Telework confessions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have cnn on in the background. And often have my cat in my lap for phone calls. I also listen to conference calls where I just need to listen and not participate when I’m out walking.

+1 for CNN on in the background. I have to cut myself off after a certain point to stay sane.

[Anonymous]

I take breaks to fold laundry and to make dinner. I still end up working like crazy... I'm just able to be productive during lunch and save myself the commute time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know for a fact that at least 2 of my fed ftriends who wfh do all sort of things. Since they advertise running all these errands on their wfh days and having a little lunch party then as well. They’re good at what they do but it’s annoying.

I run errands but I put in leave slips or extra hours to cover it. Sure your friends aren't doing that?

[Anonymous]

Water the flowers and keep laundry circulating. I love avoiding the dry cleaning bill since I dress up so much less now. It stalls my career though. I need the office face time and interaction to move up the ladder so this is temporary for me. When my kids are all in school I'm getting back on that metro and doing things the old school way.

[Anonymous]

It's okay, your boss isn't listening. Be honest...

Nobody's cutting the grass, taking the kids to and from school, grocery shopping, etc? Sure...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's okay, your boss isn't listening. Be honest...

Nobody's cutting the grass, taking the kids to and from school, grocery shopping, etc? Sure...

I take my kids to-from school some days (not everyday). I do now; I did at my last WAH job. But my bosses at both places knew that though. Today, since it's the first day of school, my boss actually moved a meeting that I could have taken from the car, so that I could focus on DS's first day of school.

I work late into the night or on weekends when I have to...so it's a trade-off that my employer is fine with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know for a fact that at least 2 of my fed ftriends who wfh do all sort of things. Since they advertise running all these errands on their wfh days and having a little lunch party then as well. They’re good at what they do but it’s annoying.

I run errands but I put in leave slips or extra hours to cover it. Sure your friends aren't doing that?

Yes. I take a lot of leave for afternoons on WFH days so I can work my ass off in the A.M. and then do a random activity with my kid in the afternoon. I also work a lot of extra hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's okay, your boss isn't listening. Be honest...

Nobody's cutting the grass, taking the kids to and from school, grocery shopping, etc? Sure...

NP. I can do a quick chore here and there (throw in a load of laundry or unload the dishwasher), but otherwise I can’t be gone from my computer for too long. We have IM-like software that shows if you are idle/away from your computer and my boss watches it like a hawk. He is very old school- all about face time and he was completely against our WFH policy (we only get one day a week as it is), but was overruled by a higher-up. It’s completely crazy because we are all professionals but he treats us like children. I WFH because it saves me 1.5+ hours of commute time, but otherwise I feel like I actually have more freedom on days when I’m in the office.

[Anonymous]

Get my nails done. Go to the grocery store. Go to costco. Clean. Laundry. Watch TV. Nap. Go to lunch with my husband.

Mind you, it's never all in one day. I still get my job done but because I'm not required to have my butt in a chair from 9-5, whether I have work or not, the flexibility is amazing. There aren't the daily office distractions as well so when I sit down to work, I'm working.

[Anonymous]

I start work at 7am, work through lunch, then take about an hour (call schedule permitting) around 3pm to hang with the kids, then make dinner while on various calls, then answer emails until about 11.

My co-workers in the office rarely take conference calls together - most sit at their desks alone anyway. I'm more productive at work AND at home. And, I don't cost my company money for a dedicated work desk. Win win win.

[Anonymous]

My WFH day = sex date. I figure it's like an alternative wellness program. I'm definitely more cheerful and better focused after I've gotten some.

[Anonymous]

I do occasionally go for a run, run an errand, go out to lunch, etc. But I also start work earlier and work later than when I go into the office. So it is a win/win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:start the washing machine and the dishwasher, sometimes fold laundry. get the roomba going. pick up a little. But I'm an attorney and they don't care what I do as long as I bill hours. I don't bill the time I do these chores.

Similar. Maybe start dinner or run an errand at odd time, but then Lao work outside traditional time. Bill by the hour and am probably more productive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do occasionally go for a run, run an errand, go out to lunch, etc. But I also start work earlier and work later than when I go into the office. So it is a win/win.

I do these things on my office days - I go for a walk and run errands or go for a run at lunch. I’m less likely to do it when I WFH because of the perception that I’m slacking.

[Anonymous]

I played Fortnite for an hour today.