Have you enjoyed working from home?

23-07-2020 2:46pm

Un1corn wrote: »

Saving 90 minutes per day and working as a dev. Don't ever want to go back to be honest.

Same. I've been looking at properties all around Ireland which was once a pipe dream. It can actually be a reality now.

kenmc · 23-07-2020 2:48pm

Love it. Out of bed, quick shower, tshirt and shorts and into the "office". Lunch is 30 seconds downstairs, whatever I want right there and then, not what I thought I would like hours or even the night before. Back upstairs, couple more hours and "home" 30 seconds after leaving "work". Time to play with the kids, get dinner, mow the grass etc. Long may it continue!

ChikiChiki · 23-07-2020 2:50pm

Since the office is now in my bedroom my sleep has been really abysmal for the last 3 months. Thinking to rent a bigger place down the country so I can set up a separate room as a home office as we are not going back anytime soon.

Also why fork out 1200 a month in rent for a room in Dublin when I can get a whole gaff in Mayo for 900 a month. All the benefits of city living are gone for the moment.

Real Life · 23-07-2020 3:09pm

Theres been good and bad points to it.
Good:
Ive got to spend a lot more time than I should have been able to with my 8 month old son.
I have no commute to and from work and so save time and money.
My work is still being done and hasn't been affected.

Bad:
No separation from work and home life, that's mostly my fault because I haven't done enough about it. But there's some days I get up out of bed, go to the computer, to and from the kitchen for coffees or lunch. Go from work to watch TV, then bed. No fresh air all day. Got into a bad slump but that's could be sorted if I got my act together.

pinktoe · 23-07-2020 3:13pm

I've worked from home since 2015. Went from getting up at 7 and coming home after 6, for 5 days a week to managing to get all my work done at home in 4 days. I used to spend alot of time in the previous workplace just putting down time and doing sweet f@@k all, eating crappy lunch and getting out of shape, listening to idiots who either thought they were funny or else people hitching about a job they'll never leave.

For the last five years, roll out of bed at 8.55 or even 10, it doesn't matter. Do a bit of work, go for a run with the dog, do some more work, and have tasty good food. Go to the supermarket when it's quiet instead of the weekend or Friday evening. Health and shape has definitely improved alot.

Once you have a place in your home that's not the bedroom, sitting room or kitchen to do your work it's fine.

I have a lot of time and am not slaving away as a number for a company. Living in a spacious house in Galway that I own as opposed to a dump of an apartment which would cost more to rent these days. Wages are the exact same so for me it's a no brainer.

Some office jobs though, would be much harder to do at home so it doesn't suit everyone.

dashoonage · 23-07-2020 3:34pm

Yip love it. never want to go back. 15hrs a week back. I am disciplined enough to have separation between home and work. I still get out of the leaba at the same time in the morning, so ive an hour of no rushing before i start work. Nice peaceful lunch breaks. Eating a lot better. Exercising more and im getting way more work done as well. The main benifit is i have my dog at home though

DuffleBag · 23-07-2020 4:21pm

Going great. No hour plus commute, nice peaceful lunches, breakfast and dinner with the partner at home. No ****e talk from colleagues who you'd only be avoiding during the day anyway and I can pick who and when I want to talk to people through Skype/calls.

Big thumbs up from me.

Rimmy · 23-07-2020 4:29pm

I get that work means the World to some people and it's probably because they have very little going on on their life's outside it and that's fine. Work for me is just money, I start at 9 and finish on the dot at five every day. Our work place is good that if you want to be available out of hours you go on a roster and get paid 25% extra for the week. I don't want that.

I never want to go back to the office and looks like my company are letting us work from home till after winter which is ideal. I'm lucky to be in a pretty well paying role and a company that employs 7000. It's all internal so camera on is optional.

I start at 9AM. I get up at 8.45 quick shower and sit down on the recliner on my laptop in the sitting room with the TV on in the background. Around half nine stick on the breakfast if nothing urgent needs doing. Few meetingsIY project work and IT support for the day.

The hot days there I was out in the garden on a sun recliner tipping away on the laptop for the day.

Work means nothing to me, it's just a pay check. If my company doesn't let us do two days at least from home after next Winter I'll be looking for a new job.

I have great friends outside of work and a active social life so don't really give a toss about interacting with people in the workplace and I hate 99% of them.

Rimmy · 23-07-2020 4:43pm

Just to add that I don't love in Dublin, around a three hour commute one way. This opens so much more oppertunities for me working from home that I previously couldn't take due to where I live. I'll probably be able to get another 30-40K on top of my current salary.

DuffleBag · 23-07-2020 5:00pm

Rimmy wrote: »

I get that work means the World to some people and it's probably because they have very little going on on their life's outside it and that's fine. Work for me is just money, I start at 9 and finish on the dot at five every day. Our work place is good that if you want to be available out of hours you go on a roster and get paid 25% extra for the week. I don't want that.

