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Here is an article that supports the "but* in seat" mentality of the best way to work. I disagree, it all depends on discipline and productivity. But then, a sour faced manager can't watch you work at home, so by their estimation you are not productive enough. But this article is part of the new offensive that I see in getting people back to the office to work "responsibly".
Right within the first paragraph I stopped reading the article. Most professional desk jobs are salaried where compensation is based on responsibilities. Salaried people should be evaluated based on how well they fulfill their responsibilities and not on hours logged at work.
Humans were not meant to look at screens for hours on end... Whether at home or in the office.
Though I agree, I also have no problem doing exactly that.
If you don't allow it to be a problem for yourself, but instead look inside and know you can do it, it can work out. The key is to not let your mind get carried away with it as a problem, to where your brain and nervous system start working against you. It's actually great therapy and discipline, using your mind to make adjustments to the environment and situation. We've always done that as people, though see less of that now, and are worse off and more fragile as a consequence.
There's so much that the mind can help us with, if we try. But we use so little of it.
Last edited by Thoreau424; 08-18-2021 at 10:56 AM..
Though I agree, I also have no problem doing exactly that.
If you don't allow it to be a problem for yourself, but instead look inside and know you can do it, it can work out. The key is to not let your mind get carried away with it as a problem, to where your brain and nervous system start working against you. It's actually great therapy and discipline, using your mind to make adjustments to the environment and situation. We've always done that as people, though see less of that now, and are worse off and more fragile as a consequence.
There's so much that the mind can help us with, if we try. But we use so little of it.
Seems a little over-the-top, like a quote from some Jack Welch management guide.
"You don't need breaks. In fact, you don't need a life outside of work at all. Keep plugging away!"
What was the other one I just read recently from the man himself?
"There is no such thing as a work-life balance. There are decisions you make around your work, and there are consequences to them".
Not only is there an argument to be had around maintaining some balance to your work-life, it's also not healthy to sit around on your arse all day and stare at a screen whether you can do it or not. There is no way I'm sacrificing my long term health for the profits of another person.
^ You can either look for solutions and ways of growing and expanding, or you can shoot everything down, criticize, and cower under your desk. I see just one go-round in this life, and want to maximize everything possible, and live life to the fullest. If others want to compromise and settle for less though, well... But the power and ability of our minds is way beyond what most these days want to face and admit to. Even small adjustments can improve the quality of every moment of our days.
^ You can either look for solutions and ways of growing and expanding, or you can shoot everything down, criticize, and cower under your desk. I see just one go-round in this life, and want to maximize everything possible, and live life to the fullest. If others want to compromise and settle for less though, well... But the power and ability of our minds is way beyond what most these days want to face and admit to.
I don't care about whatever woo woo spiritualism you're touting about the power of the mind. From a physical health standpoint, it's just basic science. Sitting around staring at a screen for hours on end is not healthy.
I don't care about whatever woo woo spiritualism you're touting about the power of the mind. From a physical health standpoint, it's just basic science. Sitting around staring at a screen for hours on end is not healthy.
The unhealthy part is the sitting. We're built to be on our feet walking throughout the day. It's healthier to walk around the office meeting with people, having hallway conversations, discussions in the courtyard/park/gym/game room, etc. than it is to take meetings through zoom/meet/teams all day where you sit/stand in the same place for hours at a time.
They're comparing how much work you THOUGHT you did at first vs. what you did after REALLY thinking about it. And based that on what employer's expect.
Me thinks if you did that with office workers... you'll get the same results in that they work less than they think.
The numbers may differ. Just because you're actually sitting at a desk doesn't mean you're working.
Finally - time spent ≠actual work.
This really comes down to how you define work. For many jobs - it's has little to do with how much time you spent but what you actually produced. What is also rarely considered is the "quality" of that work when time is equal. Some people can get more done in an hour at home vs. at work (or vice versa).
Agree. I think that this is a propaganda type of article meant to get people back to the office rather than being based on solid evidence. Kowtowing to employers who want to see their employees work from the office with the facts being on the light side.
The unhealthy part is the sitting. We're built to be on our feet walking throughout the day. It's healthier to walk around the office meeting with people, having hallway conversations, etc. than it is to take meetings through zoom/meet/teams all day where you sit/stand in the same place for hours at a time.
I know people will use that as a crutch for why they aren't getting exercise due to WFH, but those are also just poor excuses.
When I WFH, it's much easier for me to get my day started with a workout. This morning, I went for 16 mile bike ride, and still had time to shower and eat breakfast by 8am. I take at least a couple 10-minute breaks during the day to get up and walk around. At lunch, I carve out 30 minutes to get outside and take a walk. Tomorrow, I'll get my day started with a 5k run and have time to casually take a shower and get my day started around 8am. These activities are a lot less rushed compared to when you're driving through rush hour traffic to get to an office.
If the only exercise you're relying on is walking around the office, then you're probably not in the best shape to begin with.
I know people will use that as a crutch for why they aren't getting exercise due to WFH, but those are also just poor excuses. When I WFH, it's much easier for me to get my day started with a workout. This morning, I went for 16 mile bike ride. I take at least a couple 10-minute breaks during the day to get up and walk around. At lunch, I carve out 30 minutes to get outside and take a walk. Tomorrow, I'll get my day started with a 5k run and have time to casually take a shower and get my day started around 8am. These activities are a lot less rushed compared to when you're driving through rush hour traffic to get to an office.
Perhaps but exercise is a completely different topic and perhaps deserves a different thread.
Back on topic about the impact of sitting for long periods of time in relation to your health... Zoom culture has created an environment where people sit for 4+ hours and up to 8 or more in a single day because their only interface with work is through a computer screen. Even with exercise this is just really bad for the body, physically and mentally.
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