Billing in non-home, non-office setting? Forum

[nyc2020]

I’m curious if anyone has figured out how to do a fraction of their work in settings outside of the home or office. Portability of work probably depends a bit on the nature of the task. But has anyone billed significant hours at a coffeeshop, the gym, on a walk, etc.? How many hours per week? What kinds of tasks are best suited for it?

[Anonymous User]

I’m curious if anyone has figured out how to do a fraction of their work in settings outside of the home or office. Portability of work probably depends a bit on the nature of the task. But has anyone billed significant hours at a coffeeshop, the gym, on a walk, etc.? How many hours per week? What kinds of tasks are best suited for it?

You can't just set up at Starbucks and write? I've done that when I have briefs/motions/memos to write.

[Anonymous User]

I mean, I've worked on plenty of vacations and either just work when I'm ready in the hotel/stop at a nice coffeeshop.

Aside from that, I've sent e-mails from the beach, taken calls during hikes, reviewed documents while having a picnic, etc.

[Anonymous User]

I have about a 15 minute drive in to work. When I have a call I can make to another associate to delegate tasks or just talk something through, I try to make that call on the way to work. I find that I do this probably twice per week and it’s a quite efficient use of my time.

[Anonymous User]

I have about a 15 minute drive in to work. When I have a call I can make to another associate to delegate tasks or just talk something through, I try to make that call on the way to work. I find that I do this probably twice per week and it’s a quite efficient use of my time.

I work with a partner who does this and it's unbearable. That said, she just sees it as time to bill so she never calls about anything important and never remembers what we talk about when we do .

Anyway, FWIW I have some routine daily internet business development tasks that I do taking a dump or waiting for my coffee to brew. I do nearly every task that doesn't require two monitors on the sofa . I've cleaned my house while sitting in on a depo, weeded my garden while on a team meeting, and dictated an urgent email memo to my phone while on the way to my buddy's wedding. I advise against doing most these things unless you're an excellent multitasker.

[sparty99]

I have about a 15 minute drive in to work. When I have a call I can make to another associate to delegate tasks or just talk something through, I try to make that call on the way to work. I find that I do this probably twice per week and it’s a quite efficient use of my time.

That's not really impressive. Your focus should be on driving, not work.

[Anonymous User]

I worked exclusively remotely and primarily not from home for a couple years. Libraries, coffee shops, the car, etc. If you do it a lot, watch out for tendinitis. Most chairs won’t properly support your arms or get you at the right angles and after a while you’ll develop tendinitis/tendinosis somewhere in your arms (and probably also a hunch from leaning over your laptop).

It’s a lot easier to do if your practice doesn’t require many calls or you’re too junior to be talking on calls.

Headphones/earbuds and background music (I use rain, music can be too distracting) can be super helpful for when you’re stuck next to assholes loudly jabbering away for extended periods (don’t be the asshole who takes a Zoom in the coffee shop on speaker…).

[Anonymous User]

I have about a 15 minute drive in to work. When I have a call I can make to another associate to delegate tasks or just talk something through, I try to make that call on the way to work. I find that I do this probably twice per week and it’s a quite efficient use of my time.

I work with a partner who does this and it's unbearable. That said, she just sees it as time to bill so she never calls about anything important and never remembers what we talk about when we do .

Anyway, FWIW I have some routine daily internet business development tasks that I do taking a dump or waiting for my coffee to brew. I do nearly every task that doesn't require two monitors on the sofa . I've cleaned my house while sitting in on a depo, weeded my garden while on a team meeting, and dictated an urgent email memo to my phone while on the way to my buddy's wedding. I advise against doing most these things unless you're an excellent multitasker.

For the dumps, what’s the cost per sheet of toilet paper.

We bill out copies at 0.11 per page, not sure what the toilet paper rate is. Also a bit concerned about padding.

[Anonymous User]

I was once in the bathroom and a partner took a dump while talking about a billable matter with an associate standing outside the stall.

[Anonymous User]

I have about a 15 minute drive in to work. When I have a call I can make to another associate to delegate tasks or just talk something through, I try to make that call on the way to work. I find that I do this probably twice per week and it’s a quite efficient use of my time.

That's not really impressive. Your focus should be on driving, not work.

Are you telling me that you have never once in your life spoken on the phone or to a passenger while driving? You should try it. I think you’ll find it’s pretty easy to both drive and talk at the same time. You may be surprised to know that millions of people do it every day.

[Anonymous User]

I worked exclusively remotely and primarily not from home for a couple years. Libraries, coffee shops, the car, etc. If you do it a lot, watch out for tendinitis. Most chairs won’t properly support your arms or get you at the right angles and after a while you’ll develop tendinitis/tendinosis somewhere in your arms (and probably also a hunch from leaning over your laptop).

It’s a lot easier to do if your practice doesn’t require many calls or you’re too junior to be talking on calls.

Headphones/earbuds and background music (I use rain, music can be too distracting) can be super helpful for when you’re stuck next to assholes loudly jabbering away for extended periods (don’t be the asshole who takes a Zoom in the coffee shop on speaker…).

Please tell me what practice area this is? I hate calls.

[Excellent117]

I have about a 15 minute drive in to work. When I have a call I can make to another associate to delegate tasks or just talk something through, I try to make that call on the way to work. I find that I do this probably twice per week and it’s a quite efficient use of my time.

That's not really impressive. Your focus should be on driving, not work.

Are you telling me that you have never once in your life spoken on the phone or to a passenger while driving? You should try it. I think you’ll find it’s pretty easy to both drive and talk at the same time. You may be surprised to know that millions of people do it every day.

Yes, and millions of people are terrible drivers who get into or cause accidents on a daily basis. Hang up the phone and concentrate on driving. Unless it’s a true emergency, your conversation can wait until you arrive safely at your destination.

[Anonymous User]

I have about a 15 minute drive in to work. When I have a call I can make to another associate to delegate tasks or just talk something through, I try to make that call on the way to work. I find that I do this probably twice per week and it’s a quite efficient use of my time.

That's not really impressive. Your focus should be on driving, not work.

Are you telling me that you have never once in your life spoken on the phone or to a passenger while driving? You should try it. I think you’ll find it’s pretty easy to both drive and talk at the same time. You may be surprised to know that millions of people do it every day.

Yes, and millions of people are terrible drivers who get into or cause accidents on a daily basis. Hang up the phone and concentrate on driving. Unless it’s a true emergency, your conversation can wait until you arrive safely at your destination.

Also, make sure you don't have a GPS, or a touch screen, or a radio dial. And don't ever touch that windshield wiper. Or the turn signal. Just focus on driving.