Anyone else work remote or from home?

[stevehawk]

In a previous job, I worked from home for a couple of years. In my current position, I've been working remotely (from home) for the past few months.

Just this past week I realized that I can work pretty much anywhere so I floated the idea of traveling around the country in a camper to the wife. The premise is that I would work during the day as usual but we could drive anywhere we wanted at night or on the weekends. As a test run, I hit the road yesterday on a road trip to see how it would work. I drove to Reno (6 hours) where I stayed the night with family. I woke up this morning, logged on from their guest room and got to work as usual. I'm sitting in a Starbucks now -- still logged in and working away (okay, not right at this minute). I'm headed to Sacramento tonight (2 hiurs) to stay with my oldest son for a few days. I figure I'll work from his kitchen table while he's at work, and we can visit in the evenings.

Has anyone else ever had an opportunity to try this and, if so, what were your experiences? After a day, I'm kind of digging it but there have to be drawbacks.

 

[CRQuarto]

I envy you. :blush:

 

[NullSmurf]

I literally have the tools to do what I need from anywhere in the world. However, I do require collaboration with others that just can't (yet) be done except face to face. We are in cubeville, not because of our status, but because we MUST have the real time communication.

 

[bfreebern]

I work from home when I need/want to and can work remotely, since we have tokens to get into the network. To my surprise, I get more done at home, even with the little ones running around.

I think working remotely, as in a roadtrip, would be awesome (without kids). I think the only drawback would be in Bruces case, but if you have a cell phone and some kind of inter-company messaging, you're set.

 

[stevehawk]

I work from home when I need/want to and can work remotely, since we have tokens to get into the network. To my surprise, I get more done at home, even with the little ones running around.

I think working remotely, as in a roadtrip, would be awesome (without kids). I think the only drawback would be in Bruces case, but if you have a cell phone and some kind of inter-company messaging, you're set.

I agree with you about getting more done at home. I start earlier, take a shorter lunch break, and end my day later than I ever did in the office.

I have VPN, an AT&T aircard for internet access from anywhere, a Blackberry, and we use IBM Sametime for instant messaging. The only problem I have experienced so far pertains to conference calls. I have 2-3 per day and Starbucks is not the ideal environment when talking to clients or my boss. Otherwise, it's been great so far.

 

[jorel]

When I "work from home" - I spend several hours a day at my local B&M. He provides the coffee, I smoke the cigars. He's not even a "hot spot," so I have a Sprint Air Card for my laptop.

If I didn't have to be in the office more often, I might try what you are doing in the summer (my wife is a school teacher, so she can't work from home!). Til then, oh well, will just have blue smoke Fridays.

John

 

[SiriusBlack]

I have the ability to work from home when I need/want too. I enjoy it becuause I can sit in my PJ's have some Killer Beans coffee (that was a shout to our good brother and his coffee)and a cigar and still get what I need done. My only problem is that I dont really have a dedicated space setup for working. So sometimes I find myself hunched over in the bed all day which probably is not the best way to work. Also at this stage in my career I need the exposure. So with a boss that tends to be on the shy side, its better for me to be in the office and show my face in important meetings. However I do take advantage of the opportunity to work from home from time to time and its one of the benefits that keeps me with my current employer.

 

[lherzolite]

I work remotely, and wouldn't have it any other way. I VPN into the corporate netwrok, and dial-in to conference calls for all meetings. I only end up going to 'the office' once or twice every couple of months. Only drawbacks are its sometimes hard to hear everyone on the conference calls, and at times it would be more productive to be able to collaborate in person with co-workers. I am definitely more productive working at home; if for no other reason than I have an extra 3 hours/day that would otherwise be wasted commuting. Its also really nice that I don't have some manager looking over my shoulder making sure I'm busy. When its slow I don't get much work done and usually tend to household stuff, but when I'm slammed, I make sure I get the work done whatever it takes.

 

[Strayvector]

I work from home when I'm not on the road. Been doing this for the past 4 years now. It's actually pretty cool...I save on gas and I'm a thorn in wife's side all day long.

 

[jorel]

I work from home when I'm not on the road. Been doing this for the past 4 years now. It's actually pretty cool...I save on gas and I'm a thorn in wife's side all day long.

Let me know Sam next time you come to the NY or Westchester area!

John

 

[Fatken]

I work exclusively from home, but for myself. So I don't have the issues of communication with the company. It is great to be able to pack up and go on the road from time to time (I don't do it often because I am pretty much a home body). My wife also works remote when she is not traveling, which is about half the time.

Hope you enjoy your travels.

Ken

 

[g-smoke]

Used to be a remote worker and changed jobs last year to an office in my locale. Worst move I ever made. Sure, I'm more keyed in and have more responsibility, but I'm also in the office from 9-7 nearly every day and I basically get to kiss my daughters good night and that's the gist of my fatherly duties. Remote working is definitely the way to go.

