Leaving work at work?
Discussion
Seems to be a stressful time at work.
Redundancies, general uncertainty, failure to hit targets, adjustment to WFH / inability to travel, rapid organisational change, conflicting objectives, many constraints.
My department is fatigued. People are getting snappy.
I think it will pass as restrictions relaxed and the new normal stabilises. I like my company and role, so don't want to jack it in. Want to master it, but it's a hard grind - some days I dread having another meeting about how we'll hit this unachievable goal. Not enough time doing the work that will actually deliver something. We seem to be a bit stuck in a loop.
I find with WFH I start earlier and work later with fewer breaks and less social interaction.... then am a bit preoccupied worrying about how it will pan out.
How do you down tools and really switch off... i have been playing a bit of Call of Duty because you get really absorbed and literally can't think of anything else... but that's a bit antisocial for my girlfriend.
Redundancies, general uncertainty, failure to hit targets, adjustment to WFH / inability to travel, rapid organisational change, conflicting objectives, many constraints.
My department is fatigued. People are getting snappy.
I think it will pass as restrictions relaxed and the new normal stabilises. I like my company and role, so don't want to jack it in. Want to master it, but it's a hard grind - some days I dread having another meeting about how we'll hit this unachievable goal. Not enough time doing the work that will actually deliver something. We seem to be a bit stuck in a loop.
I find with WFH I start earlier and work later with fewer breaks and less social interaction.... then am a bit preoccupied worrying about how it will pan out.
How do you down tools and really switch off... i have been playing a bit of Call of Duty because you get really absorbed and literally can't think of anything else... but that's a bit antisocial for my girlfriend.
At the beginning of lockdown, I was in a similar place. Starting work when my commute normally started and not putting work down until late in the ending sometimes. And popping back, just in case, later in the evening if I did finish earlier.
The lack of social contact and dividing work/ home life was difficult.
I am now really strict with my finish times, fully put my laptop away and ensure I have scheduled breaks. I have found a few colleagues who I can have a social chat with which also helps, despite the feeling of guilt spending 20 - 30 minutes 'having a chat'.
I shared what I am doing with my boss who was fine with it. As long as I am completing my tasks and job role he is happy. If that means I need to do some planned extra hours then fine, but reality is my workload has dropped by about 20% anyway.
The lack of social contact and dividing work/ home life was difficult.
I am now really strict with my finish times, fully put my laptop away and ensure I have scheduled breaks. I have found a few colleagues who I can have a social chat with which also helps, despite the feeling of guilt spending 20 - 30 minutes 'having a chat'.
I shared what I am doing with my boss who was fine with it. As long as I am completing my tasks and job role he is happy. If that means I need to do some planned extra hours then fine, but reality is my workload has dropped by about 20% anyway.
I could have written your post word for word OP.
Just this evening I was saying to the missus that the shine of WFH is gone and I think I actually dislike it compared to the office (which is now gone).
Never in a million years would have thought it when it started. I was so happy.
Now though.....
Yeah this feels quite tough at the moment to be honest. I miss my 30-60 mins wind up and wind down at the start and end of each day in the car even. Insane to think that in the back of my mind yet here I am.
Just this evening I was saying to the missus that the shine of WFH is gone and I think I actually dislike it compared to the office (which is now gone).
Never in a million years would have thought it when it started. I was so happy.
Now though.....
Yeah this feels quite tough at the moment to be honest. I miss my 30-60 mins wind up and wind down at the start and end of each day in the car even. Insane to think that in the back of my mind yet here I am.
Glad it's not just me.
I think I am going to try and block my time so I get some positive work done on my own objectives. knock off slightly after my scheduled hours to feel like I put a bit of extra effort in.
... and try to do some exercise. Problem with that is I feel very drained. But I guess doing a bit more exercise will give an energy boost. Just need to start!
I think I am going to try and block my time so I get some positive work done on my own objectives. knock off slightly after my scheduled hours to feel like I put a bit of extra effort in.
... and try to do some exercise. Problem with that is I feel very drained. But I guess doing a bit more exercise will give an energy boost. Just need to start!
I’ve worked from home on and off for 20 years and it does take some adjustment. A few thoughts:
1) Judge your output, not input. Unless you’re a factory worker, real effectiveness or productivity is best judged over a day, week, or month, not over a few minutes anyway. If you’re producing useful results as much as you were, and as much as others, that’s enough.
2). Don’t treat a break/downtime/finishing work just as ‘play’ but as part of what makes you overall more productive when you work. Spending 30 mins walking the dog might enable you to come back and finish the task you’d been struggling with all morning.
3). Recognise that if you’re feeling guilty/worried someone might think you’re lazy that this is only in your head. No one minded if you had a chat over coffee in the office, and no one minds if you take a break or finish on time at home. See (1).
Hope that helps, OP. I also do wonder if part of your challenge is also not WFH, but just that the work doesn’t sound very enjoyable/purposeful either. Only one solution for that...
1) Judge your output, not input. Unless you’re a factory worker, real effectiveness or productivity is best judged over a day, week, or month, not over a few minutes anyway. If you’re producing useful results as much as you were, and as much as others, that’s enough.
