Working From Home

amckiwi · Post by **amckiwi** » Sun Dec 20, 2020 7:59 pm

I pause to reflect on the past 200 days WFH for me.
We get a tax break of 80c for every hour we work at home so I have a spreadsheet that records the information and noticed the milestone today.
I might get back into the office in 59 days.

Things that have changed since WFH.
I hated WFH to begin with now I prefer it.
I seldom wear a watch unless I go out.
I have saved heaps not traveling to work and buying some breakfasts and all lunches and while in lockdown having. I social life and no holidays.
I have got bored with my usual menu so am eating new things.
I grew my short beard out for 6 months.
My garden has never looked so good, I have had good crops of broad beans and peas so far, other beans are kicking in now ant tomato’s are just beginning and hardly a weed in sight.
I have a new appreciation of those in the health industry

I wonder how you guys have been coping

Captdave · Post by **Captdave** » Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:48 pm

Nothing much has changed for me. Commerce and people keep moving on water (90% of everything) which means I keep moving them. There are new protocols and procedures to follow but overall the job haven’t changed. I have enjoyed the major decline in traffic on the roads as I drive a lot to get to my jobs. My wife’s a realtor and her job has changed dramatically. No going into the office, no open houses, scheduling every showing, zoom meetings with partners and clients, video showings etc...the biggest change for me is having her home almost 24/7.
We’re trying to support our local merchants and restaurants as much as possible. We live in a small community on an island and these businesses are owned and staffed by our neighbors and friends.

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mfxr · Post by **mfxr** » Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:12 pm

I was working from home for around 5 months. I generally liked it because I am more naturally reclusive.
I really struggled at first when I had to return back to the office, took a while to get back into the swing of things.

Now I am doing a 50/50 split and I think the balance is good personally.
I have a new baby at home, so it has been great to have more time at home than I would normally have had.

gwells · Post by **gwells** » Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:31 pm

still working from home. occasionally go in for a half day. i pretty much have the option of working at my desk MW and every other friday. i can go in and sit at one of the desks that doesn't have an owner the other days. or i can just work from home by filling out a form. so i work from home.

honestly, i have no desire to go back into the office regular any time soon. and when things get back to some semblance of normal, i'll talk to my boss about splitting time anyway. sometimes i get more done at home w/less distractions. especially now that i have a good, solid work setup that's probably more technically productive than in the office. all i'm missing is good printers and a bigger laser cutter. and people. but 96% of the people i work with directly aren't in the same office i'm in, so i'm using webex and jabber to communicate w/them anyway.

jeckyll · Post by **jeckyll** » Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:53 pm

I don't enjoy working only from home, normally I work with a small dedicated team and not having the ability to whiteboard together and have the ability to get some things done as a group is frustrating.

But I'm grateful that I have a job that I can do remotely if required. And that Michelle does too. Having both of us home isn't always ideal, but we make it work. Perfect for me is probably 2 days remote, one in with the team.

Having said that, I'm glad I don't have to be dealing with people on transit, or in elevators or anywhere at all except when we go for a walk or get groceries.

Bit plus, the commute is great, and the coffee is decent and if there isn't any, I know who's fault that is

r.palace · Post by **r.palace** » Sun Dec 20, 2020 11:00 pm

Been WFH since February with weekly field duties. The office has been closed since March so we haven’t been able to go in and converse with the other teams going on 9 months now. I can’t imagine working from the office anymore as opposed to WFH but the “shooting the shit with others” is truly missed; the CEO is talking about a mid summer return to the office so let’s see.

Ryeguy · Post by **Ryeguy** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 3:23 am

My biggest change is the lack of travel. I used to be out and about across the country or overseas at least once a month. I’m actually really enjoying this change and hopeful we can remain judicious with our travel moving forward. It’s been a real treat to be around to be able to take my kids out after school to do something fun like taking the boat for a ride or go play golf, or now skiing.

The biggest personal change for me is no more going to the gym. I’ve got an OK set up at home, but I do miss the seeing my fellow “regulars”.

We’re doing our best to support our local favorite restaurants and shops, but I am fearful for their survival. The approval of these new vaccines give us at least a ray of hope.

jtbenson · Post by **jtbenson** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 4:40 am

been wfh for 15 yrs
only change for me is i used to be able to LEAVE the house after working all day

SoCal C4S · Post by **SoCal C4S** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:13 am

Have also been WFH since mid-March, with our Org eyeing a July’ish return date, for maybe 50% of the corporate workforce. I joined a small, members only health club and use it as my gym away from home, and also work in a conference room there 5 days a week, for a few hours in the mornings. I have a full Rogue garage gym that is used on the weekends when I’m not working.

