Reply to: Staying away from home - might be coming around to the idea

[VirtualMonkey]

Very, very easy to let yourself go. However, with kids at home, I find it easier to gym whilst away, and do the fun exercise with them at weekends. Also take a bit of camping cooking stuff with me, so I can knock up something healthy as hotels don't understand what a healthy meal is, and few will cook you something not on the menu.

It depends on who you are. I am pretty fluent in French and Spanish now, as you just have so much more time on your hands, and if you use it well, it's productive time.

very true. I use my time away to get into the gym and read the mass of novels that has built up on the shelf over the last few years.
When that's done I might even break out the TOGAF manuals and read up before booking the course

[Sysman]

Three months of very early flight monday morning and late flight Friday evening. Awful.

That was a kiler for me. I did that a couple of times, but three months was enough and I didn't extend either time.

[psychocandy]

I'm lucky at the moment, Im 20 mins to client but I have had to spend time on their customer site 1.5 hours drive away.

You begin to realise that if you had to do that every day, i.e. leave home at 730, get home at 7pm then it wouldnt be so cool just to get home every night. Cant imagine doing this for 5 days because you'd be shagged by the time the weekend comes around.

[Zoiderman]

In my contracting career, I have pretty much split it 50/50. When away, I have always managed to either negotiate Tu-Thu and WFH on Mn + Fri, or Mon - Thu 4 day week. Currently on the Tu-Thu gig.

Very, very easy to let yourself go. However, with kids at home, I find it easier to gym whilst away, and do the fun exercise with them at weekends. Also take a bit of camping cooking stuff with me, so I can knock up something healthy as hotels don't understand what a healthy meal is, and few will cook you something not on the menu.

It depends on who you are. I am pretty fluent in French and Spanish now, as you just have so much more time on your hands, and if you use it well, it's productive time.

I have met some chozzers tho, who spend all night in Rest and Bar, whose lip service to exercise was a spell in the Jacuzzi.

[northernladuk]

The last 7 years I've basically spent nearly every week, primarily Monday to Thursday but quite often Fridays as well in hotels and previous to that I spent probably another 5-7 years travelling and I can tell you, I'm ******* knackered...

Am seriously loving your avatar!

[Pondlife]

If I'm on an away week I'll travel out Monday evening and back Thurs evening, so basically WFH Mon + Fri. Travelling on a Friday or a Sunday is a nightmare as it only takes one small thing and the weekend is fu<ked.

I don't travel every week anymore and haven't for about a year now. It is, as Darmstadt says, knackering.

Oh, and expect your waistline to grow too.

[darmstadt]

The last 7 years I've basically spent nearly every week, primarily Monday to Thursday but quite often Fridays as well in hotels and previous to that I spent probably another 5-7 years travelling and I can tell you, I'm ******* knackered...

[amcdonald]

I do feel that the weekends seem to go quicker if you work away from home, and travel back on a friday night

Time just feels compressed and you never quite relax

On the upside weekdays are a lot less stress without a long drive

[Lockhouse]

I did this for a while. It can work really well on a temporary basis giving you space and time to recharge after a period of difficult commuting. However, apart from the additional cost, after a while I found it quite difficult to just flit back into weekend mode when I got home.

So do it for a while if you need to but don't make it long term would be my advice.

[Diver]

I spent a year and half working away Mon to Fri. stuck in a hotel in Brighton. Different gig now (for past 2 years) and I get to work from home most of the time. Saying that, I have been spending a couple of days a week in London, Belgium or Germany for the past year, but the choice is mine.
It's a lot different when the choice is yours, and I sometimes take wifey with me so that she can crucify my credit (Shop).

Working away from the wife soon palls for me, and if it doesn't for someone else then I'm of the opinion that there's something lacking in the relationship and working away may be the best option. Absence makes the heart grow fonder etc...

[NotAllThere]

...Less travel reduces your carbon footprint.

OK - who let the hippy in?

[oscarose]

Speaking from personal experience, staying away from home during the week has several advantages:-

Less travel reduces your carbon footprint.
No nagging from wifey or partner (play the ‘I mislaid the mobile charger’ number).
Eat out every evening.
Allows an early start therefore an early finish and more drinking time.
Broadens your social horizons by engaging the locals.

That’s all that springs to mind at the moment.

HTH

[northernladuk]

"if you ever" is different to "3 or 4 nights per week"...

for 6+ months

[d000hg]

As is mine. Unfortunately it's me that dislikes me being away. What's the point of going for the larger rates if I miss the kids growing up in the process?

Sounds like a bonus to me

[scooby]

To be fair, the Mrs is OK if I ever have to work away....

"if you ever" is different to "3 or 4 nights per week"...