2). Don’t treat a break/downtime/finishing work just as ‘play’ but as part of what makes you overall more productive when you work. Spending 30 mins walking the dog might enable you to come back and finish the task you’d been struggling with all morning.
3). Recognise that if you’re feeling guilty/worried someone might think you’re lazy that this is only in your head. No one minded if you had a chat over coffee in the office, and no one minds if you take a break or finish on time at home. See (1).
Hope that helps, OP. I also do wonder if part of your challenge is also not WFH, but just that the work doesn’t sound very enjoyable/purposeful either. Only one solution for that...
I am really enjoying WFH on the whole, The lack of distractions is great and the team have all got to grips with using Microsoft Teams. I’ve got a dual monitor setup in the study which helps - some colleagues were sharing the dining table with partner and kids all trying to do work and schooling which must have been horrible.
I find I’m working far longer hours though, and rarely take a break away from the study. Make a quick sandwich at lunchtime and take it back to my desk to eat, rather than going for a walk with colleagues.
I miss the commute (40 mins each way) but not the fuel costs - it really helps to separate work from the rest of my life. What helps for me is taking the dog for a long walk early in the morning listening to Today on R4, and after work when the weather is cooler.
I miss the air con at work though!
I find I’m working far longer hours though, and rarely take a break away from the study. Make a quick sandwich at lunchtime and take it back to my desk to eat, rather than going for a walk with colleagues.
I miss the commute (40 mins each way) but not the fuel costs - it really helps to separate work from the rest of my life. What helps for me is taking the dog for a long walk early in the morning listening to Today on R4, and after work when the weather is cooler.
I miss the air con at work though!
Tricky one, my job is different in that I actually make physical things from scratch, I cant do that at home so I have no choice but leave work at work, that doesnt mean it doesnt play on your mind sometimes though. How am I going to do that, I haven't got enough time to do that, havent got the correct equipment etc. Perhaps a bit drastic but when I get a bit worried or stressed I try and look at life on a bigger scale. What is the worst that will happen if a deadline isnt met, product not finished on time etc. When you look at things like that you often realise you are over analysing stuff, work hard and do your best, that is genuinely all you can do. What isnt done I will do tomorrow.
I just started a new career on monday, aged 51. My working day is 08.45 to 15.40, but I go in at 07.45 and don't leave before 17.00. I can hopefully get anything i need done in that time and I have no intention of bringing work home. I want a clear work/home delineation. Gonna try and stick to this, hopefully minimise stress.
biggbn said:
I just started a new career on monday, aged 51. My working day is 08.45 to 15.40, but I go in at 07.45 and don't leave before 17.00. I can hopefully get anything i need done in that time and I have no intention of bringing work home. I want a clear work/home delineation. Gonna try and stick to this, hopefully minimise stress.
Working an extra 11 hours a week, good lan.Take control of your calendar.
Block lunch 30 mins and take it
At the end of the day, turn it off, put it away. If you miss the commute wind down, replace it with something similar....leave the house, go for a walk (listen to music so you don’t spend the time thinking about work).
I’ve instigated a coffee meeting with my team. About every 2 weeks we have a 30 mins get together on teams. It’s not compulsory but I’ve made it clear I’d like to see everyone. Only one rule, we don’t talk work. It’s evolved into general chats about family, weekends, some discussions about how we are all feeling, and baking challenges 😁. The meeting is in the middle of the day. I’d did one from my garden. Trying to instill the thinking that so long as you are on top of your work, it’s fine and in fact expected that you take time out.
Block lunch 30 mins and take it
At the end of the day, turn it off, put it away. If you miss the commute wind down, replace it with something similar....leave the house, go for a walk (listen to music so you don’t spend the time thinking about work).
I’ve instigated a coffee meeting with my team. About every 2 weeks we have a 30 mins get together on teams. It’s not compulsory but I’ve made it clear I’d like to see everyone. Only one rule, we don’t talk work. It’s evolved into general chats about family, weekends, some discussions about how we are all feeling, and baking challenges 😁. The meeting is in the middle of the day. I’d did one from my garden. Trying to instill the thinking that so long as you are on top of your work, it’s fine and in fact expected that you take time out.
I agree with the others that have said similar; you have to take control of it. Don't start until starting time and stop at finishing time. Don't give your time away for free by just working longer - excluding special circumstances, that a mugs game.
Book lunch out and take it.
As an aside I have looked into ways to be more effective and implemented some of those methods so I get more done and can normally finish early. As an example I only check email twice a day (with the odd exceptional days when I actually have to check more often) so I can concentrate. I am also trying the pomodoro technique and its going quite well.
Book lunch out and take it.
As an aside I have looked into ways to be more effective and implemented some of those methods so I get more done and can normally finish early. As an example I only check email twice a day (with the odd exceptional days when I actually have to check more often) so I can concentrate. I am also trying the pomodoro technique and its going quite well.
elanfan said:
biggbn said:
I just started a new career on monday, aged 51. My working day is 08.45 to 15.40, but I go in at 07.45 and don't leave before 17.00. I can hopefully get anything i need done in that time and I have no intention of bringing work home. I want a clear work/home delineation. Gonna try and stick to this, hopefully minimise stress.
