First years - anyone actually preferring wfh yet? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone turned a corner and just gotten used to it to the point of preferring it?

[Anonymous User]

I mean I really don't want to go in and deal with people, so I'm happy with this being permanent.

[bigboybob]

Ditto. WFH forever please or hoteling or something flexible

[Anonymous User]

I don’t want to go back whatsoever. There might be some genuinely good reasons to have certain meetings and other stuff in person but 90% of the reasoning marshaled in support of going back is utter horseshit

[Anonymous User]

I currently go into the office about every other day for a change of scenery and I like it. Flexibility is definitely preferable to forced wfh or in-person for sure, I'm getting the best of both worlds. I also have a short commute so it really doesn't change my routine at all going into the office

[LittleRedCorvette]

Has anyone turned a corner and just gotten used to it to the point of preferring it?

Preferring it over what? I don't think many first years, unless they have prior work experience, have done a lot of time in the office...

[Anonymous User]

I absolutely love WFH and plan to WFH as much as possible going forward. I’m healthier, I’m happier, I can take advantage of slow hours, I save a ton of money, and I’m way more efficient at work.

[Anonymous User]

2nd year. I don’t prefer it but I also genuinely like who I work with and seeing other associates and even day to day things like grabbing lunch and hate to say it but the small office gossip and random hallway convos were enjoyable. I also enjoy my social life outside of work but ya I prefer office life and I know many don’t.

[Anonymous User]

First year associate with ADHD. It's great because it means I can feel free to work whatever hours I'd like. It's also shit because it means I can feel free to work whatever hours I'd like.

[Anonymous User]

I actually enjoy WFH much more. I can wear pajamas in my climate-controlled apartment and do the same work with a cat in my lap as opposed to in a freezing office in a suit.

[Anonymous User]

2nd year. I don’t prefer it but I also genuinely like who I work with and seeing other associates and even day to day things like grabbing lunch and hate to say it but the small office gossip and random hallway convos were enjoyable. I also enjoy my social life outside of work but ya I prefer office life and I know many don’t.

Same here. I've been wondering if I'm in the minority, and it seems I am. Can't wait to get back to the office.

[Anonymous User]

2nd year. I don’t prefer it but I also genuinely like who I work with and seeing other associates and even day to day things like grabbing lunch and hate to say it but the small office gossip and random hallway convos were enjoyable. I also enjoy my social life outside of work but ya I prefer office life and I know many don’t.

Same here. I've been wondering if I'm in the minority, and it seems I am. Can't wait to get back to the office.

Everybody should be allowed to do what works for them. Some want to escape their families or actually like having office gossip or lunches with colleagues. Others, like myself, want to spend time with their families and friends and on their hobbies, when there is any down-time. There is no reason why not everybody can have what they want, whether it is office gossip or time with loved ones.

[Anonymous User]

2nd year. I don’t prefer it but I also genuinely like who I work with and seeing other associates and even day to day things like grabbing lunch and hate to say it but the small office gossip and random hallway convos were enjoyable. I also enjoy my social life outside of work but ya I prefer office life and I know many don’t.

Same here. I've been wondering if I'm in the minority, and it seems I am. Can't wait to get back to the office.

Everybody should be allowed to do what works for them. Some want to escape their families or actually like having office gossip or lunches with colleagues. Others, like myself, want to spend time with their families and friends and on their hobbies, when there is any down-time. There is no reason why not everybody can have what they want, whether it is office gossip or time with loved ones.

I've noticed a lot of the wfh crowd views themselves as valuing more meaningful things like spending time with loved ones and on hobbies, while casting people who like the office as pursuing more superficial things, e.g. wanting office gossip. I don't engage in office gossip and I like going in. Furthermore, enjoying the company of one's co-workers does not foreclose also spending time with loved ones and on hobbies. Through my office interactions I've also found true friendships that have made my life richer and which have allowed me to find even more hobbies.

I think you may not have meant it this way, but I see variations of this argument on here a lot.