I have come to prefer the WFH lifestyle and balance, but look forward to getting back into the office a couple of days a week. I miss the collaborative work environment, see people I enjoyed working with or who were friends, so that will be nice to do again.

rockmastermike · Post by **rockmastermike** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:17 am

Like others have said, I really miss the traveling part, seeing fiends in person and the pot lucks - Like Baptists, we find any excuse to bring food in, have cookouts or go out for food en masse.
the being said, I've been at WFH since March with the exception of two separate weeks when we tried working from the office and even with a skeleton crew it was cluster f*&^.
I do enjoy saving the money from commuting an hour each way everyday.

in summary: 1) buy a new watch with saved money and 2) start exercising

JBZ · Post by **JBZ** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:42 am

I mostly enjoy it, but I still try to go into the office once a week or so. Gets me out of the house, which is good for me and which my wife appreciates (she was working from home before the pandemic, so sometimes she feels a little crowded). The office is sparsely populated enough on a daily basis that it isn't particularly risky to go in from time to time.

One benefit I've noticed (other than being in jeans full time) is that I'm able to get little things done around the house during break times. Could be daily stuff like feeding the cats or emptying the dishwasher, or stuff that would normally wait for the weekends, like taking fifteen minutes to clean some branches off the lawn.

All of that said, given the misery that many are going through, I'd really prefer to get back to normal as soon as we can. Maybe I'll try to work from home one day a week after we're all back and see how that goes.

Joeprez · Post by **Joeprez** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:38 am

JBZ wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:42 am
I mostly enjoy it, but I still try to go into the office once a week or so. Gets me out of the house, which is good for me and which my wife appreciates (she was working from home before the pandemic, so sometimes she feels a little crowded). The office is sparsely populated enough on a daily basis that it isn't particularly risky to go in from time to time.

One benefit I've noticed (other than being in jeans full time) is that I'm able to get little things done around the house during break times. Could be daily stuff like feeding the cats or emptying the dishwasher, or stuff that would normally wait for the weekends, like taking fifteen minutes to clean some branches off the lawn.

All of that said, given the misery that many are going through, I'd really prefer to get back to normal as soon as we can. Maybe I'll try to work from home one day a week after we're all back and see how that goes.

This is pretty much my sentiment. I'm currently going to the office twice a week, which is great as I meet with the manufacturing depts and labs on those days and then at home I do all the finance stuff I need to do. My wife has been WFH since March and its supposed to go back on April, but she would prefer to also go two or three times a week. Having the kids taking classes from home is not fun as mine are in first and fifth grade, so most of the day we have to be checking that the first grader is doing ok with the computer and that the fifth grader is not watching youtube during his clases

I have saved a lot of money on gas and tolls plus no need to pay for after classes programs for the kids. On the other hand I bought a motorcycle lol. Whatever becomes of the "new normal" I will also ask to work from home at least twice a week.

gwells · Post by **gwells** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:17 am

i see a bunch of anecdotal evidence of what i think we're going to see a lot more of once we get to "normal" (whatever that's going to be). instead of people being in the office 5 days/40+ hours, depending on the kind of work people are doing, i expect to see a lot more part-time in office and part-time WFH, with a lot of people heavier on the WFH. if companies trust their employees to do that, it's a significant savings in leasing costs. and if it becomes widespread, leasing costs would go down more because of supply/demand shifts. i think we'll see a lot more office space being done "hoteling" style, where you don't have assigned desks/cubes/workbenches. you'll have a cart/box/whatever that goes in a locker that you can take to whatever desk you get that day. or maybe your team will have 5 seats for 8 people and you sit wherever is open that day.

i think this will be a significant shift in workplace the way 9/11 was a significant shift in how we use airports (to use a not-quite-parallel comparison).

JBZ · Post by **JBZ** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:44 am

gwells wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:17 am
i see a bunch of anecdotal evidence of what i think we're going to see a lot more of once we get to "normal" (whatever that's going to be). instead of people being in the office 5 days/40+ hours, depending on the kind of work people are doing, i expect to see a lot more part-time in office and part-time WFH, with a lot of people heavier on the WFH. if companies trust their employees to do that, it's a significant savings in leasing costs. and if it becomes widespread, leasing costs would go down more because of supply/demand shifts. i think we'll see a lot more office space being done "hoteling" style, where you don't have assigned desks/cubes/workbenches. you'll have a cart/box/whatever that goes in a locker that you can take to whatever desk you get that day. or maybe your team will have 5 seats for 8 people and you sit wherever is open that day.

i think this will be a significant shift in workplace the way 9/11 was a significant shift in how we use airports (to use a not-quite-parallel comparison).

I also wonder if we're going to see a significant shift in retail shopping. Brick and mortar stores were struggling already prior to the pandemic, and now that more people have gotten used to shopping from home, I'm not sure how many are going to go back to the stores. I'm sure there will always be people who prefer to shop in person, and there are some things that it's easier to "try before you buy", but we could be seeing a lot more empty mall space.

