Sunday, September 24, 2023

The Sunday Five: Workplaces


 For many of us, work has changed radically over the past four years.  Covid brought lock-down and remote work, and for those of us whose work does not require a physical presence in the workplace, workplace has been redefined. After three plus years - how do we really feel about it? I was going to write an essay on this, and thought why not see how others feel before I do. 

1: Are you or someone in your household working remotely full or part time? 

2: Do you (or they) find it to be more productive or less productive? 

3: How well do you separate work and personal life? 

4: Do you (or they) miss being in the workplace? 

5: What is the best/worst part of remote work? 

My answers: 

1: Are you or someone in your household working remotely full or part time? I am remote three days a week, in the office two days per week.  The sweet bear is retired. 

2: Do you (or they) find it to be more productive or less productive? I am probably more productive working at home, because the time I would spend commuting, is often spend as extra hours working. 

3: How well do you separate work and personal life? I have always been terrible at it.  I do log off my office computer, but I keep thinking and when you get paid to think, you never really stop working. 

4: Do you (or they) miss being in the workplace? I miss being around other people in the office.  We pack a lot into a couple of days a week in the office, but most of the rest of the office is abandoned. 

5: What is the best/worst part of remote work? The best part is fewer hours of commuting, I miss the hours on the train (great reading time.) The worst part is not seeing anyone beyond a small circle of colleagues.  

Please share your answers in the comments. 

16 comments:

  1. 1: Are you or someone in your household working remotely full or part time? Neither.

    2: Do you (or they) find it to be more productive or less productive? Those i know say they were more productive working remotely...thought most I know are back in the work place at least three days a week now.

    3: How well do you separate work and personal life? Extremely well separate. I've always been very good with that as my jobs are always an in person occupation.

    4: Do you (or they) miss being in the workplace? I did. Those working remotely i know are mixed. The extroverted people are extremely happy to be back in the office, while some of my introverted friends like better working from home

    5: What is the best/worst part of remote work? Not sure since I never did it, but I would have to say I would feel like work is invading my personal space working remotely and I would not like that by any means.

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    1. Work is intrusive when you are working in your bedroom.

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  2. 1: Are you or someone in your household working remotely full or part time? Not now.
    2: Do you (or they) find it to be more productive or less productive? I did at times work remotely. I found it more productive but I missed the sociability.
    3: How well do you separate work and personal life? I did not do well at that.
    5: What is the best/worst part of remote work? No opportunity for comradery.

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    Replies
    1. You always have the cats to remind you of your duties.

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  3. 1 my husband work remotely 2 days per week. I'm full-time at the office.
    2. he finds it more productive being at home. I used to be that way when i WFH full-time. Now I get distracted.
    3. Pretty well. I don't have work email on my phone and I put on 'do not disturb' on my phone when I leave work.
    4. Husband does not miss the workplace. I kind of did,
    5. for husband, 40 minute commute time each way (or lack of) was the best part - and he gets to stay home with the dog.

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    Replies
    1. When I work remotely I miss reading on the train.

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  4. I'm glad I retired before the pandemic. I would HATE working remotely. I needed the discipline of getting dressed in "office attire" and physically going to the office in order to focus on doing the job. My home is my home and I don't want it contaminated by work. I would not be able to concentrate there.

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    Replies
    1. Office attire has become more informal.

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  5. 1: Are you or someone in your household working remotely full or part time? We both are; Carlos can do translations via phone or Zoom, and I can work by computer, though I rather like going into work.

    2: Do you (or they) find it to be more productive or less productive? I have to close the office door to push away sounds of the house. Carlos doesn't seem to have that issue.

    3: How well do you separate work and personal life? I work when it's work, and when I'm done, I'm done; even the phone goes silent.

    4: Do you (or they) miss being in the workplace? Carlos still gets to court, or wherever he's needed, from time to time, so he gets his fill. As I sad, I like going into work and do most days [I only work four days per week.]

    5: What is the best/worst part of remote work? Best is the clothes; comfy shorts and such; and having cat and dog breaks. Worst part would be not seeing co-workers, most of whom I really like.

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    Replies
    1. I wish we could wear shorts to the office.

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  6. 1: Are you or someone in your household working remotely full or part time? Yes, me.
    2: Do you (or they) find it to be more productive or less productive? Some days, more productive others not so much. I guess it depends on what I'm working on.
    3: How well do you separate work and personal life? I do that very well. When I close the laptop, I'm done.
    4: Do you (or they) miss being in the workplace? Sometimes I do but it's not the same as before. They remodeled our office for 'hoteling' cubes so when I do in, I have to find a spot. It's not always the same spot. I find that disrupting which is probably why I don't go in as often as I should.
    5: What is the best/worst part of remote work? I miss being around the people and hearing what is going on. There doesn't seem to be as much collaboration.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have the same office, but it is shared with another person. If I need to go in on a day that I am not scheduled, I need to coordinate with the my desk mate, or move to anyplace that is open. She seldom comes into the office.

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  7. 1: Are you or someone in your household working remotely full or part time?
    Nope! My wife and I are both retired.
    2: Do you (or they) find it to be more productive or less productive?
    See answer to No. 1.
    3: How well do you separate work and personal life?
    See answer to No. 1.
    4: Do you (or they) miss being in the workplace?
    See answer to No 1.
    5: What is the best/worst part of remote work?
    I imagine that the best part is that you can do it in your underpants and that the worst part is that you are using your own electricity.

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    Replies
    1. # is certainly one of the advantages

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  8. I work at the office again. I miss working from home. I wish it were a hybrid. It is nice to be at work as there is some sense of work vs. home and the secretaries are there to do things and first time patients I like to see move/sit and interact.

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    Replies
    1. In person adds so much to communication and understanding.

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