 

[Strayvector]

I work from home when I'm not on the road. Been doing this for the past 4 years now. It's actually pretty cool...I save on gas and I'm a thorn in wife's side all day long.

Let me know Sam next time you come to the NY or Westchester area!

John

Definitely, John. Looking forward to meeting and smoking with you, but it looks like my next project is going to be in Chicago.

 

[Smokin'Sims]

My wife works remotely and likes it for the most part. She is the only person in the group who doesn't work in the office. The downsides that she has mentioned are feeling she's been passed over for promotions as they don't see her all the time and being left out of the loop inadvertently. Both of her complaints are going to depend on your supervisors though. I can work from home when I'm writing grants, papers or classes, but I feel I'll always be in the lab/office so I can answer questions or apply a swift kick in the pants to grad students that need it. When the boss man isn't around only the self motivated work.

 

[Wolfie]

I work from home when I'm not in the office. Considering my office is 3500 miles away, that pretty much means I work from home roughly ten months a year. Did you ever watch The Matrix? You remember that scene near the beginning where Mr Anderson is asleep in his apartment? Yeah, I'm probably shorter, darker and I have long blue hair but otherwise...

Everybody always thinks it's a great deal and it is...You have free time when you want and on your terms. Go out for a walk, take a break, go to the gym, do laundry and dishes whenever you want or need...but the reality of it is, the line between work and not can get pretty blurred.

This hits you one day while you're finishing up one of a string of projects and realize that you've been so focused on work that you haven't seen natural sunlight for...wait, what day is this again?


On the other end of the spectrum...I've recently taken an evening job for extra cash that actually requires me to go into an office building. Boy...I never remembered going into an office every day to feel so inconvenient.

 

[bfreebern]

I work from home when I need/want to and can work remotely, since we have tokens to get into the network. To my surprise, I get more done at home, even with the little ones running around.

I think working remotely, as in a roadtrip, would be awesome (without kids). I think the only drawback would be in Bruces case, but if you have a cell phone and some kind of inter-company messaging, you're set.

I agree with you about getting more done at home. I start earlier, take a shorter lunch break, and end my day later than I ever did in the office.

I have VPN, an AT&T aircard for internet access from anywhere, a Blackberry, and we use IBM Sametime for instant messaging. The only problem I have experienced so far pertains to conference calls. I have 2-3 per day and Starbucks is not the ideal environment when talking to clients or my boss. Otherwise, it's been great so far.

Yeah, that's the biggest thing for me as well. I can usually put it on speaker and listen, but I have to be careful to use the Mute. I've been on a few calls lately, actively talking, then my daughter will blurt out that she has to poop or something. Fun times trying to be on a conference call with kids running around.

Having a BB and sametime/MSN is what I use and count on. We also have a feature on our office phones called find me/follow me, where you can have your phone set to forward to multiple phones, depending on the circumstance.

 

[jfields]

I started working from home last June with my own business. I don't know what took me so long looking back at it, and I love it.
I get up and work out at my leisure after getting the kids off to school, and then I get busy. I completely agree with getting more work done here than I ever did in an office. That, and I don't miss the politics and bitchy old women that comes with working on site one bit.

Saving $500.00 a month on daycare, and $400.00 for gas a month has also translated into more cigar funds as well.

 

[thinde]

I started working from home last June with my own business. I don't know what took me so long looking back at it, and I love it.
I get up and work out at my leisure after getting the kids off to school, and then I get busy. I completely agree with getting more work done here than I ever did in an office. That, and I don't miss the politics and bitchy old women that comes with working on site one bit.

Saving $500.00 a month on daycare, and $400.00 for gas a month has also translated into more cigar funds as well.

I live close to work and we only have one child left at home, now in high school but I still envy anyone who has the oportunity to work from home. Sometimes its harder to manage the personalities than it is the construction projects.
Tom

 

[Satchmo]

My work would not know if I was working from home or Reno. I am basically a VPN and a cell phone. I'm sure I could visit my sister in CO and not miss a beat.

I am torn with the working from home deal. There are many pluses: no commute, less gas to pay for, home sooner, see the family at lunch, etc... However, it is difficult being without the face to face as Bruce stated. Sometimes tasks take a lot longer when you are not in the office. Plus, there is something to be said about the personal interaction of an office. I can literally go the week without stepping outside the house. It can be challenging....

 

[thechenman]

I envy all of you who can work from home. I do VPN into the network when I am sick or during the evenings when I am home and the kids are asleep to get some extra work done. But I see clients, travel and work on a trading desk where the timely flow of information is essential. That prevents me from ever being able to do this.