Real jobs - Clubhouse - Runner's World

Doobs

10/09/2002 at 14:10

Somewhat contentious thread title - but I was wondering how many regular forumites work from home, or are freelance, and so can more easily spend time on the forum? I work in an open plan office, with my computer facing my boss's boss's office, so can only join in at lunch time, or quickly first thing.

How do you manage to hide this addiction to talking about ironing, sweets etc from other people at work??

Don Minquez

10/09/2002 at 14:29

Urm... Gotta job, don't do it though... Does that count?

10/09/2002 at 14:40

I am the boss!! Anyway, as some of my work has connections with marathon running and some forum members would indirectly be clients of mine even if they don't know it, I can justify the time spent here as valuable research. Phew, do you think I got away with it?

drew

10/09/2002 at 14:53

As an employee benefits consultant I spend a considerable time researching companies and meeting up with HR directors/managers. When I am in the office I usually have 4 or 5 windows running at the same time and simply switch between windows when someone's passing. Having a laptop also makes it easier as I can position it so that no one else can see. Dead easy really. I'm typing this and talking to the boss at the same time!

fraggle

pirate

10/09/2002 at 14:56

I too am the boss! I work from home as a domestic engineer, and we have broadband, so I'm permanently connected to the outside world. I just have to check in every now and then if I get time to.

neilruns .

10/09/2002 at 15:00

I've got all bases covered - freelance, work from home, own boss and employ others (but they all work in an office a long, long way away from me!)

Xerxes

10/09/2002 at 15:01

I can stay connected all day (at univ.) I just look every now and then. Add a few iorning hints, then continue with what I was doing.

Trying to cut down, however.

What about a book of ironig tips?
Hmmmm.

Snoop Dogg

10/09/2002 at 15:14

I own an 0906 telephone chat line at £1.50 p.m., employing 150 women slaves chained to their mouthpieces, on a disused oil platform in the middle of the North Sea.

No distractions then from tetchy bosses.

LongDistanceBadger

10/09/2002 at 15:19

I work at a University - hence connection always open + working on v laid back arts campus + students not back yet + sharing office with gay pagan high priest busy checking out Californian kilt sites = not a lot of work gets done!!! Have Staff Development Review tomorrow though - not quite sure how I will explain my lack of development!

RossB

10/09/2002 at 15:19

I work from home, and since I occasionally collaborate with a company, they've paid for an always on ISDN connection for me (I'm too rural for ADSL). Nobody really knows what I do during the day, and nobody really cares so long as I can show some result at the end of it.

Hildegard

10/09/2002 at 15:31

I'm a postgrad, so no, absolutely no real job for me. I had one once though, although the sad details are best left unsaid - proletarian office slave!

I work all day, and I do actually get work done. I have to finish my thesis by June, so I definitely have to work!

I'm moving in a few weeks, so god knows what will happen to the quality of my internet connection when I will be forced to reply upon NTL. Shivers!!

And come next summer, I'll be starting a postdoc, so still no 'real' job. Oh, how I love academia!

Nana

10/09/2002 at 15:37

i work 9-5 as a civil engineer in the same room as my boss - the screen faces him. so generally i only check in before and after work and at lunchtime - but he's out at the moment so i thought i'd have a quick look!

The Dog Walker

10/09/2002 at 15:46

I work in an open plan office as well, but the last desk reshuffle was kind to me! I got the prized corner desk with my monitor facing away from the rest of the office! So like Drew, I keep a couple of work windows (Outlook and Access) on standby and use the Auto Hide feature of the taskbar to cover my extra curricular activity when someone saunters over!

Don't ask me what my job is - I can't remember as it's been several months since I dabbled with work!!!!

Sloth

10/09/2002 at 16:05

I'm in an open plan office too but currently everyone's too busy to take any notice of what I'm doing! (does that mean I should be too?). We spend a lot of time on the telephone, often on hold, so I can get away with browsing the internet. I also have a lot of 'work related' screens open ready for the quick switch. It's only when I start laughing aloud (last time at Caz's jokes) that I get inquisitive looks.

The Dog Walker

10/09/2002 at 16:07

Suz,

What you need to remember is that everyone else is probably also up to things they shouldn't be whilst looking so busy!

DW

Sloth

10/09/2002 at 16:11

too true! Just had a quick look around - someone's playing solitaire, one's reading the newspaper and one's looking up something on Google. So yes, we are a very busy office at the moment!

Scar Runner

10/09/2002 at 16:13

I get the Double Standards of the Year award as on my last contract working from a client's premises I threatened to remove the internet facility from the temporary student team if they didn't immediately stop using chatrooms during work time.
Actually I only log on during the day if I'm working from home; wish we could get broadband, it's so tedious listening to the bleep bleep bleep everytime the modem dials up so I can check the forum. Could do with some better employee benefits, perhaps I should give Drew a call?

drew

10/09/2002 at 16:17

Laura, I'd be happy to help you. Do you have more than 1,000 employees?

Monique

pirate

10/09/2002 at 16:19

I am also at the university. I also have the argument to counter allegations of time wasting that I actively tried to stop them giving us a computer, they should have realised that as an addictive personality it was bound to get out of hand.

Xerxes

10/09/2002 at 16:31

Good one Monique, but I am not sure it will wash. I wonder how many univ. (wo)man hrs are spent on the internet??