Author Topic: 'Emails read while commuting 'should count as work'' (Read 2466 times)

Personal emails read while supposedly working should count as not-work. Half the people at my mail centre spend half their time gazing at Satan's windows, as 'The Chap' magazine calls smartphones.

jeremyp · « **Reply #13 on:** August 30, 2018, 01:47:25 PM »

What is the point of the article? You don't have to answer work emails when you are on the train.

BeRational · « **Reply #14 on:** August 30, 2018, 02:51:58 PM »

Quote from: Littleroses on August 30, 2018, 12:34:25 PM

They didn't have e-mails when I was a kid, which was when I last worked outside the home.

Then you cannot really comment on this with any experience.

It is my experience that this is pretty normal now.

Not only that, I will take my phone on holiday in a couple of weeks, and spend 20 minutes each evening looking for important emails.

jeremyp · « **Reply #15 on:** August 30, 2018, 02:56:07 PM »

Quote from: BeRational on August 30, 2018, 02:51:58 PM

Not only that, I will take my phone on holiday in a couple of weeks, and spend 20 minutes each evening looking for important emails.

Why? You're on holiday.

BeRational · « **Reply #16 on:** August 30, 2018, 03:05:02 PM »

Quote from: jeremyp on August 30, 2018, 02:56:07 PM

Why? You're on holiday.

I'm important

Or I come back to a mess!

jeremyp · « **Reply #17 on:** August 30, 2018, 03:33:32 PM »

Quote from: BeRational on August 30, 2018, 03:05:02 PM

I'm important

Or I come back to a mess!

I assume that if a mess is occurring in my company, the staff will phone or text me.

BeRational · « **Reply #18 on:** August 30, 2018, 03:46:24 PM »

Quote from: jeremyp on August 30, 2018, 03:33:32 PM

I assume that if a mess is occurring in my company, the staff will phone or text me.

They email me, and it comes from all over the business, and it is an international business.

I do not spend too much time, I was making the point that keeping up with emails is now quite normal.

ProfessorDavey · « **Reply #19 on:** August 30, 2018, 05:21:48 PM »

Quote from: BeRational on August 30, 2018, 03:46:24 PM

They email me, and it comes from all over the business, and it is an international business.

I do not spend too much time, I was making the point that keeping up with emails is now quite normal.

I also spend a little time checking e-mails while on holiday. Occasionally I deal with really critical issues, but my main reason is to keep on top of the number. It means I avoid the need to deal with thousands of e-mails on my return, most of which aren't important. The problem with dealing with such a number on your return to work is that it is far too easy to miss the important ones amongst the dross.

The other advantage is that I come back to work knowing I'm not going to walk into a crisis - pre-email I used to dread heading back into work after being away for a couple of weeks as I never knew whether some serious shit might have hit the fan in my absence.

Maeght · « **Reply #20 on:** August 30, 2018, 05:55:58 PM »

Quote from: Nearly Sane on August 30, 2018, 12:29:19 PM

In what way? If people are being productive while commuting it's a no brainer. Would they struggle to work in a 'busy office;?

LR said 'How can you concentrate properly on work related e-mails on a busy commuter train, especially if you have to stand?'

You said 'Very easily. '

LR said 'I don't agree.'

You said 'So you know all about what other people are like and what they are able to do?'

So surely your comment of 'Easily' suggests equally that you know what other people are like and what they are able to do.

jeremyp · « **Reply #21 on:** August 30, 2018, 08:07:36 PM »

Quote from: Maeght on August 30, 2018, 05:55:58 PM

LR said 'How can you concentrate properly on work related e-mails on a busy commuter train, especially if you have to stand?'

You said 'Very easily. '

LR said 'I don't agree.'

You said 'So you know all about what other people are like and what they are able to do?'

So surely your comment of 'Easily' suggests equally that you know what other people are like and what they are able to do.

Perhaps NS was speaking only for himself. Speaking only for myself, I have no trouble whatsoever in isolating myself from the environment of a commuter train in order to concentrate on specific tasks, although they tend not to be work related.

ProfessorDavey · « **Reply #22 on:** August 30, 2018, 08:23:59 PM »

Quote from: jeremyp on August 30, 2018, 08:07:36 PM

Perhaps NS was speaking only for himself. Speaking only for myself, I have no trouble whatsoever in isolating myself from the environment of a commuter train in order to concentrate on specific tasks, although they tend not to be work related.

Likewise, except when it is so rammed that you can hardly breath!

Maeght · « **Reply #23 on:** August 30, 2018, 08:29:28 PM »

Quote from: jeremyp on August 30, 2018, 08:07:36 PM

Perhaps NS was speaking only for himself.

Yes, that could be the case of course.

Quote

Speaking only for myself, I have no trouble whatsoever in isolating myself from the environment of a commuter train in order to concentrate on specific tasks, although they tend not to be work related.

Thank fully I don't commute so don't have that problem. I do tend to look up work emails when at home, with the idea that I will be 'prepared' when I get to work and that that will make it easier but not sure it ever works that way.

Rhiannon · « **Reply #24 on:** August 30, 2018, 09:20:11 PM »

NS, JeremyP and Prof D are all commutes who say that they can carry out tasks while commuting. I've seen people doing this on trains myself.

Seems that there's some evidence from those of us who use trains or commute that it's perfectly possible.

News:

Author Topic: 'Emails read while commuting 'should count as work'' (Read 2466 times)

Rhiannon