Work life isn’t the same for all of us. In fact, as I read through this HN thread, I find that work is more varied than I often consider. I haven’t worked for any of the big tech firms (FAANG or MSFT), but I have worked for companies that had a variety of perks, including food, gyms, childcare, and more. I’ve taken advantage of, and not been interested in, these perks at different times in my life.

Many of us are working from home (WFH) for the first time in an extended fashion. I’ve been quite fascinated in the differences amongst my co-workers. Most of them love this and are looking forward to the remainder of the year at home. Some don’t like it, and feel trapped. I’ve been WFH for nearly 20 years, but I’ve often been able to change my environment through travel or working in public spaces, which aren’t really a good idea right now, even if possible. So I’m perhaps struggling to cope more than I expected.

Now that we’re four months in for most of us, I wonder how many people are coping, and maybe more importantly, how are you achieving separation from work in your life? Are you setting work hours or shutting down your work communications? Perhaps you have some other technique?

I have tended to pop into my office often in the past, most every day, even weekends. The flip side if I often pop out of the office during the week for the gym or to do some personal task. I’ve also started to avoid even going into my office on the weekends, using my laptop if I need to browse the Internet for some knowledge, without opening Slack/Outlook/Twitter/etc. Trying to completely disconnect on the weekends.

If you are coping, or perhaps not coping, feel free to drop a note in the discussion, give a tip, ask for advice, or just let us know what you like or don’t like about your environment.

Steve Jones

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