[Anonymous User]

2nd year. I don’t prefer it but I also genuinely like who I work with and seeing other associates and even day to day things like grabbing lunch and hate to say it but the small office gossip and random hallway convos were enjoyable. I also enjoy my social life outside of work but ya I prefer office life and I know many don’t.

Same here. I've been wondering if I'm in the minority, and it seems I am. Can't wait to get back to the office.

Everybody should be allowed to do what works for them. Some want to escape their families or actually like having office gossip or lunches with colleagues. Others, like myself, want to spend time with their families and friends and on their hobbies, when there is any down-time. There is no reason why not everybody can have what they want, whether it is office gossip or time with loved ones.

I've noticed a lot of the wfh crowd views themselves as valuing more meaningful things like spending time with loved ones and on hobbies, while casting people who like the office as pursuing more superficial things, e.g. wanting office gossip. I don't engage in office gossip and I like going in. Furthermore, enjoying the company of one's co-workers does not foreclose also spending time with loved ones and on hobbies. Through my office interactions I've also found true friendships that have made my life richer and which have allowed me to find even more hobbies.

I think you may not have meant it this way, but I see variations of this argument on here a lot.

This. Thanks for putting what I came here to say so well.

[Anonymous User]

I’m a first year who is extremely miserable and plans to quit as soon as possible and think I will very well possibly leave the law entirely. People are starting to trickle back into the office but it isn’t required until 2022. What do you guys think about pushing WFH as long as possible? I imagine at some point it might hurt me to not be getting the face time even if it isn’t required to be in the office, but should I even care considering the fact I do not see myself with a long term big law, let alone legal, career?

Anon because plans to quit, not many firms have announced no return until 2022 and identifying info in past posts.

[Anonymous User]

I suspect the folks who are more introverted (larger representation on TLS's forums?) will want to remain WFH as much as possible.

Those who are more extroverted will rush back to the office in search of human contact.

My hope is this dynamic doesn't create an underclass of associates who have fewer long-term opportunities--that would be less than ideal.

[Anonymous User]

I don’t really trust first years who say they want to be back in the office. I think it’s hard to appreciate how much time is wasting going in each day and how much it absolutely sucks to be in the office until 2 am in a suit and how valuable that extra hour of sleep you can get with WFH is when you are super busy until you have actually been forced to be in the office regularly.

[basketofbread]

I don’t really trust first years who say they want to be back in the office. I think it’s hard to appreciate how much time is wasting going in each day and how much it absolutely sucks to be in the office until 2 am in a suit and how valuable that extra hour of sleep you can get with WFH is when you are super busy until you have actually been forced to be in the office regularly.

SERIOUSLY. Do you people enjoy exercise? Enjoy getting enough sleep? Maybe taking care of your self and your home when you have inevitable downtime? All of that will be diminished or gone when we’re forced back in person. As if any benefit of in person is worth sacrificing your health and sanity.

[jotarokujo]

I don’t really trust first years who say they want to be back in the office. I think it’s hard to appreciate how much time is wasting going in each day and how much it absolutely sucks to be in the office until 2 am in a suit and how valuable that extra hour of sleep you can get with WFH is when you are super busy until you have actually been forced to be in the office regularly.

SERIOUSLY. Do you people enjoy exercise? Enjoy getting enough sleep? Maybe taking care of your self and your home when you have inevitable downtime? All of that will be diminished or gone when we’re forced back in person. As if any benefit of in person is worth sacrificing your health and sanity.

folks who want WFH probably live super close to work or something like, <20 mins. that's the only explanation. for them it wouldn't be sacrificing exercise or sleep

[TLSReturntoWork]

I don’t really trust first years who say they want to be back in the office. I think it’s hard to appreciate how much time is wasting going in each day and how much it absolutely sucks to be in the office until 2 am in a suit and how valuable that extra hour of sleep you can get with WFH is when you are super busy until you have actually been forced to be in the office regularly.

SERIOUSLY. Do you people enjoy exercise? Enjoy getting enough sleep? Maybe taking care of your self and your home when you have inevitable downtime? All of that will be diminished or gone when we’re forced back in person. As if any benefit of in person is worth sacrificing your health and sanity.

folks who do not want WFH probably live super close to work or something like, <20 mins. that's the only explanation. for them it wouldn't be sacrificing exercise or sleep

Fixed a few nits. pls proofread. thx.

