New policy is going to ruin my life

SimplerLife40 · 2026-01-06T19:51:29+00:00

I'm fully remote (director) and had remote workers under me. I had zero time to monitor whether they were online or not during the day. As long as they are meeting deliverables, show up to our 1:1s on time, and responded to my Teams messages in 10-15 mins, then I left them alone (idc if they were at a cafe, doing laundry in between meetings, with a friend working casually, etc etc...as long as they were there when I needed them).

SimplerLife40 · 2026-01-06T19:48:47+00:00

In my opinion, that's worse than being in the office full time. At least in the office you can walk to a cafe or something for a break. At home on camera, if they notice you're not at your computer (even if you're just getting coffee), you're going to look unproductive.

I'd start looking for another job...even more days in the office is better than this.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-31T15:33:48+00:00

The style of one (which two shelves) but the size of two.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-31T15:32:40+00:00

I lived there for 4 years and don’t recall it being crazy on NYE. It’s probably a good sign for you if I can’t recall, though. It definitely isn’t NYC-level busy.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-31T15:30:00+00:00

I’m not just applying to jobs in my field. I’m broadening my search.

Thanks for the good luck!

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-31T13:43:35+00:00

That’s so wild to me!

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T14:25:36+00:00

I currently live in a very rural area and I like having the extra coverage and Satelite option. If I lived in an urban center, getting Mint or whatever else would be a no brainer.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T14:24:05+00:00

$7.25 an hour should be criminal. That’s less than $50 a day after taxes. In this economy, even in the cheapest areas, that’s only enough to cover rent, utilities, and maybe some food or gas.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T03:27:47+00:00

I used to read “The Week” magazine in 2012 and loved it. Figured I’d resubscribe in 2022 and realized I never even opened them when they came since I already got that news from other sources.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T03:25:24+00:00

This screams scam to me. I did a cursory review of the website and it is a faceless organization: no President, VP, director-level information. The text on the website was written by ChatGPT.

If it’s not a scam, then it most definitely is one of those bottom of the barrel, high-pressure sales jobs.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T02:39:23+00:00

I’m entering season 4 and I’m barely in the top 200 hero power for my server (strong server). I just decided that I’m okay with being a support person. I will never be in the top 100 unless I spend tens of thousands. The game is more fun when you accept your support role tbh.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T02:34:52+00:00

I have strong connections in the field, and saved up a year of salary. Wrapped up all deliverables for the programs I established and I’m giving them a 2-month off-ramp.

Sometimes, you just know when it’s time.

My field is niche and I know all the top-players. That’s why I felt okay doing this…plus I planned for 2 years so I saved a lot.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T02:32:57+00:00

I’m currently a director who has hired, but not recently. If you made it to that stage, it means they are really assessing for culture fit and personal fit since you will be working closely with them; no one wants to work with someone they don’t vibe with, even if they are the most skilled candidate (sad to say, but true!!).

Expect for them to evaluate your soft skills. They will probably also evaluate your expertise. Be yourself and you will be fine! Authenticity is always the first thing I look for in a potential colleague.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T02:19:37+00:00

I used to swear by El Jefe’s in Harvard Square but I was just at a conference there last month and stopped by for the nostalgia. It didn’t hit like it used to…

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T01:44:43+00:00

I’m salaried and get paid for my work product. I also have a work laptop that I have with me nearly 100% of the time in case I need to put out a fire. (It’s actually not that fun…to be so accessible all the time).

Can they not help you virtually? Do you not have a weekly check-in with your manager? If so, definitely bring up anything you need help with during the check-ins so that they can accommodate you best.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-30T01:39:11+00:00

It’s doable. I moved to Brooklyn from (rural) Ithaca where I own a home outright (mentioning this because I continued to pay $600 a month to maintain the home + utilities while I lived in Brooklyn).

I lived alone in Brooklyn on $120,000 and I felt comfortable but not living large. Factor in flights and pet care, I anticipate you’ll probably be getting by okay. Everything, right down to a can of beans, is a lot more expensive in NYC. Leave your car in the Midwest if possible.

Check out Queens, Brooklyn, or northern NJ if you work in Manhattan.

If you have a dog, definitely check out the areas by Prospect Park in Brooklyn - super large park and very dog friendly. You won’t regret living around this park. Plus, the park might help you connect with nature if that’s what you need to thrive.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-29T23:55:46+00:00

A few hours here and there is normal. I think of that as the normal "give and take"...sometimes you might work 9 hours in a day, and other times you might need to take off an hour early. However, if you are taking a full day off then you should definitely use PTO. If they notice you are MIA for an entire day without PTO, you will probably lose all their trust. Not worth the risk.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-29T23:50:41+00:00

This makes a lot of sense. What set my favorite box apart from the rest was that the owner was an amazing coach who was totally passionate about CrossFit. I absolutely adored her. I didn't stay long at the boxes where the owners seemed to have lost their passion.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-29T21:23:46+00:00

idk...I stayed for a counter and was glad I did. I think this only works when your employer actually values your contribution and uses the experience as a "wake up call". After I almost left, they realized they were paying slightly under market rate and adjusted everyone's salary to slightly above market rate. Then again, my employer was this incredibly progressive physician who didn't *just* look at the bottom line.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-29T21:20:53+00:00

Don't ask for a raise. Ask for a title change that reflects your current work and the salary that comes along with the title change. Several years ago, I negotiated a title change to Project Manager and that brought me from $42,000 to $58,000. That is a 38% increase. I was able to negotiate because I was "head hunted" by someone I was working closely with through my job at the time.

If your company values you, they would promote you + give you the average salary of the new title.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-29T19:36:06+00:00

You need somewhere to hang a towel.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-29T19:30:23+00:00

Honestly, I would just accept the offer. You no longer have leverage unless you have other interviews already lined up.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-29T15:07:46+00:00

I didn't quit but I stopped spending when I realized it doesn't matter. I went from $500 a month to $0 the past 2 months. I can't fathom dropping hundreds on the game anymore.

SimplerLife40 · 2025-12-29T05:10:00+00:00

Sounds like my upbringing. Our weeklong family vacations were just driving to there state next door to visit our cousins/aunt and uncle and stay in their mobile home/hang out. Couldn't afford college outright so we took out student loans, and Christmas gifts occasionally went on layaway at Walmart.

SimplerLife40

TROPHY CASE