I never want to go back to the office and looks like my company are letting us work from home till after winter which is ideal. I'm lucky to be in a pretty well paying role and a company that employs 7000. It's all internal so camera on is optional.

I start at 9AM. I get up at 8.45 quick shower and sit down on the recliner on my laptop in the sitting room with the TV on in the background. Around half nine stick on the breakfast if nothing urgent needs doing. Few meetingsIY project work and IT support for the day.

The hot days there I was out in the garden on a sun recliner tipping away on the laptop for the day.

Work means nothing to me, it's just a pay check. If my company doesn't let us do two days at least from home after next Winter I'll be looking for a new job.

I have great friends outside of work and a active social life so don't really give a toss about interacting with people in the workplace and I hate 99% of them.

Preach. This is my view also

ednwireland · 23-07-2020 5:03pm

no

but it would be bearable with better broadband, and if i wasnt expected to make international calls on my own phone. despite that been part of my job.

Rimmy · 23-07-2020 5:05pm

ednwireland wrote: »

no

but it would be bearable with better broadband, and if i wasnt expected to make international calls on my own phone. despite that been part of my job.

You using something like Viber? Get a ton of minutes for like a tenner to international numbers.

Rimmy · 23-07-2020 5:09pm

DuffleBag wrote: »

Preach. This is my view also

And the funny thing is I'm actually getting more done from home than I ever have in the office.

I'm energised every day and not wrecked as soon as Thursday and Friday come around. I can stay up two hours later in the night and my hour commute is gone each way.

Working from home is awesome!

Neyite · 23-07-2020 5:10pm

ChikiChiki wrote: »

Also why fork out 1200 a month in rent for a room in Dublin when I can get a whole gaff in Mayo for 900 a month. All the benefits of city living are gone for the moment.

You would probably get it for even less. While you save a bit in rent, you do need to invest in a reliable car as public transport is pathetic and you quickly get tired of getting soaked waiting for a bus because there's no bus shelter and you've to get to your destination two hours before you need to because there's one bus a day heading the way you need to. Or if you wanted you could still rent a town house in a small town in Mayo or Galway cheaper than Dublin rents and still have the convenience being near pubs and restaurants.

City living is great but when covid takes away all the social stuff that makes living in a city worthwhile like the cafés, bars and concerts on your doorstep it's not so much fun.

quickbeam · 23-07-2020 5:14pm

I don't particularly enjoy my job so to say I "enjoy working from home" wouldn't be quite right.

But I do prefer it over a commute. I save a minimum of 90 minutes per day on a commute, plus the associated petrol costs.

I spend all day with my pets.

I can be flexible and do things like hang out the clothes, in the middle of the working day.

Fewer distractions (for me - I get those with a family might find differently), so more productive.

antimatterx · 23-07-2020 5:15pm

Initially I didn't, but after 4.5 months working from home, I'm going to struggle to go back to office life. I will refuse any job that doesn't let me work 3 days a week from home.

I don't get up until 8:30 (it used to be 6:45). I have a quick shower, and breakfast before my first meeting and it's great. I finish at 5:30, and exercise straight away, I've lost a stone, and put on some serious muscle since COVID.

I'm saving €40 p/w commuting and as I'm not in town anymore I cancelled my GYM membership which was €30 a month. Thats almost €200 a month being saved.

It's been a fantastic experience, and I'm lucky I'm in the type of job where this can become the norm. (Software development)

I'm lucky in Dublin, with great internet and a decent desk setup. I know others aren't so lucky.

CBear1993 · 23-07-2020 5:16pm

No. I love human interaction.
One or two days a week is fine. But being stuck at the desk all day is horrible for me mentally. I need to get out and about daily. I’ve found that if I have to work 2/3 days in a row from home I become very demotivated and lacklustre. Not great for the old mental health, but that’s only me

antimatterx · 23-07-2020 5:18pm

KaneToad wrote: »

I think those that live to work are happier in their office - it fills an important part of their life.

Those that work to live are happier at home - work is a necessary inconvenience to their day.

Nothing wrong with either camp. Different strokes and all that.

I'd be in the second camp. I'd gladly work from home all the time. I don't miss any aspect of being in the office - the travel, the time, the people, the office infrastructure...

I tend to "live to work", but I'm much happier at home. Life just feels easier.

antimatterx · 23-07-2020 5:19pm

Un1corn wrote: »

Saving 90 minutes per day and working as a dev. Don't ever want to go back to be honest.

I'm saving almost 3 hours a day. I was commuting from the northside to the southside via DART and Luas.

CBear1993 · 23-07-2020 5:21pm

antimatterx wrote: »

I'm saving almost 3 hours a day. I was commuting from the northside to the southside via DART and Luas.

