to think it doesn't really matter what you do when WFH as long as you get the job done?

[workyworky1]

When I WFH, I get most of my household tasks done in the day, I will do top up shops, pop to the library to return books etc.

Occasionally I have been to IKEA.

The work gets done. I just do it between life admin and tasks.

I have won an exceptional performance award in the past and my manager told me last week that he wants to nominate me for another.

It depends on the nature of the job of course but it works for me.

No my job can't be outsourced to India because it involves some face to face work along with expertise.

No phone signal in the IKEA near me as it’s a big metal box. But I’m sure it was fine and nobody needed you.

You say you had no work come in yesterday but what if some unexpected work came in while you were out having a nice walk? Or there was a massive issue with your award winning work that needed resolving immediately?

Why do some people on every work thread worship the boot on their neck so much? No one should be slogging away for eight hours straight, it’s unproductive. Why would anyone with a gap between tasks fill it with more tasks instead of taking a break? We’re not medieval peasants toiling in the fields. The eight-hour workday is just something someone made up. I was talking to someone recently whose husband just got a new job: “Only 35 hours so not quite full-time, but at least it’s work.” Babe, that IS full time! It’s plenty! You don’t HAVE to work till you’re exhausted or have used up the best part of each day on the prep, commute, work and commute home. What’s the prize?

At the moment I work for myself in a creative field and I work hard, but everything after four-five hours is diminishing returns – I’m happier, healthier and more productive if I stop than if I push on to meet an arbitrary eight-hour workday. And if I do have to push through for deadlines, once the deadline is met there’s nothing more to give for a bit – have to do nothing to refill the well.

It is amazing how everybody on these threads is so super-productive, award-winning etc. Can this really be true? I long for somebody to come on and say "I'm flying by the seat of my pants, my washing basket is empty but my to-do list is out of control, I had to dash back from my dog walk in a sweaty mess because my boss wanted me on Teams".

Both me and my DH have jobs which are impossible to do from home. OPs like yours really grate on me to be honest. How fabulous for you to have such an amazing work life balance.

Yes, I admit I'm a little jealous that we both work in industries where we actually have to go to work and stay there while we do our work, with zero flexibility to do most of the things you describe doing during your 'working day'.

Yes, we could change jobs in theory but it would mean massive paycuts as we'd have no choice but to change careers to be able to WFH. When we started our careers, WFH wasn't a thing. Some people got lucky with their choice of industry I guess.

However, imagine what would happen if all the bin men/women, police officers, builders, plumbers, post people, nurses, nursery workers, train drivers, doctors, teachers, Amazon drivers, retail staff, hospitality staff etc weren't willing/forced to go out to work. You know, all the people who bring you stuff and provide services to you. Consider for a moment how your OP reads to those people and how entitled you sound.

WFH has widened the gulf between people like you and people like us. We work hard too and don't get the benefits you have.

@mrsmilesmatheson Yes I agree, it is best not to be too gloating about these things. However, the tables may be turned in a few year's time when many desk-based jobs are abolished by AI and the jobs where a physical presence is still required are still going strong.

I get being flexible and occassionally I wfh if my DC has an apt, and then I might take a 2 hour break to collect and take them and then work later in the eve etc.

I know there is dead time and coffee/chat breaks in an office but I'm often surprised at the number of MN who insist their ft job can be done in about 2 hours a day because its more efficient to wfh. In an office would people notice if you're only working 25% of time? If it was possible to do in 2 hrs/day, wouldn't a company rather pay someone pt?
(I know all jobs are different but I'm surprised at how many only seem to involve a few hours work but still qualify as ft)

@mrsmilesmatheson You’ve named the benefit you get in your post: pay. Most remote jobs pay less than their office-based counterparts and lots of other in-person jobs, and you lose London weighting too if it would have been applicable. That’s the trade-off. It’s not gloating: someone’s always better off than someone else. That’s life.

@therattlebag23 I wish I could say that makes me feel any less irritated 🤣

You may be correct. We shall see. For now it just feels incredibly unfair and these types of threads don't help.

Same. I work 9-12 really and have everything done. Then just need to be available until 4.

I work in the public sector. I can assure you my pay is not a 'benefit' 🤣 I earn every penny of it and have had pay freeze after pay freeze.

Most of those jobs I've listed are also quite poorly paid compared to many work from home jobs.

Are you trying to say that WFH roles are poorly paid? Surely there's a sliding scale. As with most jobs.

