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Working away from home

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    Working away from home

    Something that is fairly common in our line of work and yet it rarely comes up as a topic.

    So, given it's Friday and most will be counting down the hours 'til they get the flight/train/drive back home. How do you / the other half cope with the fact that 4 nights a week you're away?
    42
    Great, it's better when we're apart
    11.90%
    5
    Not bad, it's just short term until things pick up
    4.76%
    2
    It's my way of life, we both know this
    21.43%
    9
    I don't mind, the other half isn't happy
    2.38%
    1
    Terrible, i can't wait to be working local again
    14.29%
    6
    Doesn't apply, I'm home every night in bed
    40.48%
    17
    I have AndyW & his mom looking after me, end it all now
    4.76%
    2
    The proud owner of 125 Xeno Geek Points

    #2
    I try and negotiate working from home every Friday. It keeps working away more manageable...
    "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
    - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

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      #3
      Working from home is not an option with this lot. So anything I have to do in the UK costs me a whole days pay.
      Rule Number 1 - Assuming that you have a valid contract in place always try to get your poo onto your timesheet, provided that the timesheet is valid for your current contract and covers the period of time that you are billing for.

      I preferred version 1!

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        #4
        It's a way of life - I've always spent lots of time travelling since MrsF and I got together 16 years ago. First I was at Uni and she was at home, then she was at uni and I was working, then she was home and I was working away....

        Far from ideal, and I'd love a job near home or at home - sadly, they come up rarely round here. My children (despite the Sunday night guilt trip the elder one puts me through) accept this as well - if daddy doesn't go to work, we have no money. If we have no money, we can't buy things. Simples.
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          #5
          Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post
          It's a way of life - I've always spent lots of time travelling since MrsF and I got together 16 years ago. First I was at Uni and she was at home, then she was at uni and I was working, then she was home and I was working away....

          Far from ideal, and I'd love a job near home or at home - sadly, they come up rarely round here. My children (despite the Sunday night guilt trip the elder one puts me through) accept this as well - if daddy doesn't go to work, we have no money. If we have no money, we can't buy things. Simples.
          Agreed with this. People live many different lifestyles and people survive single parenthood well enough so this lifestyle isn't the end of the world nor isn't going to detrimentally affect an understanding family.

          It's no fun as FaQQ says but can be managed in the short term for happier times ahead.
          'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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            #6
            Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
            Agreed with this. People live many different lifestyles and people survive single parenthood well enough so this lifestyle isn't the end of the world nor isn't going to detrimentally affect an understanding family.

            It's no fun as FaQQ says but can be managed in the short term for happier times ahead.
            After 16 years of it when do you think the happier times might arrive?

            Comment


              #7
              well.....

              we're all in the same boat, luckily for the last 3 years I've been on one week on one week from home rotation, but when it ends, for sure the highest chance is I will be away every week

              and what to do,

              yes it's gets us down from time to time,

              but,

              it pays the bills and will hopefully lead to a more financially secure later life

              that's the only reason we accept it

              and we make the best of it


              on the other side, my Mrs is the first to admit, I could be working in the local city and because of the nature of this kind of work Monday to Friday even working in the local city I might be in a situation where I leave before the children get up and return after they have gone to bed,

              and then

              on the other side, I could be an employee of Accenture for example who source their european projects from all of europe and happily send their consultants abroad every week...

              so considering all of this,

              the contracting away is not the end of the world

              and as long as the rewards are invested carefully, and there's the odd treat from time to time to soften the pain then it can work


              my Mrs also knows we wouldn't have a fraction of the things we have if contracting was not there - take the passat as a case point

              all the best,

              Milan.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by oracleslave View Post
                After 16 years of it when do you think the happier times might arrive?
                Around 2050, when the oil runs out.
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                  #9
                  Originally posted by milanbenes View Post
                  my Mrs also knows we wouldn't have a fraction of the things we have if contracting was not there - take the passat as a case point
                  Sometimes, milan, very rarely - you do make me chuckle.
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                  Comment


                    #10
                    It's the quickest most efficient way for us to set things up for the future.

                    I don't like it, SWMBO doesn't like it but it's a means to an end.



                    Churchill - In "Cheerfulness in the face of adversity" mode!

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