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Original poster

Working from home

67 replies

Howwilliknow22 · 08/09/2020 10:40

Let's be honest gang... How many of you actually "work" when you work from home... Is it all loose women and and endless cups of tea or do you actually find yourselves being productive as you would be or more so in the office?

OP posts:
Egghead68 · 08/09/2020 11:21

It would be spotted at the end of the month if my productivity dropped as the figures are monitored closely.

Lochroy · 08/09/2020 11:24

No thank you. You asked for opinions and that's mine, based on reading your posts.
What's the point in asking for opinions if you don't then like them? What is it you actually want to know?

FWIW, I found putting the washing on an overnight timer and hanging it up first thing much more efficient. HTH.

Original poster
Howwilliknow22 · 08/09/2020 11:26

Is anyone monitored via keystrokes? I know some companies do this as well.

OP posts:
Burplecutter · 08/09/2020 11:30

I do get up and make cups of tea whenever the hell I like. Because making a cup of tea at home takes 2 minutes and in the office takes 10-15 with queues for the kettle and people stopping you to chat or ask a work question. And yes I'll stick a load of washing in while waiting for the kettle to boil and feel no guilt at all. I wouldn't stand hanging it on the line without it being an official break though.

Tv and music are off all day because they are distracting and daytime TV is utter tripe.

More productive at home with less distractions both when homeschooling and now schools are open. We've nailed a good little routine in our house.

SueEllenMishke · 08/09/2020 11:32

@Starfishcrazy

Is anyone monitored via keystrokes? I know some companies do this as well.
I'm not monitored at all ( university academic) but I love what I do so tend to go above and beyond. If I didn't mark assignments, prepare teaching or write and meet deadlines it would be obvious pretty quickly!

I do have a lot of flexibility though which is great especially with young children

IndiaMay · 08/09/2020 11:35

I'm a mixture. I'm more relaxed working from home and find I work better slow and steady and getting through things. I might take an extra half hour at lunch and start a little earlier, finish a little later. I have a service role where I carry out work for lots of people. In the office it was who shouts me the loudest and grabs me at my desk. I'm finding myself more productive just working through things at my own pace without someone stood over me. But this also means my days are shorter because I get things done quicker. Which maybe isn't a good thing

ivfbeenbusy · 08/09/2020 11:38

I do have the TV on in the background as an empty house on my own is just too quiet - even in fairly quiet offices there is always some background noise/signs of life. I find my mind wanders more if it's silent!

I suspect our work is able to see when we log in and out? But it's never been mentioned anywhere and also our computers log out and go into standby mode after only 5 minutes of inactivity so if I have a lot of calls in one day then I'm constantly logging back in

I suspect more companies will bring in monitoring software in the future though. But it depends on how easily productivity can be measured?

TooTrueToBeGood · 08/09/2020 11:43

I've worked from home for roughly 7 years. I'm far more productive than I am in the office because I do not have the distractions of people stopping by my desk for a social chat or other people disrupting my concentration by chit-chatting in my vicinity. I start work earlier and finish later than I did when I had to go into the office because I have no commute to worry about. I don't have any temptation to watch daytime TV because I enjoy my work and am self-disciplined. I've been promoted twice since I started WFH, have exceeded my targets every year and received several employee recognition awards so I must be doing something right.

Some people can work from home effectively, some people can't. Some people have a home that is appropriate for working from home, others do not. Some jobs are well suited to WFH, others very much are not. There are no absolutes.

FakeFlamingo · 08/09/2020 11:48

I think there are good & bad days. Some days when I do 12 hours almost non stop (because business needs me to) & days when I have few calls & nothing pressing so 4-5 hours. Overall I think I average my working hours per week. I struggle to keep to that number as I work part time & I do not want to work extra that I am not going to be paid for.

If I find myself doing more weekly that my contracted hours I will consider adding more working days after speaking to my boss.

FakeFlamingo · 08/09/2020 11:51

Oops to answer your question - I do find myself as productive as I am in the office. But if it's a quiet day then unlike office where I'd force myself to sit at my desk, I do other personal stuff (mostly online so I am always available)

Original poster
Howwilliknow22 · 08/09/2020 12:09

Thank you for these posts everyone. And apologies if anyone thought it was deliberately goady.. It certainly wasn't the intention.. I just mentioned loose women as it was the first show that came to mind 😝. Could have been worded better I think. Thanks for your opinions and comments

OP posts:
TW2013 · 08/09/2020 12:38

I think that a key aspect is what the job involves. My role has very clear outcome targets which are not reliant on other people. How and when I achieve those targets is up to me as long as they are completed in time. It would be very different if it was the type of job that you just had to be there from 9-5 and do as much as you can in that time frame - say customer complaints. I personally hate noise when I am working so children and dh being around was very distracting. In fact I barely move all day one or two drinks and a quick snack whereas dh likes to get up and wander at least once an hour. Fortunately we have space here to spread out a little.