3 hours per day from Northside to south side, jeez that was rough!! I hope the job was worth it. You could be in a job in the midlands and back daily in the car with that! (Not that you would leave Dublin for that but you get me)

antimatterx · 23-07-2020 5:25pm

CBear1993 wrote: »

3 hours per day from Northside to south side, jeez that was rough!! I hope the job was worth it. You could be in a job in the midlands and back daily in the car with that! (Not that you would leave Dublin for that but you get me)

It was worth it tbf. I loved the job actually. The work was interesting, the people were great, and because I was switching between modes of transport, it didn't feel as bad as it sounds.

It was only a contract position unfortunately, I'm back working internally with my parent company as of a few months back.

_Kaiser_ · 23-07-2020 5:25pm

My role is such that I can work from home pretty much indefinitely. Same as my previous employer. But I have a spare room that I've long since turned into a proper office (with big dual screens , dock, proper desk etc) and chair which is essential for comfort/productivity and separating it fro the rest of your house/life. Working from the kitchen table long-term or with kids in the house all day is unsustainable.

I'm very happy with the current arrangement and plan to continue it post return to office which there's been no objections to. I get more done here than I did in the office - no interruptions, no hunting for meeting rooms etc.

I am not doing a 2/3 hour commute every day so I have more energy and this is helping me health wise too. I don't miss the overheated office with crap aircon, the lack of a proper canteen or hot food (unless you can microwave it yourself), and I don't really deal with anyone locally that can't be done remotely or who isn't offshore anyway. An office can be a boring and lonely place when you're a team of 1.

WFH FTW.. but as above, you need to be able to set it up right from the start

Mrs OBumble · 23-07-2020 5:33pm

Shakey_jake wrote: »

That's not the company's fault, that's yours

Don't blame IT either

How exactly do you reach that conclusion?

antimatterx · 23-07-2020 5:36pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

How exactly do you reach that conclusion?

Turn off you phone, get a separate phone for work, or use a dual sim. It's not that hard, although you do make to like things sound difficult.

Going Strong · 23-07-2020 5:49pm

Loving it.

I have an office set up in the spare bedroom that looks out over the nearby park. Just back from the park now after meeting up with my neighbours for a stroll and a chat. I've always been good at managing my workload so being at home has actually made it easier as I have no distractions and can slip in a half hour here and there to keep ahead.

All my work is web-based and my connection is as good as the one in the office. One short Teams meeting per week as opposed to two or three pointless "It's my turn to have a meeting so we're having a meeting" daily meetings from must-be-seen-to-be-relevant middle managers. No more 60 minute morning commutes and 90 minute evening commutes on crowded buses. No more sitting in a draughty, leaky dump of one of those "Flung it up in two weeks. Feel the quality" steel and glass boxes designed without ever a thought for who'd have to occupy the shytehole all day long.

There's talk of bringing us in one week per month but no date has been set. Doesn't bother me as I'm in no rush to go back in.

Rimmy · 23-07-2020 5:56pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

How exactly do you reach that conclusion?

Well work phone and personal phone should be seperate for starters.

Azure is been used by my company for anyone that has an issue with their laptop through the virus.

Sounds like a crap IT setup.

CBear1993 · 23-07-2020 6:05pm

I moved to Dublin for work (I’m in cost management in construction projects).

Bought a 2 bed apartment last year close to the city. My girlfriend works out in Kildare every day and I am going to be working from home for the remainder, maybe 1 day per week in head office in Dublin

Really starting to question the point of having the city apartment as neither of us would have went into the city much in our 1st year even pre lockdown. It’s just an unknown at the moment, don’t want to jump the gun too quick.

But if I can work from home I’d say we will definitely look at moving out of Dublin in the near future. Will prob try hold onto it and rent it out all the same.

Being cooped up in high volume residential areas is not great for my head to be honest. Don’t think it’s the office life I miss at all as most colleagues are plonkers. It’s having the fresh air and open spaces if you are working from home.

I’m from the country originally so there’s a lot to be said for a house with a garden and a bit of your own space at the bare minimum.

gmisk · 23-07-2020 6:05pm

Yes all going fine.
It's lovely just getting up and logging on,walking the dog, listening to radio etc is lovely.
It was a struggle without monitor and laptop stand at start but all sorted along with dedicated table.

Doesn't seem to be a huge push to go back to office, we were asked for feedback but doubt anymore back in office til September.

I work in IT and project still scaling up with lot of overseas people involved so was pretty much used to keeping in touch via teams.

I'd be happy to go back a few days a week to start but no rush.

Sono · 23-07-2020 6:08pm

Love it but it took a bit of getting used to. Getting out daily for walks/runs weather permitting has been very important for me anyway.

I don’t miss the commute and love being at home when I finish.

Ohmeha · 23-07-2020 6:10pm

Got a bit more use to it but still don't like it, my supervisor and manager have provided me with fuk-all support and I have been given an increased more stressful workload with restrictive systems on the laptop compared to the people still going into the office

Going by other people I know who are enjoying WFH it seems to be the employers who want to make it work are making it a positive for their employees

Have you enjoyed working from home?

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