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Original poster

Anybody else struggle with working from home?

361 replies

staranise · 16/06/2008 16:45

As in, I'm meant to be working right now and am paying a fortune in childcare to enable me to do so but just can't get motivated, especially when I work sitting on my bed plus keep jumping up and down to put another load of washing on, tidy up some toys etc etc.

I normaly ban MN on work days but feeling weak today...

Wouldlove some colleagues to keep me focussed...

OP posts:
Original poster
staranise · 07/07/2008 19:28

Well, tomorrow is DD's last day of nursery and then I have summer hols looming so even less time to get anything done. And tomorrow is my nanny day but half of it is already a write-off as I have to go and get DD's teachers' pressies first thing and then I have a catch up Spanish lesson, which means I won't start work til 2pm. Am panicking already aabout my end of July deadlines!

Shall I work tonight? Either way, had better get off MN and do something useful!!

OP posts:
worriedsisneedshelp · 08/07/2008 00:35

failed miserably to really achieve much today as my computer link with my work computer was soooo bad, probably to do with the weather (not quite sure how but it does seem to be affected by low cloud and torrential rain) and have just spent far too long on MN again, despite being in desperate need for sleep and STILL having work to do.

BeckyBendyLegs · 08/07/2008 08:24

I have a lovely new laptop (arrived yesterday)! The mouse is too smooth though and keeps disappearing off the screen. I'd better get my cat after it ha ha ha. Sorry, bad joke.

thumbwitch · 08/07/2008 09:42

I had a scare yesterday with my laptop - the screen kept flickering and a few programmes closed "of their own accord" - I suspect because I was leaning on the bit nxt to the mousepad and their might be a "dodgy connection" in there - so I rushed out and bought a load of CDs to back up my drive!

I used to have a spare hard drive in my stack computer where I kept all my data and stuff so that whenever the computer crashed, at least I still had all my files. Can't do that with a laptop, unless you have an external drive - v.v. scary!

thumbwitch · 08/07/2008 09:43

and lookit, here I am again faffing when I should be working.. never mind, client coming at 11 so I couldn't have done too much anyway.

BeckyBendyLegs · 08/07/2008 09:57

My old laptop just died. Literally. It just stopped working and wouldn't turn on again, not for anyone. Luckily it is connected to DH's computer nerve centre so everything is on a server in his study so I didn't lose any work. This laptop is all shiny and new (no crumbs in the keyboard, no 'I've been to the dentist' stickers donated by the DSs and no shiny space bar key).

I'm waiting for the removal men to come to give a quote on moving our belongings to a new house. DS2 has just done a fruity poo so better change his nappy quickly. Can't see me getting much work done today as I have DS2 this morning and both DSs this afternoon (DS2's childminder is in Cornwall so that's why I have him this morning.)

thumbwitch · 08/07/2008 10:04

BBL, that's what happened to me with my first stack - hence the second drive since then! I don't really like backing up onto CD but it's that or get an external drive, which rather spoils the point of a laptop. I could use a memory stick but they go wrong too and I don't have one big enough.

Sounds like you have a good excuse to have a mini-holiday from work - at least the weather is better today!

Bramshott · 08/07/2008 10:04

Can I join in - I am prevaricating and need to be chased off Mumsnet and back to work! I KNOW I only have 2 weeks until the school holidays, but somehow I can't get the necessary 'oomph'!

PortBlacksandResident · 08/07/2008 10:11

Morning - i'm just having a quick coffee (honest) then off to work.

BeckyBendyLegs · 08/07/2008 10:18

So how do you all cope during school holidays? Last year I felt so bad because I had so much work on and I was so stressed, we didn't go away until mid-September and I had to try to fit my work around DS2's naps (letting DS1 watch TV when DS2 slept) and at weekends with DH taking the DSs out. It took all the fun out of summer.

Original poster
staranise · 08/07/2008 10:25

no idea how I'm going to cope in the holidays with DDs 1 & 2 at home full time. I'll still have my nanny one day a week and I might pull her in for some extra days plus my neighbour owes me a cuple of days babysitting but otherwise I think it'll be a lot of evening and weekend work!

Is it right that I can't stop work before I'm 25 weeks pg with MA? I calculate that takes me up to September anyway.

Right, have very little time to work today so am banning it for the next few hours. If I'm 'good' I'll be back on at 5...

OP posts:
PortBlacksandResident · 08/07/2008 10:41

These summer hols not too bad for me as i'm still setting up and can do that sort of thing with boys around. In future i'm not sure - hopefully earn enough for some help - i know my mum would help out but she works full time too.

wingandprayer · 08/07/2008 10:43

Great thread - can I join in too please?

I am knackered after staying up late to read a conference paper for today, then ds woke me up twice as well, woke up with awful IBS pain so have binned conference thinking would be able to get loads done in office instead and maybe, just maybe, have a nap this afternoon so I don't feel crap for the first time in a week. Have instead spent the last two hours on MN using up alloted nap time and wasting child care. Have mounds of work to do and no motivation. Where the hell do I start????