Basketofbread is spot on. It is insanity to be pushing for a return to office. Biglaw is much more bearable in large part because we have that little bit of extra time to sleep, to eat, to shower, to exercise, to rest between the double-digit days, etc. Why sacrifice that so you can say you're interacting with people?

Get a boyfriend/girlfriend/friends, but don't push to take away your colleagues limited free time. That is in effect what you do every time you push for us to go back.

Also, I live about 20 minutes from my firm and I STILL value every 40 minutes per day, 200 minutes per week (assuming not in person on weekends), ~1100 minutes per month, ~10,320 minutes per year.

[Anonymous User]

Genuine question for those who say "I can do my work whenever I want". How does that work? Are you referring to long term projects that have a few days of work? Doesn't that just lead you to working longer days and disrupt your schedule more? If you have to be "online" from say 9-6 and you're choosing to do your work project at 11 pm or whatever, then are you just hanging around online not billing during those "work hours"?

Curious to know, I feel like I may be misunderstanding (and missing out) on some WFH hacks.

[Anonymous User]

Genuine question for those who say "I can do my work whenever I want". How does that work? Are you referring to long term projects that have a few days of work? Doesn't that just lead you to working longer days and disrupt your schedule more? If you have to be "online" from say 9-6 and you're choosing to do your work project at 11 pm or whatever, then are you just hanging around online not billing during those "work hours"?

Curious to know, I feel like I may be misunderstanding (and missing out) on some WFH hacks.

As you get more senior and deliver 20-30-40 deals in a row, year after year, partners stop bothering you about being "online" ever. Often times the work will require you to be responsive 9-6, but you generally know when that is.

[Anonymous User]

Genuine question for those who say "I can do my work whenever I want". How does that work? Are you referring to long term projects that have a few days of work? Doesn't that just lead you to working longer days and disrupt your schedule more? If you have to be "online" from say 9-6 and you're choosing to do your work project at 11 pm or whatever, then are you just hanging around online not billing during those "work hours"?

Curious to know, I feel like I may be misunderstanding (and missing out) on some WFH hacks.

As you get more senior and deliver 20-30-40 deals in a row, year after year, partners stop bothering you about being "online" ever. Often times the work will require you to be responsive 9-6, but you generally know when that is.

I have a mouse toggler that I throw on when I'm not doing anything so I can go sit on the couch and watch tv or do stuff around the house without being "offline." I keep my email notifications on loud so it's easy to get back to work when necessary.

[Anonymous User]

Maybe another important distinction to keep in mind is that while we’re all paid somewhat similarly, some people work much more than others. TLSReturntoWork seems like they have a rough schedule. For me, I’m on a 1800 pace in lit and it’s been fairly relaxed compared with what I heard about biglaw prior to starting. I wouldn’t mind going in to the office but also don’t think others should be required to. I support flexibility. I also would have a negligible commute and exercising doesn’t take too much time for me (no prep, I just go outside for a run).

[Anonymous User]

Genuine question for those who say "I can do my work whenever I want". How does that work? Are you referring to long term projects that have a few days of work? Doesn't that just lead you to working longer days and disrupt your schedule more? If you have to be "online" from say 9-6 and you're choosing to do your work project at 11 pm or whatever, then are you just hanging around online not billing during those "work hours"?

Curious to know, I feel like I may be misunderstanding (and missing out) on some WFH hacks.

I am the above 1800 anon. I’ll respond to this too. Most of my work has been with deadlines a few days or weeks out. I also haven’t been swamped. I’m in lit and I haven’t had any of the “I need this now” sort of ask like what seems common in corporate (I don’t know why people choose corporate for anything but the paycheck...and even then...). So sometimes during the day I’ll read news, work out, focus on other things and work later. Granted, this has been ok because the pandemic killed a lot of other social things I would rather be doing in the evening. Now that things are opening up I’ll keep a more rigid working hours schedule.