I should be working, but I'm here.

[tj_forplay]

My day has been spent binge watching The Politician, browsing this site, checking out potential providers, and watching porn. It's been hard to stay motivated to work while working from home lately. I've basically only responded to a few emails today, nevermind the fact I was suppose complete my self performance review & turn it into my director last Friday. It's a week late & he just sent me a reminder to get it in. So far I've only typed in my name & employee# on the form ??‍♂️ I wish I could hire someone to do this for me. I need a good vacation & haven't been able to use really any PTO due to Covid19.

[Guest]

I feel you! I’ve spent many an hour stalking posters and reading through old comments to try to “feel” like I know them.

[+ FrankR]

My day has been spent binge watching The Politician, browsing this site, checking out potential providers, and watching porn. It's been hard to stay motivated to work while working from home lately. I've basically only responded to a few emails today, nevermind the fact I was suppose complete my self performance review & turn it into my director last Friday. It's a week late & he just sent me a reminder to get it in. So far I've only typed in my name & employee# on the form ??‍♂️ I wish I could hire someone to do this for me. I need a good vacation & haven't been able to use really any PTO due to Covid19.

I’ve had too many days like this in 2020 as well - hang in there!

[+ sniper]

Google "Pomodoro technique" - I find it useful for cranking out mundane/unpleasant stuff I've been procrastinating on. Basically set a timer for 25 minutes and focust on the task. When the 25 minutes is up, take a 5 minute break. Do 3 more times, then take a longer break. Repeat as needed.

Sometimes just two hours of focus is all it takes to knock out some stuff you were putting off for a long time.

[+ Lucky]

Sometimes procrastination has nothing to do with the time the task will take me. It's just the idea of the task that stops me from doing it. Taxes are one, arguing bills is another. Calling a company whose "call volume has increased" is in there too.

Lately, showering feels like a burden...phew!

?

[maninsoma]

I probably could get away with a lot less effort spent on work now that I'm working from home, but I figure I'm being paid to work just like I was before the pandemic so I work when I'm supposed to (probably harder than when I was in the office with other people because there's little opportunity to just chat with co-workers that isn't focused on work).

 

Just curious: If you are able to ignore your work while you are supposed to be working from home, why can't you just take time off? Does your employer have a different perspective than you do about the importance of the work you do such that they think they can't get by without you for the length of your vacation?

[tj_forplay]

Sometimes procrastination has nothing to do with the time the task will take me. It's just the idea of the task that stops me from doing it. Taxes are one, arguing bills is another. Calling a company whose "call volume has increased" is in there too.

Lately, showering feels like a burden...phew!

?

The self evaluation of my annual performance review is one of those tasks for me.

[tj_forplay]

Just curious: If you are able to ignore your work while you are supposed to be working from home, why can't you just take time off? Does your employer have a different perspective than you do about the importance of the work you do such that they think they can't get by without you for the length of your vacation?

I'm only able to ignore it sporadically throughout the week. Certain days of the week are busier than others. Because of the pandemic, I'm on the COVID response team, and manage contract tracing if one of our employees test positive. I work in the grocery retail industry, so our stores must be open. I'm grateful to still have a well paying job as other industries have been hit hard during this time.

I guess I should say, part of the reason I haven't taken vacation is because of the pandemic, it'll be a stay at home vacation, and I'm sure I'll end up doing some work anyways. And also just in general, I feel a little guilty when I do take vacation. I don't know why, I just do. So I always end up taking at least half of my days at the end of the year before I lose my PTO hours.

[maninsoma]

I'm only able to ignore it sporadically throughout the week. Certain days of the week are busier than others. Because of the pandemic, I'm on the COVID response team, and manage contract tracing if one of our employees test positive. I work in the grocery retail industry, so our stores must be open. I'm grateful to still have a well paying job as other industries have been hit hard during this time.