Bramshott · 08/07/2008 10:47

DD1 is going to church summer camp for 3 days in the first week, then we're away for 2 weeks, then she's going to theatre workshops for 3 days, then probably to the childminder with DD2 for 3 days the last week. I am lucky in fact because August is often a quiet time in the business I work in (Performing Arts).

thumbwitch · 08/07/2008 11:21

WAP - if you read back on this thread, the best thing to do is take yourself off somewhere you don't have internet access! If you need a nap, do it first.
Good luck!
My client is 40 mins late btw - his garage flooded. He could have phoned me to tell me though, rather than me having to phone him grrrr.

laundrylover · 08/07/2008 12:20

Hi all,

Look first time on MN today!! Wow!

Just to let you know that yesterday morning I actually ticked some things off my list!! Had an afternoon with poorly kids in the supermarket stocking up as hadn't been for over a month.

Back to it this morning - kids at Mum's as DD1 still not well enough for preschool.

My ploy today is that DP is at home and is having a 'doing day' so we are both trying to prove ourselves. A friend of mine is arriving this evening, she is new to freelancing and seems to think I have cracked it...will have to tidy and clean house so as not to shatter her illusions.

I am off to a spa for night tomorrow with her and another freelancer friend (kind of a works do I guess) so really must get some work finished to earn such a rare treat.

strawberryfields · 08/07/2008 13:16

OMW! 5 pages of people the same as me, woohoo! I "work" from home, am so easily distracted. Someone make me do some work!

thumbwitch · 08/07/2008 14:05

pretty good laundrylover!
are yo sure you want to leave your friend in her blissful bubble and not introduce her to the reality of homeworking?

wingandprayer · 08/07/2008 14:30

Does anyone else go completely blank when they try and remember what they've done that day and which client to bill it too? know that I've been really busy since my last post, but now I have to work our who's paying for this pleasure. Anyone got any tips for how to keep tabs on your time effectively? I'm sure I underestimate frequently....

BeckyBendyLegs · 08/07/2008 15:02

I don't use anything more sophisticated than an excel spreadsheet I'm afraid. I have one worksheet per job and just keep tabs on minutes spent and total up the amounts at the end and invoice. I need a new worksheet for 'time spent on mumsnet' but sadly with £0 at the end of it!

A whole load of work has just arrived so I'm trying to do that right now while DS2 has his nap and DS1 is having an adventure in the garden with the cat. I do feel guilty working while he's playing but he seems quite happy at the moment.

Sufi · 08/07/2008 15:59

hello there. Was doing really well until just now, when I found myself staring into space and rocking gently from side to side. Maybe I need a break...

More info on maternity allowance: according to the DWP website:

'The earliest you can get Maternity Allowance is from the 11th week before the week your baby's due. The latest you can get it is from the day following your child's birth.'

Clear as mud, eh.

The official line on Keep in Touch days:

'You must tell us about any work you do as a self-employed person. ... you will be able to work as a self-employed person for up to ten days without losing any maternity allowance. These days are called 'keeping in touch' days and will help you stay in touch with your employer or with your business without losing your MA. Any amount of work that you do in a day (whether just an hour or half a day) will be counted as one 'day'.

There is more info about KIT days and what happens if you work during your MA period in leaflet NI17A A Guide to Maternity Benefits, www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/ni17a'

HTH

Ugh, back to work... got a phone interview scheduled in half an hour (I'm a journalist) and I really don't want to do it!!

Sufi · 08/07/2008 16:01

Wingandaprayer - I use a spreadsheet too, one per client. I also send it to them weekly (on big project) so that they can't turn round at a later date and claim they never knew I was doing so much work (as has happened in the past, sigh).

laundrylover · 08/07/2008 16:03

TBH I sometimes just make it up with regards to time spent on stuff! I tend to cost on how long I think it will take me to do the piece of work and then have started adding a bit for admin. The worst thing for me is that every morning when I log on I have a barrage of emails to sort thorugh which no-one pays for IYSWIM.

I do have a spreadsheet which shows time allocated per job and then what I've done (roughly) against it. Some contracts are easier to mange as they have timesheets etc. of their own.

Today I have not acheived what I set out to do but have replied to an invite to be inc in a tender for more work, have invoiced 2 clients and hoovered downstairs! Still time for bit more yet...

And no I can't let my friend see the reality fo my faffing!!! That would be like my clients coming to my office just after I have spent half day improving their systems and efficieny.

Original poster
staranise · 08/07/2008 16:45

Well, I haven't quite made it to 5pm without checking MN but on the plus side, i did finish some tricky work for one difficult client in advance of when I thought I would. Problem is, I've got two horrid projects to finish for the end of July and jsut cannot quite motivate myself to start them today...

My cleaner is also not coming this week or next so that's another job to do.

Will distract myself by telling my main client that I'm on holiday in August and also pregnant and wanting to stop work in early Spetember and see what her response is... at least she's in Oz so I can get away with emailing her

OP posts:
TantieTowie · 08/07/2008 17:10

There you go, have had reasonably productive day - not that much work on at the mo' (because it's the summer, right?) but have managed to do a couple of pitches and have even started sorting out my tax return (first find key to filing cabinet )