing this, taking on way more than other people in my team. It got me nothing. I wasn’t paid more, so why bother? I moved departments and absolutely love my job now, like the OP I can pretty much chill out at home as I don’t tend to have strict deadlines with my work, I’m just allowed to get on with it!

It's not a problem. Some people try to make out it's a problem because they are either a) unable to wfh and jealous or b) still wedded to an outdated Protestant morality model of presenteeism, micromanagement, competitive busyness and clock-watching.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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 😂

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

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.

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.

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!

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 think that’s known as stealing a living.

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 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’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’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.