Commuting/Telecommuting

[MrsK]

The topic of commuting and telecommuting for work frequently arises in various parts of the forum as it is part of life for many of us. Whose done it? What did you like about it? Dislike about it? How would you advise someone who is thinking about it? Any commuting/telecommuting tips?

Note: this is intended as a discussion to support those that want to or need to commute or telecommute and is not intended to spark a debate about it. We do not need yet another battle of WOH/SAH. Let's support our working spouses who have been building careers in the shadow of medicine

[Pollyanna]

When I worked I arranged to be part time on campus and part time from home. On paper it seemed to be the ideal situation. In practice I was basically "on call" for my boss any day that I was home (whether it was a work day or not). Now I could have drawn a line a made my hours more definitive but that's not my style. If my boss or the lab needed something I would just figure out a way to make it happen. For me, working from home created more work and commitment than just working full time from campus would have been. But like I said, this was partially my fault. When you are working from home you never want to be perceived as "the slacker" so I think it can create more pressure for some.

[MissCrabette]

I'm doing it right now, and I love and hate it at the same time. I love not having to commute or dress up (although I miss dressing up a little). I also love being able to have lunch at home and having a bit more flexibility than in a traditional job.

The main thing I hate about it is that it's very difficult to separate my work and personal life. This flexibility that people seem to always talk about is a two-edged sword. I still struggle with finding a balance between being available to my coworkers and supervisors and carving out time for myself.

I don't know about recommendations other than to say that you shouldn't let the work seep into your life if you can help it. Try to treat it as much as a regular job as possible. Don't start working in pajamas because you want to do one tiny thing before people start "coming in." Before you know it, it's lunch time, and you're still at your desk and still a disheveled mess. Dress to shoes as the FlyLady says.

[samssugarmomma]

I;ve never done it for more than a day or two to take care of a sick kiddo,

I'm eager to see how others have balanced it / made it work as parts of my old job in Cinci could be done by telecommuting and I've considered doing it again once the kids are in school.

[MsSassyBaskets]

I work remotely full-time. Like Miss Crabette said, I love it and I hate it. For me, it's because my organization doesn't have an office in my current city. When I move to a bigger city in a year I'll definitely see if I can get a spot at the local office so I at least have a choice.

Loves: The flexibility, not having to drive anywhere, only having to put on a suit about 4 days a year, the general comfort of being in a home, in a neighborhood, with the windows open, instead of being in a stuffy, fluorescent-lit office.

Hate: The isolation of not having coworkers around to bounce ideas off of, the lack of structure, not feeling as connected to the organization I work for.

Still working on: Keeping myself on task throughout the day, staying in close enough contact with coworkers, getting up and showering and getting dressed first thing in the morning instead of jumping into work first (although sometimes I do this intentionally and then go running and shower over lunch time, which is a plus).

My biggest problem is a lack of self-discipline, which I'm working on. Maybe I'm a little ADD, but I think it's compounded by not feeling as connected to my work, and the fact that my tasks are relatively self-determined. I've followed the work at home advice that I've read to keep regular hours and have a work space that is separate from living spaces, and I think that helps a lot. But it's a struggle for me. It depends a lot on your own work style and the demands of your job.

[SoonerTexan]

I have the flexibility to do it every so often and I enjoy it in small doses, but not every day. I like the interaction that come with work and find it difficult to work with the baby at home, though doable in a pinch.

I actually really like having a hard separation between work/non work and don't like bringing it home, but it is worth it for my current setup.

[scrub-jay]

I love telecommuting and wish I could do it FT. I am very self-driven and can get more accomplished at home without distraction. My Masters programs were distance/online and I absolutely loved it and was very successful. The keys for me are to (1) take my kiddo to daycare and (2) establish an organized, dedicated environment that promotes productivity.

[MissCrabette]

Alright, now you have to share your secrets.

[GrayMatterWife]

I telecommute now full-time. Started last month after we moved. But, honestly, I was doing a lot of that when I was in St Louis. I worked from home most Mondays and Fridays. My judge is generally not in chambers those days and doesn't care where I am--as long as I am getting the job done.

Thus far, my life has changed zero. I am just doing it from Atlanta. The change will come when I have to fly back to St Louis a couple of times a year for major trials. That will be a PITA, but--at least I get to visit friends there!