Working an extra 11 hours a week, good lan.67Dino said:
I also do wonder if part of your challenge is also not WFH, but just that the work doesn’t sound very enjoyable/purposeful either. Only one solution for that...
Lots of good stuff. But this resonates. Moved from a nice safe UK role looking after 6 factories on all aspects of QA and compliance to a "group" role looking after supplier development 18 months ago. Within procurement not ops. Commercial people on a different wavelength. (Don't like being measured).
24 factories, 80 sales offices. All doing things differently. For the first time a central structure attempting to rationalise and implement a group policy. But the 24 factories operate different procedures.
I should add.. this is quite fun. Going out to work with our factories factories and suppliers in China, India, Malaysia etc
High expectations for the new group function, but the "global" organisation is very immature. CEO has an"acceleration program" with workstreams that seem to conflict with each other and execs who won't play together well.
Procurement targetted on cost savings, operations need short lead time and no (!) inventory, they must deliver on time, engineering need to make new products to improve vitality.
But procurement need engineering to correct legacy issues. Supply chain is addicted to cheap s
t in big batches, on long leadtime from LCC's like a crack addict which makes it hard for ops to keep inventory low and deliver on time. engineers should only focus on getting g new products to market so can't support ops or procurement on day to day issues and projects. fk knows what sales are doing but they have no forecast.So it's interesting. 1st department director jacked it in. Then we got a new boss. Plus all the covid change. New boss falling into the same traps as the old one trying to figure out how to make cost savings.
It's like a psychotic merry -go-round. frankly I am surprised they are paying us to run round in circles.
Just need to disconnect i think.
Edited by Glade on Thursday 13th August 07:52
Phew.
For the people who just shut the home office door. How do you do it. Rationalise the disconnection?
I worry that some of our guys are feeling, it to the point of making g them i and I and can't switch off worrying about them.
Not just a mechanical working 8 hours thing, but an empathy for unresolved (unesolvable) issues.
For what it is worth. My direct reports seem OK. But some of my colleagues not so much.
Suppose it's not really my problem as such.
For the people who just shut the home office door. How do you do it. Rationalise the disconnection?
I worry that some of our guys are feeling, it to the point of making g them i and I and can't switch off worrying about them.
Not just a mechanical working 8 hours thing, but an empathy for unresolved (unesolvable) issues.
For what it is worth. My direct reports seem OK. But some of my colleagues not so much.
Suppose it's not really my problem as such.
What works for me is the opposite of most of the advice so far. Embrace the opportunities that being able to work any hours of the day brings.
I'm lucky that 90% of my work isn't dependent on the time, had strict deadlines or needs other people. But it's think most people have some work that can be done whenever.
So identify that work and find some stuff to do with your time that isn't watching TV between 8pm and 10pm. Go for a run, rides bike, go to the shed and make something. Then do that work in the evening when it's dark, cold or you're more tired.
I find working evenings is different when it's your choice, it's not extra hours and I love being able to sack it at 3 and get a few hours in on my bike in the day. And I'll happily trade that flexibility for some extra graft when it's needed too, so everyone's a winner.
It helps that I get extra hours back, so I just record what I do and take extra time off down the line, but I often do my best problem solving after the kids have gone to bed, so it works well not having that separation.
I'm lucky that 90% of my work isn't dependent on the time, had strict deadlines or needs other people. But it's think most people have some work that can be done whenever.
So identify that work and find some stuff to do with your time that isn't watching TV between 8pm and 10pm. Go for a run, rides bike, go to the shed and make something. Then do that work in the evening when it's dark, cold or you're more tired.
I find working evenings is different when it's your choice, it's not extra hours and I love being able to sack it at 3 and get a few hours in on my bike in the day. And I'll happily trade that flexibility for some extra graft when it's needed too, so everyone's a winner.
It helps that I get extra hours back, so I just record what I do and take extra time off down the line, but I often do my best problem solving after the kids have gone to bed, so it works well not having that separation.
biggbn said:
I am a teacher, it would be impossible to do the job properly within the school day.
In general, I have found you need to be meticulously organised and plan your year very carefully if you are going to keep home and work separate. I am in school 5 days a week but only teach a couple of days. The combined workload often means weekends get swallowed up with planning and admin when things go off piste.Glade said:
Phew.
For the people who just shut the home office door. How do you do it. Rationalise the disconnection?
I'm not sure how to answer that. I just treat it the same as going to an office. Once I've left for the day, I'd only go back to the office in unusual circumstances.For the people who just shut the home office door. How do you do it. Rationalise the disconnection?
It's just that the commute is a few inches.
It is also up to management to not contact staff outside of their normal hours. Having a separate phone helps me with that. I just don't know if I got an email/phone call/IM until I return to my desk in the morning.
I suspect it helps that generally I don't notice if I've not spoken to anybody for a day, or been out the house for a week.
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