people who work away

[dieseluser07]

JD84 said:

It very much depends upon

a. What are you used to doing
b. Can you entertain yourself
c. Does the salary compensate for the separation

This year I have had 9 days off. I travelled to Hong Kong in mid December and didn't return home until mid February. Things have started to settle now with working week on week off.

Pros

a. Working in the same place everyday is boring, when I realised I was working 12 hours a day 5 days a week then on call weekends I had no life. Now when I'm off, I'm off.

b. My wife works in management in the luxury sector, there is no such thing as a weekend so a traditional job for me means we can go 6 weeks without a day together.

c. Financial reward, I doubled my income by working away.

Cons

a. Never unpacking, I have done 3 continents in 3 days and flown at 2 hours notice before, 2 hours notice for wheels up that is, I do not unpack!

b. Hotels, Try and stay in decent hotels, this will make a huge difference to your quality of life. American 5 star is UK 4 star at UK 5 star prices. Middle east 4 star is usually better than US 5 star, try and get a membership with someone like, Marriot, Hilton, Hyatt, etc as it will help.

c. you have to be disciplined or you will get fat. I used to either eat one less meal or be as healthy as possible, not ordering off a menu and asking for exactly what I wanted, decent hotels will do this.

c. Sleep, if you have got your work done, sleep when you can as Jet lag is no fun.

In summary 3-4 nights away as it is a fantastic balance, assuming your not working when home.

When im off im off i wouldent be working , i would only stay in the uk within 2 hr 30 drive of my home and id probably stay in hotels 1-2 nights and do the long commute the other 1-2 dags

[dieseluser07]

devnull said:

I've done this on and off for 5 years. I'd echo what has been discussed here with regards to eating habits, etc. Depending on what mood my company expense policy has been in, i've either stayed at some very nice hotels and passed the time in the gym / swimming pool, or have been resigned to the local travelodge with nothing but a handheld console or "the internet" . Even worse when you are located in the middle of nowhere or a business estate as you can't really go for a walk.

The biggest problem I find though is the loss of personal time. Sure, you might not be working, but you are away and in a work mindset, and cannot fully unwind in the evening because it's not your space, or you can't be with your partner and kids.

Fun when you're young, but even in my early thirties, it gets boring.

How many days a week did you do

[dieseluser07]

devnull said:

I've done this on and off for 5 years. I'd echo what has been discussed here with regards to eating habits, etc. Depending on what mood my company expense policy has been in, i've either stayed at some very nice hotels and passed the time in the gym / swimming pool, or have been resigned to the local travelodge with nothing but a handheld console or "the internet" . Even worse when you are located in the middle of nowhere or a business estate as you can't really go for a walk.

The biggest problem I find though is the loss of personal time. Sure, you might not be working, but you are away and in a work mindset, and cannot fully unwind in the evening because it's not your space, or you can't be with your partner and kids.

Fun when you're young, but even in my early thirties, it gets boring.

How many days a week did you do

[dieseluser07]

devnull said:

Varie (Technical Sales). It averaged about 3 days a week at the peak.

hmmmm lots to think about

[dieseluser07]

So guys a group vote, 3 days away yay or nay?

The alternative is staying local for less money and a harder job but obviously a small commute

[dieseluser07]

Dan_1981 said:

3 days away and then 4 days actually off.

I'm assuming you still get a full salary.

I think that'd be piss easy.

Full week away and only the weekend at home is a different matter. Also you say it wouldn't be every week and you could decide to drive home if you really needed to as a couple of hours commute isn't the end of the world if it's only every so often.

If it's gonna pay well and make a difference to your career I think it's a no brainer.

I dont think it would affect my career either way but will pay well

[dieseluser07]

Also ill get to spend more time outdoors, atm im cooped up all day and never get fresh air

[dieseluser07]

Oldred_V8S said:

Have travelled a lot with work but now try to avoid overnight stays wherever I can. After 6 years of no pay reviews, a huge reduction in benefits, along with the company saying we all need to work smarter (as we take on more than one job) I am loathe to give up my evenings and weekends. I would sooner spend my time with family, friends, working on my car and doing stuff I want to do, rather than activities geared to supporting my following weeks work.

I have been in the corporate world for many, many years. I have been the one working evenings and weekends, kissing my Son goodbye on his 9th birthday as I left for 6 weeks away on business. When you see people doing this, giving their all to the company, only to keel over with heart attacks and never being spoken of again, it focuses the mind.

Work is vastly over-rated.

This is kind of why im thinking to do this job, its a st lot easier than the one i do currently and will give me 4 days off, just a shame about the commute/hotels

[dieseluser07]

phib said:

Used to do this in a similar way, Sunday fly to America, Wednesday fly to Europe, coupe of days in Europe then home Saturday morning and repeat.

Did it for two stints one for 3 years and one for 2 years, both when I was single and in my 20's / early 30's .... met a lot of stewardesses !!!

Wouldn't want to do it now I am a bit older and certainly not with a relationship / kids.

Now do 150 mile commute 3 days a week, never managed to find a job near home !!!

Phib

So only one day at home? Yeh i couldent do that either lol

[dieseluser07]

Steve vRS said:

Also, watch your beer intake of an evening.

