Matt_W
1707
Since I normally wear jeans, t-shirt, and steel-toed boots to work, my only change is that I usually am wearing shorts at home and am barefoot. I still shower at least once a day because I love showering (and because I try to make myself sweat at least once a day too.) My hair is normally collar-length and shaggy anyway. So now it’s shoulder-length and shaggy. And beard maintenance is dictated by girlfriend, so no change.
Even predating the quarantined, there was some best practice advice around WFH situations, and a lot of those sources said things like using exercise and routine to establish a difference between work-time and down-time. This helps to avoid the bleed of feeling that you’re always at work, since you don’t have a distinct physical location.
Maintaining routine hygiene habits and wearing “work clothes” can be a part of that ritual. Some people find it more helpful than others, of course.
I’m a teacher, lots of my “off time” is really work time for prep and grading or research, there’s never been any difference for me between work time and down time.
I mean, to each their own, but the notion of someone putting on a suit to work from their home office just strikes me as bizarre and hilarious. I know my office-working wife does 99% of her job in pajamas these days - just puts on a “work appropriate” top for video calls.
For people that want a bit of racing in their life.
Let’s see - I showed last on Friday, haven’t shaved since Christmas and can’t remember the last time I got my hair cut. I imagine most of you would cross the street if you saw me coming your way.
Yeah but then you get up during the Zoom call and everyone sees you’re not wearing any pants.
@divedivedive, my friend’s wife went to the West coast for 6 months once so he stopped shaving. Once he went to McDonalds and someone tried to give him money.
Black sweatpants are indistinguishable from slacks on a shitty webcam. :)
My VP had an all-managers meeting a few weeks ago for his broader org. One guy brought the entire meeting to a standstill for 15 minutes because his video quality was so good. Everyone spazzed out and insisted he explain what his setup is (high end camera body w/ an F1.8 lens and a USB adapter to use as a webcam). Our VP recovered well, but was clearly very non-plussed as a hundred people nerded the fuck out and ignored him.
Menzo
1715
Yeah that’s what the pro Twitch streamers do. They’ve all moved past webcams, even the nice ones, and when you do a before/after it’s a huge difference.
I still shower every day, but I usually take a break from WFH to do it around 10AM rather that before work. Shorts and a short sleeve shirt, I have a lot of “Hawaiian” shirts.
I had been letting hair and beard grow, but today I dragged out the beard trimmer and did my whole head with what it said was #2 guide, but it quickly became clear is more like #1. This is the shortest my beard has been in probably 40 years. Fortunately it will have plenty of time to grow back before I return to campus. And my head is pretty much bald atm.
RichVR
1717
#2 is what I get at the barber. I wonder if there is a skill to not over trimming?
If there is, I don’t have it.
The comb depth assumes you are following the surface with the curve of the comb (near the base) not the tip. You want to make a scooping motion.
RichVR
1720
Yeah I watched videos about it. You are supposed to do a scoop motion. Okay. Fine.
I like my daily shower and shave. For that matter I like wearing khakis and a casual button up shirt.
I tend to agree. I’ve worked remotely for about 7 years and I’ve found the secret (for me) is to still go to work like normal. Shower, shave, put on real clothes. Also a completely closed door, and family has to call me on the phone if they need anything from me; just like I was in the office. My commute is a few seconds though.
When you adopt the habits of a troglodyte, you start to become one. A lot of failed / burned out remote employees I’ve seen in my experience have been because they fell into this trap. Also not keeping family at enough of a distance during work.
I think in my case though I’ve always been a troglodyte. Getting up early, getting the kids ready for school, driving to the office and hanging around other (ostensible) human beings; these forced me to don an acceptable veneer of the modern civilized man. With the loss of those constraints I’m lucky I still walk upright.
By Grunden’s standards I dare say most of us are. I tend to think that’s an issue with said standards rather than me.
I guess it’s all down to what you think is desirable. Shit, half the appeal of some day getting tenure is being able to show up to class in Wile E. Coyote slippers.
Well, I’m not saying business casual with khakis or whatever if that isn’t your thing. I tend to not wear shoes for example. It’s more about not saying “fuck it” and work everyday in your pajamas.
I’ve simply found that when working at home long term it can be very isolating so adopting some structure around it helps to cope. Basic hygiene standards (to whatever your personal standards are) just helps one feel like part of the human race and helps with that feeling of isolation.
Regarding the family thing, that’s just a particular failure point I’ve seen time and time again with remote workers. YMMV of course.
