Your Personal Work/Life Balance

[activeStick]

It's funny how working from home during the pandemic ended with people putting more hours in almost across the board

[Locke]

Originally Posted by activeStick

It's funny how working from home during the pandemic ended with people putting more hours in almost across the board

Yeah, not I, but I think you're largely right in that assertion.

I was still full-time in the Office during the Pandemic...but I have my own office, so it was fine. We modified the drop-off/pick-up procedures, cleaning procedures, etc.

But what really happened with me was that the combination of Pandemic Benefits, Business Loans, low interest rates meaning financing for cars and mortgages was advantageous, etc.

Everybody needed something from me at some point. I had people just coming out of the woodwork getting their financial documents in order so they could qualify for something or other.

It was goddamned wild.

[photon]

Originally Posted by DiNaMo

I have so much of this free paid time I could be taking advantage of but don't know how best to use it.

I usually do one of three things when I'm in that position..

Training - Some kind of training, doesn't even have to be related to my job. One employer would pay for almost any kind of training even if totally unrelated to the job, their reasoning was if it makes you a better person it makes you a better employee. Though might be more difficult to justify a class on poetry about love from the Renaissance.

Project - I'll make a project for myself to expand my skills. Again doesn't have to be completely related to my job or beneficial to the company but it doesn't hurt, though if it actually touches or changes things then it would probably need more approval. I've done things that I just wanted to learn more about that eventually ended up being part of how we did things and helped.

Kaizen - If it's a case where the above two would be frowned upon, then I've talked to my boss to try and do some kaizen type stuff about process, or identify some of the most manual and painful things and automate or improve them.. find things we can eliminate, etc. It's easy to get stuck in a process and often there's no time to do retrospectives and figure out how to improve things.

I guess number 4 would be YouTube.

[SportsJunky]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah, not I, but I think you're largely right in that assertion.

I was still full-time in the Office during the Pandemic...but I have my own office, so it was fine. We modified the drop-off/pick-up procedures, cleaning procedures, etc.

But what really happened with me was that the combination of Pandemic Benefits, Business Loans, low interest rates meaning financing for cars and mortgages was advantageous, etc.

Everybody needed something from me at some point. I had people just coming out of the woodwork getting their financial documents in order so they could qualify for something or other.

It was goddamned wild.

But...billable hours!

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

For me the pandemic was tough because I transitioned to working entirely from home and that was when work-life balance actually started to feel impossible, ironically enough. I’m much happier now that I can spend most days working at the office, check out around 6 and be home for dinner and a board game with the kids most nights.

I think that this is an important key element. Can you leave your work 'behind' and enjoy your life when not at work...or does 'work' follow you around, stressing you TF out even when not there/off work?

This is something I really struggle with. I used to be really good at leaving work 'at work', but it's been getting harder and harder and my days off don't feel like days off as I'm stressing about work.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

I think that this is an important key element. Can you leave your work 'behind' and enjoy your life when not at work...or does 'work' follow you around, stressing you TF out even when not there/off work?

This is something I really struggle with. I used to be really good at leaving work 'at work', but it's been getting harder and harder and my days off don't feel like days off as I'm stressing about work.

That's pretty much where I am. Cell phones mean I can never unplug from work and we're expected to be available 24/7/365. And there currently is not enough time in the day to get everything done.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

I think that this is an important key element. Can you leave your work 'behind' and enjoy your life when not at work...or does 'work' follow you around, stressing you TF out even when not there/off work?

This is something I really struggle with. I used to be really good at leaving work 'at work', but it's been getting harder and harder and my days off don't feel like days off as I'm stressing about work.

Are you leaving tasks you have on your plate as incomplete before calling it a day? I used to have trouble with this, but fixed it by having an accurate to-do list for the day and when I get everything on that list done, I no longer think about work once I'm done for the day because I know I've completed everything that day that NEEDS to be done. Before, there'd be a cloud hanging over me of some deliverable coming due on Thursday for example and I'd be thinking about it non-stop the entire week until EOD Thursday, but by organizing what I need to get done each day in order to deliver on Thursday, I no longer think about that final due date.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by activeStick

It's funny how working from home during the pandemic ended with people putting more hours in almost across the board

I’ve seen an increasing number of meeting requests over lunch. I ignore them.