I find it too easy to sink 4 or 5 pints a night when on my tod in a hotel

Offshore work helps drop that average though (dreaming of a Hobgoblin as I type stuck on a gas rig).

Steve

Haha yes i can imagine it is

[dieseluser07]

bucksmanuk said:

I have worked away, staying in lodgings for a combined total of 10 ½ years. I have also been on short notice for trips around the world fixing ships. The comments above I can relate to.
Find something locally to do in the evenings, even if it’s just a simple course at night school, pubs and restaurants just add to the waist line.
The quality of your accommodation is critical. If I am paying for my own B&B, I am more than happy to pay more for a quality place. Staying in lodgings is much more preferable to a BnB. Especially when the landlady’s 19 year old daughter is the spitting image of Debbee Ashby….
Your life seems to go on hold when you are away; all those jobs at home just go back weeks if not months and sometime years.
Make sure ALL your expenses are going to be covered. Some companies won’t pay for a single alcoholic drink in the evening.
If it’s such a great thing to do, why are you the person chosen to do it?
It really takes its toll on relationships. Both getting them started and keeping them going. It’s a single bloke’s game IMHO.
Weekends and time at home become extremely precious, when your partner says “let’s go and visit such and such….” you heart just sinks and you think “oh no, not MORE travelling….”

As far as i know you could 30 quid for your breakfast/lunch/dinner while your away

[dieseluser07]

Countdown said:

OP - I don't think you mentioned but how many days will you actually be working? For example working a 3-day week would mitigate many of the downsides of working away....

I used to work away during my 20's, it became a bit harder when I got married, it became much harder when the kids came along. I loved travelling, staying in decent hotels, meeting people but the novelty wears off.

3 days in total, 11 hour days plus travelling (unless i stay over)

[dieseluser07]

jogger1976 said:

Just curious as to why you find this so abhorrent? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be suggesting that the people who drive said "white vans" are somehow lowering the tone? Funnily enough, not everyone who has to work away is a high flying sales director in a shiny new 5 Series.

Was wondering what this meant myself

[dieseluser07]

wiggy001 said:

My experience of working away is between 2 and 4 nights a week staying in stty hotels in the UK (budget = £100 per night plus £30 food). Married with a young daughter, I can relate to all those that say it's a single man's game and, despite loving my job I now resent and despise it for keeping me away from my family and my life. Social life has gone down the pan (I want to spend weekends with my family so I don't miss my little girl growing up and during the week I'm either way or driving at 5am the next day, so beers with the lads are pretty rare).

Regarding the white van comment, I can kind of see what the previous poster may have meant. The "lads" that are on a local construction project generally don't have a care in the world so the bar will be full of laddish banter. Often, being away is a bit of a novelty or "jolly" for them. When I've done a 12 hour day (plus driving) in a stressful job (that I'm only a couple of months into) and I head down to the hotel bar, I want somewhere quiet that I can sup a pint and "disappear" to unwind. Nothing against these lads, but sometimes you want a Yates' Wine Lodge, sometimes to want a CAMRA-endorsed boozer.

Back to the OP, my simple advice is that the novelty of working away wears off very quickly. The only people I know that do it and (seem to) enjoy it are single and/or earning an absolute fortune in return.

In terms of commute, 60 mins in traffic, 75 mins nice drive or 90 mins train are about my limits for anything long term.

Did you work for 5 days a week though?? Or was the full 2-4 days your working week?

[dieseluser07]

wiggy001 said:

Currently doing it (posting this from said hotel room!). Work monday-friday, normally 50ish hours per week plus travel and 1 day of the 5 at home if I'm lucky.
So some weeks I leave home at 5.30am monday, home 8pm tuesday, wfh wedsnesday, leave home 5.30am thursday and home 7pm friday. Others I can leave at 5.30am on monday and not be home til gone 8pm on friday (which is Sunday Night-Saturday Morning not seeing my daughter).

3 days per week would be easier to deal with but still not ideal.

Yes the 3 day job would be a lot less stressful which would pay off a bit as my current job has a lot of stress

[dieseluser07]

wiggy001 said:

Currently doing it (posting this from said hotel room!). Work monday-friday, normally 50ish hours per week plus travel and 1 day of the 5 at home if I'm lucky.
So some weeks I leave home at 5.30am monday, home 8pm tuesday, wfh wedsnesday, leave home 5.30am thursday and home 7pm friday. Others I can leave at 5.30am on monday and not be home til gone 8pm on friday (which is Sunday Night-Saturday Morning not seeing my daughter).

3 days per week would be easier to deal with but still not ideal.

Yes the 3 day job would be a lot less stressful which would pay off a bit as my current job has a lot of stress

[dieseluser07]

Big bump

[dieseluser07]

vanordinaire said:

If you don't get into good habits, it'll end up costing you more than you make. I used to do it occasionally, two or three weeks at a time on contract work, ate out twice a day stayed in the nearest pub and spent every night in the bar. It soon added up, £50 per night b&b, £20 per day on other meals, £30 per night in the bar. 3 weeks away would cost around £2000 which was more or less what I was making for the job at the time.

We get an allowance for all that