I guess I should say, part of the reason I haven't taken vacation is because of the pandemic, it'll be a stay at home vacation, and I'm sure I'll end up doing some work anyways. And also just in general, I feel a little guilty when I do take vacation. I don't know why, I just do. So I always end up taking at least half of my days at the end of the year before I lose my PTO hours.

 

Gotcha. I'm in a similar position with respect to having a lot of vacation hours but little motivation to use them right now because it would just mean sitting at home which is what I'm already doing while working. It's obviously nice to be able to focus on things other than work, but I would still rather be able to go somewhere while I'm on vacation.

[+ Pensant]

Gotcha. I'm in a similar position with respect to having a lot of vacation hours but little motivation to use them right now because it would just mean sitting at home which is what I'm already doing while working. It's obviously nice to be able to focus on things other than work, but I would still rather be able to go somewhere while I'm on vacation.

I assume you’re in SFO? Why not take a drive up to Mendocino and go camping, or head up to Shasta or Southern Oregon. I’ve been doing road trips with little human interaction and having a blast.

[+ Charlie]

I worked remotely from home from 2002 to 2018, and I found that I got more done from home in the same time frame, without the casual socializing with colleagues that I used to do in the office. And I could do laundry at the same time!

[+ Just Sayin]

I am going a bit stir crazy even though I go to my office 4 days a week; my usual pattern is to get out of here once every 4 to 6 weeks, but that I've been here since mid-March; I am ready for a change of scenery!

[+ Lucky]

If I were paid for the time I spend here, I could afford a nice vacation!

[dbar123]

I loved being home in March for COVID. Every cloud has a silver lining for sure. When my boss called me back in the office sometime in June I got really depressed. Decided to retire early because I just couldn't stand working anymore in the office. My last day is next Tuesday.

 

As far as work goes, I used to think of the big picture, not the hours. As long as I accomplished one significant thing per day, I was good with that. So is the boss.

[+ Lucky]

I loved being home in March for COVID. Every cloud has a silver lining for sure. When my boss called me back in the office sometime in June I got really depressed. Decided to retire early because I just couldn't stand working anymore in the office. My last day is next Tuesday.

 

As far as work goes, I used to think of the big picture, not the hours. As long as I accomplished one significant thing per day, I was good with that. So is the boss.

Congratulations on your retirement!

[+ sniper]

Funny, I'm actually "unretiring" partially due to COVID. My old job that I left a few years ago called me back because both people working on what I used to do left and they had nobody who could step in. I was planning to start looking soon for something anyway and figured this dropping in my lap was too good an opportunity to pass up, since most employers would eye my gap with suspicion and I would likely have had trouble getting interviews. And it's remote which removes what was far and away my biggest problem with the job when I left.

[+ Lucky]

Funny, I'm actually "unretiring" partially due to COVID. My old job that I left a few years ago called me back because both people working on what I used to do left and they had nobody who could step in. I was planning to start looking soon for something anyway and figured this dropping in my lap was too good an opportunity to pass up, since most employers would eye my gap with suspicion and I would likely have had trouble getting interviews. And it's remote which removes what was far and away my biggest problem with the job when I left.

Lucky you!

[jonnychgo]

I loved being home in March for COVID. Every cloud has a silver lining for sure. When my boss called me back in the office sometime in June I got really depressed. Decided to retire early because I just couldn't stand working anymore in the office. My last day is next Tuesday.

 

As far as work goes, I used to think of the big picture, not the hours. As long as I accomplished one significant thing per day, I was good with that. So is the boss.

Congrats on the retirement!

[+ Charlie]

Funny, I'm actually "unretiring" partially due to COVID. My old job that I left a few years ago called me back because both people working on what I used to do left and they had nobody who could step in. I was planning to start looking soon for something anyway and figured this dropping in my lap was too good an opportunity to pass up, since most employers would eye my gap with suspicion and I would likely have had trouble getting interviews. And it's remote which removes what was far and away my biggest problem with the job when I left.

Congratulations on your unretirement!