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Thursday 7 October 2010

Sitting around eating bonbons

I have come to conclusion over the last month or so that working from home is not all it’s cracked up to be, I find it exhausting. I know that part of that is because I’m still not 100% mentally as well as physically, but even so.  I'd be interested to hear others' experiences of working remotely.

Here is my take on how it works with my job:

In the office, as long as I am there within the four walls, I am officially At Work.

At home, I feel as though I’m not At Work when I step away from my computer for 10 minutes to make a cup of tea or get some air.

In the office, I just nip into the boss’s office to ask a question about something, discuss work issues with colleagues, read the yachting magazines if there is time, and have girlie chats in the kitchen over the kettle.

At home, everything comes by e-mail, or Skype chat, or a Skype call with the boss occasionally. No face to face interaction other than the odd time the boss suggests a meeting with me to talk about a list of various things. I suddenly find that I have been sitting in the same position for 2 hours, staring at the same computer screen.



In the office, the software works at lightning speed.

At home, the remote connection sometimes has to catch up with my typing (which drives me nuts), and seconds waiting for it to react feel like hours.

In the office, everyone knows you are there (or not).

At home, I wonder whether the people in head office realise that I am working as hard as I am, because I am Working From Home, and everyone knows what a doss that is, right?

Now before you all start lecturing me, I'm not saying I'm right; all I'm saying is that this is how I feel about it.

At around 4pm today, when I’d got to the point where I might actually cry if I got another e-mail, I called it a day. I should have stopped at 3pm, before I got to that point, but I hate leaving unread mails in my inbox... but I did, 20 of them; what a rebel.


Working from home? Pull the other one

7 comments:

  1. Working from home must be tough and I'm sorry that you're feeling unappreciated. I appreciate you!

    I would go nuts working from home, although I don't usually crave human interaction, there is only a certain point of lonliness that I can take before I go batshit bonkers.

    Once I was inside my room for an entire week because I was ill. It felt so freeing to finally get out.

    http://theadorkableditzmissteps.blogspot.com/

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  2. Sounds to me like you're over compensating by working too hard to prove that you are actually working to people who probably know you to be conscientious and hard working.
    And recovering!!
    Chill out and have another bonbon:)

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  3. Ditz: I haven't quite gone Batshit Bonkers yet (or maybe I have? you guys tell me...)

    Janie: I think you got it in one! I tell myself that, I really do; but I am crap at listening to myself.

    Of course it doesn't help that one of the staff is away for 2 weeks (and there are only 7.5 of us). I will make a point of delegating some stuff back to her when she returns!

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  4. Juniper, don't break my heart. I thought you were Batshit Bonkers like most of us.

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  5. JJ, I'm getting there, I'm just a bit behind you...

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  6. *shaking head*

    You're so much like me it's scary.

    Ease up--I imagine your reputation removes all doubt.
    I used to get emails from my staff: STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER.

    *laughing* Truth is, I still do!

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  7. Mel, that made me laugh!! Last week when I sent a mail saying 'ok guys, I'm stopping for the day' my friend replied "FINALLY, she rests!!'

    We are our own worst enemies, aren't we.

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If you prefer to just read, appreciate and then move on, that's fine too :-)