Also, people almost never take sick days anymore. It’s as if we just assume that besides covid, nobody gets sick. Or if we’re sick we can still work from home.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Or if we’re sick we can still work from home.

This is definitely part of it. Sick enough that in the "before times" you would just miss the day, but now you can work reduced hours when you feel up to it. I know that sick time YTD at my work is exceeding 2019, though.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I basically have to be available 24/7 unless I'm on leave.

That said, I have a great team and I don't often get after hours calls or problems to deal with. Actual office time, I probably average 50-55 hours a week with an hour or so of work related activity at home most evenings on top of that.

I spend a fair amount of time on the road as well.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I’ve seen an increasing number of meeting requests over lunch. I ignore them.

Also, people almost never take sick days anymore. It’s as if we just assume that besides covid, nobody gets sick. Or if we’re sick we can still work from home.

Don't get into this trap. If your not well enough to work in the office you're not well enough to work from home either. Pretend work from home doesn't exist. Otherwise you will burnout.

[SportsJunky]

I work from home and have for most of my career. The balance part can get a little murky some days. Most days, I'm at my desk by 6 and I shut it down around 4 or 5. The thing is, over the course of the day, I may watch a tv show with my little girl or have lunch with my wife or take my boy to the driving range. Today we hit the gym for 90 minutes. Also, I'm required to travel a fair bit and that's where the company really gets me to put in extra time. I'd say that I lose overall in the work/life balance equation but it's all we've ever known as a family so nobody complains much.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I’ve seen an increasing number of meeting requests over lunch. I ignore them.



Also, people almost never take sick days anymore. It’s as if we just assume that besides covid, nobody gets sick. Or if we’re sick we can still work from home.

I actually don't care about being on a call during the lunch hour. If I have lunch plans with someone, I won't attend otherwise I will just eat my lunch around my meetings. I don't care to have lunch at a set time every day.

[flamesfever]

nm

[Timbo]

I’m 60 years old and I consider myself semi retired. My wife has a great job which she enjoys and can retire at any time( she’s younger than me)
I work part time 20-35 hrs a week at a job I really enjoy and pays me between $32.00- $70.00 per hour.
It being stress free (for me) is a major benefit.
Work life balance for me is very good and I can realistically work at my position if I wish past 70

I’ve been in the rat race and I found in my case financially did not balance to my mental and physical deterioration.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by activeStick

I actually don't care about being on a call during the lunch hour. If I have lunch plans with someone, I won't attend otherwise I will just eat my lunch around my meetings. I don't care to have lunch at a set time every day.

Agree completely. What is the lunch hour anyway?
Further, sick days are pretty much a thing of the past, in my experience. These are personal days, and I don't know a single person who does not use every one of them.

[KTrain]

I'm always amazed at people who can actually make it to "lunch time" before eating their lunch. Everyday seems to be brunch time for me.

[Fuzz]

I can't bike in to work without breakfast. I just don't have the energy, and then I'm voracious when I arrive. And definitely not on the weekends when I'm doing stuff.

But everyone is different, so this idea "you don't need breakfast" or "skip dinner and have a big lunch" as something that applies to everyone is pretty silly. Trying to re-create Spanish meal times when we live our days differently makes no sense.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Agree completely. What is the lunch hour anyway?.

It’s to ensure you’re in the office for an extra hour every day, instead of bouncing after logging your time.

Take the break if you need it, but I don’t. I take about 15-20 to eat and then I’m back at it.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

It’s to ensure you’re in the office for an extra hour every day, instead of bouncing after logging your time.

Take the break if you need it, but I don’t. I take about 15-20 to eat and then I’m back at it.

That's why you're Pent-Up haha.