Anyone else have to clock in & out when working from home?

[brokenkettle]

Just started a job, currently working from home, that requires me to clock in and out. I know this is probably really silly but it's causing me a lot of stress because I feel like I need to be constantly in front of the computer during those hours, even though if I were in the office I'd be talking to other people etc and not constantly sitting down staring at the screen. I rarely have urgent work, so it's not like I need to be constantly available.

My previous WFH job did not require this and I felt much less pressure to be constantly at the computer - I would spend a bit of time with my child before & after school without guilt or rushing. Now it just feels very stressful to do so, like I'm being monitored or lying about my working hours! It's having a negative impact on my family as I end up grumpy and stressed, feeling like my child is imposing on work (when really it's probably the other way around...).

Am I being irrational? Does anyone else feel this way? Should I just stop overthinking this and spend the time with my child, go for a walk/exercise etc??

@MaudBaileysGreenTurban

I'm going to take a wild guess and assume no one on this thread is an air-traffic controller.

And I'm also assuming that that if you were eg: a surgeon, you wouldn't go for a walk in the middle of performing an operation, either. Or, if a teacher, probably wouldn't go and pick your kids up in the middle of double maths. When I was a labour-ward midwife, I wouldn't nip out and grab a quick coffee just as the head was crowning.

Give people some credit, please. We know how our own jobs function.

I'm not giving teachers the credit - I saw how little they did on the first lockdown, after all that bloody moaning about how they were professional and did not need the Gov interfering - when given free rein they did the minimum possible - fucking shocking for so called professionals - no one was watching and many did as little as possible. Some people can't be trusted to work from home as evident from this thread.

@SamMil don't you take the walk during your lunch break?

I'm not giving teachers the credit - I saw how little they did on the first lockdown, after all that bloody moaning about how they were professional and did not need the Gov interfering - when given free rein they did the minimum possible - fucking shocking for so called professionals - no one was watching and many did as little as possible. Some people can't be trusted to work from home as evident from this thread

Ohhh, I see. You're one of those twats. You should've said earlier and saved us all the bother of engaging with you in good faith.

@MaudBaileysGreenTurban

I'm not giving teachers the credit - I saw how little they did on the first lockdown, after all that bloody moaning about how they were professional and did not need the Gov interfering - when given free rein they did the minimum possible - fucking shocking for so called professionals - no one was watching and many did as little as possible. Some people can't be trusted to work from home as evident from this thread

Ohhh, I see. You're one of those twats. You should've said earlier and saved us all the bother of engaging with you in good faith.

That's ok - you're one of those twats who thought it was ok for teachers not to bother their arses working - happy to not engage with you either!

I'm sorry that you had that experience @Hairymoohead b that is most sertainly not true of all teachers.

My daughters teachers worked 24/7 during lockdown in extremely difficult circumstances.

I think your comment is extremely short sighted and unfair.

@cricketmum84

I'm sorry that you had that experience *@Hairymoohead* b that is most sertainly not true of all teachers.

My daughters teachers worked 24/7 during lockdown in extremely difficult circumstances.

I think your comment is extremely short sighted and unfair.

It was unfair to my kids and many others who lost out on many months of teaching. While I am willing to admit many teachers worked hard - many didn't and I would say the same for the wfh crew. We have employees who work their butts off but if they they thought that meant taking a 20 min walk and billing a client for that time, I would be horrified (and they would be sacked).

Dh does. They bill customers depending on hours worked against a project. Doesn't mean he doesn't take breaks though.

@PurBal

Dh does. They bill customers depending on hours worked against a project. Doesn't mean he doesn't take breaks though.

We bull clients for hours worked not for breaks...standards differ I suppose.

Bill clients!

I am not monitored (as far as I know! - I don't have to clock on and off, anyway) and as long as I get my work done to the requisite standard by the required deadline, nobody cares where and when I do it.

I don't see anything wrong with taking your child to school or going for a walk in your lunch-hour. But obviously if you are being paid to work, you work. That doesn't mean you can't leave your desk for 5 minutes to put stuff in the washing machine or get your child and you a drink, but there's a fairly clear line where taking the mickey starts.