59yukon01 · Post by **59yukon01** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:17 am

My wife and I have been working from home since March, but we both occasionally go into the the office. I could go in everyday if I want and may start as I'm going crazy at home all day. The main advantage we've seen is we save by eating every meal at home, and our vehicle gas expenses are very low now. Being in outside sales I'm thankful I also have a salary as my commission has taken a hit due to people not working in the office, so with our expenses down it's had no ill affect on us.

It was tolerable during the warm months as I could get outside, take the dog for walks and just enjoy the sunshine during the day. Now with cold weather I'm going a little stir crazy, and have taken a part time job at a Gun Range/Store on some nights, and one day on the weekend to break up the monotony of the workweek. It's more of a fun hobby than a job, plus the perks of cheap ammo and free range time is great. It's been great seeing and speaking to the public, plus it's nice being around like minded people who see this fiasco for what it is. Other than having to wear our muzzles in the store while working, the store is set up just like it was before Covid.

I'm just looking forward to warmer weather again so we can enjoy our neighborhood pool socializing with our neighbors like we did over this past summer, and getting out on the boat fishing with friends. I have no intentions of living life in a bubble.

gwells · Post by **gwells** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:55 am

JBZ wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:44 am
I also wonder if we're going to see a significant shift in retail shopping. Brick and mortar stores were struggling already prior to the pandemic, and now that more people have gotten used to shopping from home, I'm not sure how many are going to go back to the stores. I'm sure there will always be people who prefer to shop in person, and there are some things that it's easier to "try before you buy", but we could be seeing a lot more empty mall space.

totally agree. i think we were already in that general shift slowly, but this probably pushed a lot of peopled over the edge to being as "online as possible" in the future. that's not good for small businesses, unfortunately. and much better for the amazons/walmarts of the world.

BlueSky · Post by **BlueSky** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:10 am

gwells wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:55 am

JBZ wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:44 am
I also wonder if we're going to see a significant shift in retail shopping. Brick and mortar stores were struggling already prior to the pandemic, and now that more people have gotten used to shopping from home, I'm not sure how many are going to go back to the stores. I'm sure there will always be people who prefer to shop in person, and there are some things that it's easier to "try before you buy", but we could be seeing a lot more empty mall space.
totally agree. i think we were already in that general shift slowly, but this probably pushed a lot of peopled over the edge to being as "online as possible" in the future. that's not good for small businesses, unfortunately. and much better for the amazons/walmarts of the world.

We were in a regional store (Belk) yesterday and their inventory was shockingly low as well as customers.

unsub073 · Post by **unsub073** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:33 am

Been WFH for close to 20 years, so not much changed for me in that regards. I missed out on a handful of works trips, and some of those trips are already being canceled for 2021.

jimyritz · Post by **jimyritz** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 2:21 pm

JBZ wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:42 am
I mostly enjoy it, but I still try to go into the office once a week or so. Gets me out of the house, which is good for me and which my wife appreciates (she was working from home before the pandemic, so sometimes she feels a little crowded). The office is sparsely populated enough on a daily basis that it isn't particularly risky to go in from time to time.

One benefit I've noticed (other than being in jeans full time) is that I'm able to get little things done around the house during break times. Could be daily stuff like feeding the cats or emptying the dishwasher, or stuff that would normally wait for the weekends, like taking fifteen minutes to clean some branches off the lawn.

All of that said, given the misery that many are going through, I'd really prefer to get back to normal as soon as we can. Maybe I'll try to work from home one day a week after we're all back and see how that goes.

==========
I agree with this---I have no desire to get back on public transportation and I do miss the gym. At this point, the gym is open and I go Sunday morning- Usually me, and 4 other regulars- mask and wiping down part of the process. I miss vacations Miami and Montreal and just having a beer with a friend...Stuff I used to take for granted.. Hope the small businesses and restaurants can hold out a bit longer...Can't wait to get back to some kind of normal.

gwells · Post by **gwells** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 2:25 pm

The thing I miss more than anything is making music. Last October I joined a new band and we were just getting into a groove (pun intended) with gigs when COVID hit. And then we had two band manners pass away in April and August (non COVID) and we’ve played 4 times. Twice at memorial shows and twice in the drummer’s cul de sac outside. It’s been a shitty year for music.

tattoo chef · Post by **tattoo chef** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:36 pm

jtbenson wrote:been wfh for 15 yrs
only change for me is i used to be able to LEAVE the house after working all day

Same here- working from home for 6 years.
I don’t mind it at all, rather enjoy it, but haven’t really seen any of our friends since March and haven’t been able to go out to relax and unwind. When restaurants were open we went a few times (maybe 6 this since the pandemic), but the big out is usually grocery shopping.

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Post by **CGSshorty** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:10 pm

I wish I could work from home. I picked the wrong line of work.

andrema · Post by **andrema** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:07 pm

I don’t like people, so I’m fine with WFH.

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