I work at a practical job and we chat while working (I'm a weirdo who likes my colleagues!) and listen to the radio , in the workplace- not office based. I find it difficult to work in silence, so the radio is always on at home if I'm working.

During a world cup several years ago we had the tv on but I wouldn't pretend we were particularly productive at that point!

This is job and industry dependent and what good looks like varies too. All it will take is for a boss from a high status, high pressure industry coming in (which is happening at universities, NHS and local government tech jobs that prefer managers from the army or banking) and all of a sudden you will need to do account for every second.

Enjoy it while you can.

@mrsmilesmatheson This is MN, where every poster has a job that pays six figures for them to work a couple of hours a day from home, giving their lucky colleagues the benefit of their many years' experience and expertise.

In real life, everybody I know has found their jobs have got busier and more burdensome the more experienced they have become and most people's pay has not progressed for years.

Sounds like we're in the wrong jobs...

Yanbu if it works for your type of job. Mine is never finished and there's always tasks to do so unreasonable levels of skiving like this would soon be found out!

Op I'm not sure of your AIBU.

It sounds like you've not been disciplined at your work because of it and your work are happy with your quality and output of work so as they are the ones that pay your wages I am not seeing an issue.

Or are you worried you might get caught swaning about in work hours and be disciplined then?

I have a lot of flexibility in my role. I often login 90 mins early because I don't have a commute, then take a two hour lunch break to run errands etc. I almost never get ad hoc calls from colleagues because it's all project based with calls scheduled during the day. As long as I don't miss those, when I do the rest of my work is up to me.

I get jobs at home done while working from home, but it’s not really hard to run upstairs to grab the washing while the kettle of boiling.

However work still comes first, if I’m in back to back meetings then that’s the way it is and any jobs will have to wait.

I normally adjust my days depending on what my calendar looks for the day and sometimes my days are longer. I might take time out to catch up on jobs if I’m part of meetings starting at 5pm rather than finishing at 4.30pm.

When I do go in the office which is 2-4 times a month, it’s usually an over night stay away in one of three offices or a long day in London (left at 9am last week and got back at 9pm). So I appreciate the wfh balance my team has, my line manager also balances her time out too. I’m an hour from london, she has to take the train in from the north in to London which is an even longer day for her - 14/15hr day. I actually don’t think you could do our jobs without wfh as we are not based in one office.

Yup OP this is how I live. My life is infinitely better being able to do this, and also being able to spend time with my partner.

As a result I'm grateful and hard working and willing to go the extra mile when needed, and I get my work done. It's a win win and I feel much more involved in life.

You create a work profile on your phone with the necessary programmes so you are contactable and available

I agree, you should be judged on your output. If your work is done to a high level and there aren't other projects that can be worked on then why not do life stuff.

I have WFH permanently since Covid. My job doesn't allow me to flex in the way you do, as I basically need to be working 7.5 hrs a day to get the job done. But with WFH I work a lot more, at least 8 hrs most of the time, plus working some evenings to meet a deadline. I don't complain about it but when I am quiet I definitely do chores, exercise, socialise, pick the kids up early on work time. It makes me much happier as there is give and take. My boss is happy as he knows I get the job done.

Agree.
Im a primary teacher so proper/full time WFH isn’t an option for me BUT we get an hour out of class every afternoon for PPA, where we can get all our planning/assessment/whatever else done. We’re allowed to take it from home.
I prefer to work through lunch breaks on the four full days I’m in etc, and then just have my PPA afternoon as an afternoon “off.” I don’t do ANY work. And I don’t care. My job is always done, I’m always ahead, and feel very organsied.

@mrsmilesmatheson why is entitled to describe how one's work situation is? Several people have it 'easy' on this thread. Some don't. That is just life.

I have worked from home since 2015 and during my working hours, I am working. I don't do any household chores. The only exception was when my dog threw up on my bed once (my "office" is in my bedroom). I didn't want to leave that until 5pm so I changed the bedding.
I am at my desk from 8.15am to 5.15pm, with a 40 minute lunch break and bathroom breaks when required.
I couldn't imagine doing anything other than working during that time,

I work hybrid and on my WFH days I always have great ideas about what I can achieve on my 'commute time' and my lunch break. The reality is I work pretty solidly throughout the day and, at best, I manage to hang some washing out!

I need some tips really on how to structure my WFH day so I can actually get some life admin/personal tasks too! I work more than I do in the office!!