New work from home schedule

WOOT!

We have a new work from home schedule, where previously we could not. Now I have every Wednesday at home.

At home, I have two windows in the office, excatly 200% more than at work. I am playing Jimmy Buffet LOUD with no complaints from co-workers.

I have the Dog in here with me, the sun is shinning (for once here in the midwest winter) and life is good.

Sounds nice. I've been working from home since August. Sometimes I suffer from lack of discipline (hence being on here now when I should be working) but it's great being in my pjs with the cat on my lap instead of listening to co-workers talk about each other.

I work out of my home as well. Some days I'm in my bathrobe at 5:00PM. My morning commute is 15'. Takes me longer to make coffee than to get to work. Spend almost nothing on gas, instead of +100.00 per week. Spend too much time on here, but I rationalize it. But my phone bill is 200.00 per month. International calls.

8+ years and counting. cwh commutes twice as far as me!

I won't say that I'll NEVER go back to working in the office, but it would have to be a really good reason.

Not really a 'down side' but after a while the lines become blurred and it gets harder to tell if you are working at home or living at work. It is just too easy to get back on the computer and check messages, etc.

On the plus side, I can tolerate a pretty modified 'daily driver' because I don't need to drive every day.

I'm definitely more productive at home - less distractions and more focus. Well, except for here - you all are my water cooler conversation.

Lesley wrote: Sounds nice. I've been working from home since August. Sometimes I suffer from lack of discipline (hence being on here now when I should be working) but it's great being in my pjs with the cat on my lap instead of listening to co-workers talk about each other.

LOL at having Bob Costas outside your pants! sorry, had to go there.

i could never work in an office. if i had to have that type of job i'd wish to be able to work from a home office. you guys that do i consider very lucky. with computers now i am not sure why more places do not give the option, with those remote access programs and whatnot. it seems like it would be cheaper to give people a laptop and phone and say work from home than to keep a big office building lighted, heated, and rent paid.

my office is my truck and my iphone is the closest i get to being tied to technology.

i get to be at a different house every few days except for big projects - i hate big projects and being in the same place for too long. wrapped up one big one yesterday and another will be wrapped next week.

I have the option available to me. I'm hesitant to do it, though.

I'm a guy that has to get up and go to work. Otherwise i probably wouldn't take great care of myself. But here's my complaints with working at work:

1) I get REALLY sick of that building after 8 hours. I get sick of being there far before my attention span goes. I have no problems working 15 hours straight. (Yesterday.) I just hate being in an office for that long.

2) My headphones hurt my head after a few hours, and i listen to music ALL day.

Both of these things could be solved by me working from home. And save me probably.... $100 a month in gas. But i'd go stir-crazy.

I'd like to be able to "flex." Work 8 hours at work, go home, and continue working from home. I just need the change of scenery.

actually, I see no reason why I couldn't do this everyday. Maybe I will bring that up at the next staff meeting.

EricM wrote: actually, I see no reason why I couldn't do this everyday. Maybe I will bring that up at the next staff meeting.

I've seen claims that it saves the company as much as $20,000 a year in office space, utilities, insurance, parking, etc (much of the overhead costs of a full-time employee). You might do a little research and have some strong ammunition at your disposal for that conversation.

In my case, the company pays about $150/month for telephones and internet. Electricity, heat, etc are courtesy of the bludroptop household. More than a fair trade when you consider what I save in commuting, work clothes, dry cleaning, etc.

It was never much of a problem for me until my last job, but you are removed from most office politics and nasty antics of the office jerks.

Wednesdays and Fridays I'm at home, and it's where most of the actual magazine layout gets done. It's nice to have those uninterrupted stretches of time to put stories together.

I also have one of the longer commutes to the office of any of us. Two days a week at home saves me a noticeable amount in fuel and lunch each month.

The discipline actually didn't take me long to develop, which surprised me because I'm usually a bit scattered. Once my home office became my office office (in my mind, that is) it was all work and no play.

And now I should probably get back to work (even though this probably technically counts as work).

jg

Is GRM in need of a Masters of HR, retired military employee in about 4 years? I work cheap and you've already paid for my healthcare...

bludroptop wrote: Not really a 'down side' but after a while the lines become blurred and it gets harder to tell if you are working at home or living at work. It is just too easy to get back on the computer and check messages, etc. I'm definitely more productive at home - less distractions and more focus.

I have had a home sales office for 11 years.

Yes, the lines are blurred for me too. Vacation days at home are tough. With crackberry I can even check emails while I hang out with the wife.

I too am productive. I don't always get away from the phone or computer. I have considered making my office a "stand-up" office due to the amount of time I sit.

i have so much admin and computer based investigations work i could easily do two days a week at home and get twice as much done, and my crew doesnt need me to look over their shoulder every day. company wont go for it though... maybe next year...

I don't think I could work at home or in an office. My office is a Ford van that I put 70 thousand miles on a year. I enjoy being out in the world too much to have a box in a building. Since my secretary quit I have been spending four or five hours a week at the office doing billing and paperwork and I hate it. If I had to do that 40 hours a week I would go postal. I have considered getting one of the remote access services and doing the billing from home, but it would just take me longer to get it done.

Glad you are enjoying it. It would have to be better than staring at institutional wall for 8 hours.

My office is my Yaris/the inside of a Home Depot.

Working at home is a blessing and a curse . . .

Blessing - I save tons of cash in fuel and vehicle operating cost

Curse - All the neat things to do at home call my name hourly

Blessing - If my clients have an issue, I can log on within 3-5 minutes to solve their problem

Curse - Clients call usually 5 minutes before the end of my shift

Blessing - Commuting through traffic is easy. (Only two cats and wife)

Curse - I can't use the excuse "Traffic was a bitch this morning"

Curse - All the neat things to do at home call my name hourly

Blessing - Happy Hour starts immediately when I sign off and I don't have to worry about dodging the local constabulary to get to the couch

EricM wrote: ...At home, I have two windows in the office, excatly 200% more than at work...

you only have 2/3rds of a window at work? that's kinda weird. I would assume if they would go through the trouble, they would at least give you a whole window...