So it's the summer holidays, my children are off for five weeks.In between the usual tensions over XBox and Tik Tok, they hang out with their friends, in real life and virtually. There's a lovely cadence to the days where I work, they potter and play and we come together for lunch, or the occasional trip out.
That's the beauty of remote flexible working, it's not just about working when you at your best. It's also working when it's best for everyone.
All of the above is true of course, but it's not the whole truth, it's the showreel. The highlights that get on Instagram, or the bits that might get put into an ad for Teams over summer, or a house cleaning product.
There is plenty on the cutting room floor.
There's the big stuff, the sit-downs over too much XBox or not being home when they promised, yet the real challenge is the reverse marginal gains.
Marginal Losses.
The build up of all the things that are just about OK when the kids are out for most of the day. yet add up to horrendous time suckage when they school's out for summer.
The constant flushing of un-flushed toilets.
The trails of hay around the house from the daily feeding of guinea pigs.
The socks on the floor.
The glasses and cups around the house.
If you never believed all that marginal gains stuff, try spending 5 weeks with a couple of pre-teens, a little begins to add up to a hell of a lot, which is worth thinking about if you're thinking of returning to the office and all the little distractions and time thieving that goes on there.
At least the toilets get flushed, or at least I hope they do.
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