Reply to: Missing the family

[portseven]

Curently looking for next gig, all the gigs seem to be down south (I am in north Derbyshire) so fully expecting to do the weekly commute soon. Not happy really, but in the current climate, beggars can't be choosers.

My plan is to see if I can swing a day working from home each week, probably fridays. So go down at crack of dawn Monday, leave Thursday. In my line of work there is a reasonable amount of document writing so my excuse would be that the day at home is writing up the weeks work.

[Stolly]

I've just narrowly avoided working away from home by dint of pimp not telling the client that i couldn't start on Monday even though they wanted to offer me the gig

Mixed feelings really, the money was good but staying away wasn't filling me with joy.

I'll happily stay local for 150-200 a day less than i could get away....

[EternalOptimist]

What are you ? a man or a mouse.

I worked away for years as the kids were growing up, never did me or them any harm at all.

I still see the oldest lad, whatshisname, during visiting hours on a saturday, but only when I am not working. He'll be out in ten months anyway. And my daughter, whasserface, she is making a fortune. I know that having a daughter starring in pornos isnt every fathers dream.

but it brings in the dollars. and thats what counts. right?

[Platypus]

Drive from Manchester to Luton.

Train takes 2.5 hours ... more reliable and less knackering?

How much would it cost to commute daily?
- looks like £120 per day

[The Lone Gunman]

I am looking for gigs closer to home, but for some reason there aren't any.

I try and compress my week so I can enjoy POETS day. Leaving at 2pm. Drive from Manchester to Luton.

I left at 3 last week, expecting to be in around 5:30. Torrential rain, crap drivers and the M6 saw me get in at the back of 8.

How flexi is your client? What is your routine?
I used to travel very late Sunday so I could be on deck first thing Monday. I would wait till the wife was going to bed Sunday night then set off. Meant I could get the hours in by Thursday lunch and get home Thursday aft/eve.
Depends if you like to see your kids Monday mornings really.

[suityou01]

SY01 you need to sort this out somehow. You won't get these years back.

I am looking for gigs closer to home, but for some reason there aren't any.

I try and compress my week so I can enjoy POETS day. Leaving at 2pm. Drive from Manchester to Luton.

I left at 3 last week, expecting to be in around 5:30. Torrential rain, crap drivers and the M6 saw me get in at the back of 8.

[voodooflux]

I can't really add anything that hasn't already been said, but I hope you manage to sort this out soon. I count myself extremely lucky to have always been able to commute to my gigs - having to work away would feel like a prison sentence to me.

[sasguru]

SY01 you need to sort this out somehow. You won't get these years back.

[Platypus]

SY01, my heart goes out to you.

This won't help, in fact it will probably makes things worse, but those days when the family were young were the best of my life. Do anything and everything you can to maximise that time.

If you can't get a gig that's commutable, even 2 hours each way, then TE's advice looks like an excellent option.

Could you move the family into a holiday let over the summer so they can be close to you?

Life is so friggin' short

[RichardCranium]

Can you not do any from home.

<snip progression to 3 days>

Thank you.

For some years I have been working with other PMs and programme managers who do 4 or 3 day weeks. I can never work out how to get into that position. I have tried asking outright and always been told: "No, your project needs to be 9 to 5".

Every so often, a gem pops up on CUK that I print off and pin up. This was another.

[BoredBloke]

Can you not do any from home. I spent almost 4 years at GSK and only did Fridays for the first 6 months. The way I played it was to bang in the hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thrursday and leave early on Friday. Initially early was 2pm , but managed to start leaving at 12 as the traffic was a nightmare. Mondays were out as my commute started at 5am so I didn't feel like doing extra hours!

Then I hit on this idea. We had a number of issues where it would have been handy for me to be involved but because I was on the road on Friday afternoon I couldn't. So I offered to work as normal, leaving me with about 4 hours of work to do on a Friday. These hours I'd do from home and if anything came up, I was at least able to pitch in and because this would benefit me in terms of my costs (only 3 nights away) and lifestyle then I'd not bill for anything over the 4 hours. To be honest they never really got the 4 hours out of me on the Friday so it was never an issue.

Then I hit on the idea of checking my mail early on the Monday and started doing half my mondays at home, then at 11, when the roads were quieter I'd set off and aim to get to the office for about 2ish. Then I'd work till about 7. But often when checking the mail, something urgent would come up and that gave me the justification I needed to do the whole of Monday from home also!

The result was all Fridays from home and a lot of Mondays also. I managed to get the same thing at BP also. No such luck here in Geneva though the miserable CSL's

[Wilmslow]

Would finances/clientco allow a week off? Then you can spend some time with family, relax and consider options.

Finding a new local job will take a while so don't burn your boats.

Can you work from home? One day a week will make it much easier (only 3 nights away).

Make a point of having a day off every month (various excuses!) to give you a long weekend?

Could family come down for a couple of days a month to keep you company? (I know that's difficult with such young kids)? Rent a flat rather than do hotels - more expensive but better for family.

Definitely the camera option - talk to them every evening and maybe morning too. You'll be able to see the baby as he grows.

Everyone's talking about green shoots - come September I hope you'll find one nearer home.

Another option may to be asking for a 4 day week - client saves money, you get more quality family time.

another option may be to leave clientco early one day mid-week, get home in the afternoon, spend morning at home and get to clientco for a late evenning the following day. Eg, flextime kind of thing?

[weemster]

Been a 'tractor since 07. 4 gigs. 2 commutable. 1 year commuting, 1.5 years away if this contract runs to term.

Where are you based ? and what space are you in ? (felt like a yankism!! this morning).

[SillyMilly]

Would finances/clientco allow a week off? Then you can spend some time with family, relax and consider options.

Finding a new local job will take a while so don't burn your boats.

Can you work from home? One day a week will make it much easier (only 3 nights away).

Make a point of having a day off every month (various excuses!) to give you a long weekend?

Could family come down for a couple of days a month to keep you company? (I know that's difficult with such young kids)? Rent a flat rather than do hotels - more expensive but better for family.

Definitely the camera option - talk to them every evening and maybe morning too. You'll be able to see the baby as he grows.

Everyone's talking about green shoots - come September I hope you'll find one nearer home.

[suityou01]

Feel very sorry for you, how long have you been in the game and of that time how long have you been in daily commutable distance from home ?

Been a 'tractor since 07. 4 gigs. 2 commutable. 1 year commuting, 1.5 years away if this contract runs to term.