3 ms·

I have trouble focusing and flexible hours help me avoid wasting work-incapable time on "being at work" (and not doing any). I never billed customers for additi

I have trouble focusing and flexible hours help me avoid wasting work-incapable time on "being at work" (and not doing any). I never billed customers for additional time so was wasting a lot of it on attempts to get some work done, when I couldn't concentrate. Later I was spending additional time on doing actual work. I'm doing flexible remote for a few years now and never been more productive. Less stress from "I can't concentrate" frustration, tidy backlog, more and better work done in less time. More time for other customers or side projects, hobbies and family/social. I'm trying not to be indispensable. I'm there when I'm needed but there is no constant "being on call" feeling.

sdoering 5y ago
Sounds great. What did you do? How did you structure client communications to reduce this 'being on call' feeling, if I may ask. That is something I struggle with currently. Working a full-time job and freelancing on the side as well.
- hericium 5y ago
  I realized SRE is not for me and started grabbing development-like projects and agreements with longer time allotted. I document my work in a way allowing others do changes or continue without me being required to decrypt anything. The communication question is tricky. It's smooth when it's there but I think I kind of act in a way that accents outside in outside contractor. I try to soak as little as possible into corporate structures and from the start show that me not being there is not a problem. It's different with every client or company but I always mention upfront focusing issues. Never an issue in EU but some companies in the US looked down on ADHD as some kind of insanity. I bring results, and in time. In the end it's about being more worth than trouble.
  - raptorraver 5y ago
    This is inspiring! I just started as a freelancer month ago and it's hard for me to get out from 9-5 mindset. I'm not yet sure if I'm expected to put in full hours or just do my best. At the beginning I worked full days but past couple weeks I've billed 6-7 hours a day with the same input as before. I'm also having ADD but haven't brought it up. Still the honeymoon phase of the new project so it's quite easy to get immersed with my super focus.
  - sdoering 5y ago
    Wow. Cool. Like that approach. Two questions. - SRE? - outside in outside contractor? Not sure what these mean. Thanks an awful lot so far.
    - hericium 5y ago
      Site Reliability Engineering and I meant that I'm acting more like an outside contractor than part of a company ("<insert brand> family"). Making friends etc, just not giving in to corporate cultism.
Scarblac 5y ago
I also can't always focus (I am human), but that's why I want to have fixed hours. Sometimes the non-focused hours are during work and sometimes during my own time. That's fair.
- giraffe_lady 5y ago
  Hahaha yes. I ended up with a different balance but I respect this. Why would I optimize my days so that my employer gets all of my most focused, productive, engaged time and energy. It's a limited resource. Don't I deserve some of that too? My family?

sdoering 5y ago

Sounds great. What did you do? How did you structure client communications to reduce this 'being on call' feeling, if I may ask. That is something I struggle with currently. Working a full-time job and freelancing on the side as well.

hericium 5y ago
I realized SRE is not for me and started grabbing development-like projects and agreements with longer time allotted. I document my work in a way allowing others do changes or continue without me being required to decrypt anything. The communication question is tricky. It's smooth when it's there but I think I kind of act in a way that accents outside in outside contractor. I try to soak as little as possible into corporate structures and from the start show that me not being there is not a problem. It's different with every client or company but I always mention upfront focusing issues. Never an issue in EU but some companies in the US looked down on ADHD as some kind of insanity. I bring results, and in time. In the end it's about being more worth than trouble.
- raptorraver 5y ago
  This is inspiring! I just started as a freelancer month ago and it's hard for me to get out from 9-5 mindset. I'm not yet sure if I'm expected to put in full hours or just do my best. At the beginning I worked full days but past couple weeks I've billed 6-7 hours a day with the same input as before. I'm also having ADD but haven't brought it up. Still the honeymoon phase of the new project so it's quite easy to get immersed with my super focus.
- sdoering 5y ago
  Wow. Cool. Like that approach. Two questions. - SRE? - outside in outside contractor? Not sure what these mean. Thanks an awful lot so far.
  - hericium 5y ago
    Site Reliability Engineering and I meant that I'm acting more like an outside contractor than part of a company ("<insert brand> family"). Making friends etc, just not giving in to corporate cultism.

Scarblac 5y ago

I also can't always focus (I am human), but that's why I want to have fixed hours. Sometimes the non-focused hours are during work and sometimes during my own time. That's fair.

giraffe_lady 5y ago
Hahaha yes. I ended up with a different balance but I respect this. Why would I optimize my days so that my employer gets all of my most focused, productive, engaged time and energy. It's a limited resource. Don't I deserve some of that too? My family?