CandyLeBonBon · 08/09/2020 12:38

Name change fail op? It did come across very goady, and if you meant it to be lighthearted I think you missed the mark. Now get back to work! Wink

TooTrueToBeGood · 08/09/2020 13:07

FWIW, I didn't think the OP was deliberately goady. We all need to remember that the written word lacks a lot of the hints and tips we get as to a person's intent when we have vocal and visual clues. Some people are perhaps just a little too quick to indulge in being offended. We all know some people take the piss working from home but the reality is those same people are often slackers in the office as well. Being present does not equate to being productive.

Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 08/09/2020 13:10

I get far more done wfh. There's no colleague interruptions. I don't even have the tv on, let alone watch Loose Women Grin

Thisisnotnormal69 · 08/09/2020 13:22

You’re starting a lot of threads today! Take it you’re not working Grin

BiddyPop · 08/09/2020 13:45

I muck about on MN about the same (or even less) than I used to in the office. I make fewer cups of tea as there's no one to talk to at the kettle (DH is on calls all day long).

Occasionally I do a bit less - this morning I spent 20 minutes knocking moss off roof tiles while waiting for a call to come in, in the office I would have been filing or something with that time.

But in reality, I am doing more than I used to as I no longer listen to music on my commute or get my exercise, I just come straight up here and get stuck in when I would leave the house, and stay stuck in beyond my normal office finishing time. I've had to get through a lot more than normal in these times, but the general answer is that, yes, I have actually been working when WFH.

Despite what some of our politicians have publicly stated in terms of the lack of work being done by public servants at present. (Yes I am a public servant, and I can point to significant things that I have achieved above and beyond my "normal" since the March lockdown).

Moondust001 · 08/09/2020 13:49

@Howwilliknow22

Not at all deliberately goady. I'm just asking, I came back from furlough last week and have been non stop.. Don't just assume as its a post asking a particular question that's a) my opinion and b) that's what I think others do.. I am asking to see if there is a range of opinions. So.. With that being said.. Wind your neck in mother Teresa.
So basically, you have been sat around doing sweet FA for weeks/months whilst I and other like me worked to pay for you to do that, and you think we all sat around doing sweet FA as well??? Sounds to me like you are projecting your view of what you would do if someone weren't watching you onto those of us who kept businesses and services afloat by working even more than normal!

I am sooo sorry that you have been working non-stop for an entire week. I have been working non-stop for five+months.

Moondust001 · 08/09/2020 13:51

@Starfishcrazy

Thank you for these posts everyone. And apologies if anyone thought it was deliberately goady.. It certainly wasn't the intention.. I just mentioned loose women as it was the first show that came to mind 😝. Could have been worded better I think. Thanks for your opinions and comments
You appear to have let your alter-ego slip!
Original poster
Howwilliknow22 · 08/09/2020 13:55

Actually no, I took voluntary furlough because a) I had to leave an abusive relationship, my daughter and I fled DV b) I had to move house to a new area, c) had to put my dad in a home because he has dementia and a) I wouldn't call it sweet FA for five months, I've looked after a small child, full time.. Completely on my own. So you can go to the bin with you comment because you know FA about me.

OP posts:
Itwasgoodwhileitlasted · 08/09/2020 13:55

More productive at home. No pleasantries or chit chat about telly, kids coronavirus. I'm very self disciplined. Take 30 mins lunch and use that time to empty dishwasher too.

Itwasgoodwhileitlasted · 08/09/2020 13:56

I love my job though...makes all the difference.

H8624 · 08/09/2020 13:58

I get just as much done from home as In the office. I have the tv on in the background as I prefer it to sitting in silence, but it doesn't stop me getting all my work done on time.

On quiet days i actually get really bored just watching daytime tv, so I'm grateful to have work giving me something to do!

Some people I'm sure don't do so much at home. Someone in my team would spend all their time on the PlayStation and do the bare minimum. But it has been noticed by managers.

I guess it depends on the individual/work ethic and work load.

Moondust001 · 08/09/2020 13:59

@Howwilliknow22

Actually no, I took voluntary furlough because a) I had to leave an abusive relationship, my daughter and I fled DV b) I had to move house to a new area, c) had to put my dad in a home because he has dementia and a) I wouldn't call it sweet FA for five months, I've looked after a small child, full time.. Completely on my own. So you can go to the bin with you comment because you know FA about me.
And (a) you know sweet FA about all the people who had to deal with life's realities AND work; and (b) you would be far more believable if you could remember which user name you were posting with.
Original poster
Howwilliknow22 · 08/09/2020 14:00

I am quite disciplined at home. I only work part time however. So if something isn't done it's hugely noticeable, and those of you that think you're funny by asking if I'm working etc. No my off days are Monday and Tuesday.

OP posts:
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