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Home working - a tale of freedom, loneliness and slippers

Posted in Funny, In the news, language, the company, Home, the web on July 13, 2009 at 10:14 am

http://www.itpro.co.uk/610838/focus-on-flexible-working

I worked from home for years a while back, I went back into the office because my job function was changing. After a few years the company was bought out and the office closed and I had the choice of a 2 hour each way commute, home working or statutory (that is £3,000) redundancy. The problem was, given the amount of kit I now need as a developer, the office (cupboard) I used to use wasn’t acceptable so I spent several thousand to convert my cellar. Given what I save in petrol I should pay for it in 10-15 years

So what do I think about working from home… It’s great, you don’t need time off to let the gasman in, you can get up 5 minutes before you’re due into work, you can spend lunch time in your own house, all the stuff you always wanted in an office (according to your taste - beds, TV’s, showers, gyms, recording studios, gardens) are probably there, if you need to work late you can see the family for a bit and then go back.

There are of course problems, the obvious thing that is missing are colleagues - no one to bounce ideas off, share a laugh with, share a problem (work or personal) with, colleagues / bosses are also the ones who notice if you turn up late / go home early / sleep at your desk. So you need to be self motivated - but when it comes down to it, if the work gets done who cares - so if you have (achievable) measurable deliverables that’s not such a problem. The colleague thing is also easier with webs & phones. When I did this before I used to post floppies with updates & shared the home phone line for work (a real problem when I had a day off as I would answer the phone and be 1/2 an hour on a call before I could say “I’m actually on holiday today…”). Now I have dedicated work line, shared desk tops, web cams are disapproved of but can be used if really needed so idea bouncing & problem sharing can happen.

Yes there are distractions, I worked at home when both my kids were small - the youngest was born whilst I was a home worker. I found them easier to work round than colleagues - you can be ruder to your family. “I really have to work now, I’ll talk later” is actually easier with a two year old than it is with the office bore. Partly because the office bore knows you are lying. A more major problem was both I and my wife were at home all day, you can run out of conversation when you are together 24/7 - at least she goes out to work and brings home some gossip now.

Surprisingly one thing that can be missed is the commute - yes I’m glad to be rid of it, no I don’t envy you but the time to plan my day without being able to start it (on the way in) and to switch out of work mode into home mode (on the way back) is useful. I tend to work until a meal time and emerge with a head full of code, bugs, management issues straight to the family table. A discipline I would benefit from is maybe to leave the house and come back to it - a walk round the block just to get my head together at both ends of the day.

Anyway, one thing I haven’t found on the web is a “ten things that show you’re a home worker” - I’ll start one off, feel free to add…

You wear out slippers faster than shoes

You no longer know the price of petrol at every local station but you do know the cheapest electricity supplier

You only learn new jokes from the web - a give away is if reply LOL to a joke in the pub

You shave at random times of the day

You no longer panic at radio time checks during breakfast / shower / …

You start wearing “work shirts” for decorating just to get rid of them

You really can’t remember where you parked the car or which day you last used it

Your family recognise you - except when you wear a tie

OK, I’ve run out so it’s either 10 octal or someone better suggest a couple more…

Rated: 100% (1 votes)

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Comments

Comment by Davey Winder - July 13, 2009 on 10:32 am

How about the fact that I am posting this comment wearing nothing but a smile and a pair of Calvins?

Comment by Sharon Jackson - July 13, 2009 on 2:46 pm

Problems with homeworking - 1/ because you’re at home people think they can visit for a chat whenever they’re passing. 2/ your partner says, oh can you just… because you’re at home and not ‘at work’.

I am trying to educate my hubby and other family but it’s an uphil struggle. However, I would not go back to working in the ‘regular’ way without a straitjacket being required.

Comment by Sharon Jackson - July 13, 2009 on 2:46 pm

Davey - that is an image I really didn’t want LOL

Comment by Dave F - July 20, 2009 on 7:14 pm

Fortunatly my partner has always been very keen to keep my nose to the company grindstone - somthing to do with “wages” I Think. These days I have so many pre-booked conference calls friends dropping in only get so much time (and I can always invent another if I need some peace!). Or you could try the Davey approach - maybe friends won’t linger if you’re un-washed and un-dressed, or maybe they’ll linger all the more!!

Comment by evision - March 26, 2010 on 9:02 am

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