I don't like it or dislike it. I can go either way. I just really need call-forwarding, the internet, and a computer--and to be left alone from my kids--and it doesn't really matter where I am.

There is one small complication, that has both benefits and drawbacks: the time zone difference. My kids are out of the house and at school by 8:00 AM (Eastern). That's 7:00 AM (Central). No one is in court for another two hours. So, that's nice--I am not getting phone calls from colleagues or attorneys. On a down-note, when my son gets home at 3:00 PM, it is only 2:00 PM in St Louis--in the middle of the workday. So, he has to be quiet every time the phone rings. And, I pick up the girls around 5:15 PM...only 4:15 in St Louis. In general, I just don't answer the phone between 5:15 and 6:30 (Eastern).

[poky]

There is one small complication, that has both benefits and drawbacks: the time zone difference.

I *loved* the time zone difference when I was working for a company in Anchorage while I was here in Cleveland - I would start about 8am my time and get four full hours of work in before anybody even showed up at the office...and they didn't really expect me to answer the phone or be working after lunchtime their time, because they knew I'd already put in a full day.

For me telecommuting worked well for that job; I don't have kids to work around, I liked being able to roll out of bed and start working in my jammies, make my lunch in my kitchen, and get laundry done during the workday, and the work was relatively contained; it was just a matter of doing it.

For my current job, I was actually NOT looking forward very much to telecommuting if we'd had to move for residency. The commute sucks (though not nearly as bad as it could if this city had any real traffic), and I hate that I lose an hour a day just getting here and back, but... it gets me out of the house, and my current job is so eclectic, and so interactive, that I'd be at a disadvantage if I wasn't here. A whole lot happens here in hallway conversations, and if you had to email or call or IM to talk to anybody, you'd get left out of a lot. I overhear work-related conversations between coworkers, and that keeps me up on what's going on, and sometimes I can jump in and answer a question for them. There's a lot I'd miss if I had to telecommute here.

[oceanchild]

I worked from home for about 6 months, and I hated it. I like the office environment. (There, I said it - I like working in an office.)

I was mostly just lonely when I was telecommuting. We had just moved to a new place, and I spent almost all of my time alone in my house. It was depressing. The office interaction is a really valuable thing for me.

[HouseofWool]

I love and kinda dislike the telecommuting gig. For me the pros far outweigh the negatives, but they do exist.

On the plus side, as a single mom, I love the flexibility that my current arrangement offers. I get up and get everyone out the door at a reasonable hour so that I am working between 8-8:30 most days. However, Walmart is on the way back from daycare and I will admit that I swing in there without the kids because I can do the shopping in half the time without them.

The fact that when one of the kids is sick, I don't need to forgo work entirely is a huge benefit. I can fit work in around taking care of the kiddo and do more at night when they are asleep.

But, I find that I am struggling without the adult interaction that working in an office environment brings. This has more to do with my current overall situation than anything else, but it is an issue for me.

The time difference can also be a challenge. But, because they are on Eastern and I am on Central time it usually isn't that big of deal. Except for some reason, I always seem to catch a groove right around 11 my time which is precisely when everyone I need to talk to closes for lunch.

For the time being, I can't imagine doing anything else. I love my job, I am immensely grateful for this opportunity that I was handed and am extremely lucky to have the employers that I do.

[OrionGrad]

I've been working from home FT since 2009. Since I don't technically have a "boss," it's up to me to show up to work each morning and get the job done each day. I love it, but I also have friends who would HATE this lifestyle.

What has really worked for me is creating an office in our house where I work during the day, and then SHUTTING the office door when my work day is done. Just being able to shut the door at the end of the day has helped me separate my personal life from my work life. (Although I still obviously reply to work emails and all that during non-working hours.) I typically start work around 7 a.m. and work in my PJs until 1 p.m., then I work out, take a shower, and eat lunch. I realize this schedule is going to have to change after I give birth in a few weeks, but up until now it has worked really well. I'm the kind of person who would prefer to get as much work as possible done right away, and then have time to relax later in the afternoon.

I think working from home for the long-term only works for people who have the inner motivation to get work done when nobody is watching. If you're the kind of person who thrives in a group environment or needs a boss checking in to actually get projects done, then I don't think the set-up would work well for very long.