Working from home

My normal working hours are 10 to 2. While WFH we have a team get together on hangouts at 10 which is just right for me. Its mainly to make sure everyone is OK and talk about any important issues but it ensures I am up, showered and dressed for 9 ish so I can check any overnight emails before the call. Then I work to 2 when the dog usually lets me know it is walk time, (his clock reading skills are excellent). I do find I log on again about 4 for an hour to make sure there are no problems which is unpaid really, but to be fair the job itself is keeping me sane at the moment. There is only me and my OH in the house, I am not a natural house keeper and he can spend all day in the shed. Also I really miss my DGS like loads of other GPs at the moment.

There are times I find it difficult to get motivated and sit staring at my list of action points, but I take 10 mins out and make coffee and that usually works. I do think though it must be difficult to work an 8 hour day if you have children in the house, especially if you are trying to help them with school work.

My dd is working longer hours, too. She has a 2yo under her feet as well. She organises services for LA schools and children with support needs. It’s often a thankless task as people want jam today and don’t understand how difficult these things are.

She’s dreading the lockdown lifting because she thinks that’s going to be even more challenging, with resources reactivating piecemeal.

Pamela, yes it's very distracting working at home. Even though there no travelling, a commute (not too far) helps to start your working day. Rolling out of bed, cup of tea, sleepy sand in your eyes makes it hard to motivate yourself. Also the loss of interaction with colleagues is very isolating. I don't know about others, but staring at a screen on Skype doesn't make me feel connected at all. If anything, it's a barrier. I have never taken the ability to work from home for granted, as many people don't have the flexibility to do so. But it does take some getting used to, you don't have a proper break, work too long and feel more exhausted.

I’m working from home and find I’m getting more done. I spend a lot of my time driving to different sites so I obviously don’t have to do that now. I’m focused without office disruptions or phone calls. My days are more flexible and I go straight into Teams meetings and straight out again into my next one. I love it, it’s a much less stressful way of working without long commutes and travelling - although I don’t love it an extra 20 hours per week!

My DD is trying to organise her team ( the ones who do the work) and liase with her ‘superiors’. Don’t know what the correct term is but they earn more than her?

She says everything takes so much longer. In the office everything is to hand and what would take 2 mins is now taking 10. Do the maths and, certainly she’s working longer hours. She also works during the time she would be on the train.

I think It takes a lot of discipline to work at home. Congratulations to anyone who does it well.

I suppose the question is - why are you now working an extra 20-25 hours per week? What has changed to that extent?

Lucca as I said, if you’re happy to do more unpaid then so be it. I’m guessing it’s par for the course and teachers will know this presumably.

Tanith. Teaching doesn’t work like that!

My DS says he's working longer hours than he did in the office, and not taking lunch breaks. Maybe it's a common phenomenon. Are people working more slowly? Are they more comfortable at home and less keen to get away? Or do they feel subconsciously that they have to be more conscientious? It would be interesting to know.

Gagajo - snap

A good friend is a senior teacher in a London prep school and finding working from home exhausting and very challenging. She's doing far more hours than when in the physical school.

Like many of us she's IT competent but not a whizz-kid with technology and this is adding to the stress.

Professionals often don't have contracted hours as such - if you're senior you're expected to go above and beyond.

The school is a business and the parents are paying so the expectations are high.

Why are you not working to your contracted hours? If you can’t manage to complete your work within the hours then they are giving you too much to do. Unless you are happy to complete unpaid work of course.