Latest news with #workfromhome
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
I'm a mom of 5 and thought work would get easier as the kids got older. I was wrong.
I'm a mom of five kids ranging from ages 5 to 17. I thought having teens would be easier than having toddlers for my career. Turns out teens are even more demanding, and I need to give myself grace. As the mother of five kids, four of whom were born in six years, I have spent all of my 17 years of parenting working from home in some capacity. And in those 17 years, I've been successful under the definition of a capitalist viewpoint. The first year I hit a profit with my writing business was the same year I birthed my fourth child. I went viral, was interviewed by Good Morning America, and churned out work at a rate that left many people wondering how I did it all, considering my oldest child was only 6 and my husband worked several jobs. I struggled to balance it all, but I remember thinking that that time in my life, full of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, would be the hardest part of my life. I just had to make it through, and then I could coast. I was so terribly wrong. Now that most of my kids are tweens and teens, I find myself in the weeds of parenting all over again, but this time I'm somehow even more exhausted, confused, and overwhelmed. Instead of dealing with potty training and tantrums, I'm dealing with teen drivers, volatile emotions, and big life decisions. I feel frustrated and guilty, like I'm doing something wrong for somehow being less productive as the mother of older kids. I think part of it is that when they were small, there was a routine that let me get some work done. There were daily nap times I could count on, movies I could turn on, or playdates I could schedule. But with teens, I am never off the clock. I'm always a text away, and with a teen driver, I feel like I can't not be available 24/7. Also, older kids take up more space, are louder, and have more intense needs than I anticipated. Every day feels like a circus show of juggling, and I'm kind of holding my breath and hoping I'll have enough breathing room to manage any work. While a cartoon and snuggles could suffice with a toddler, teenagers require 50 memes, a thoughtful conversation, and probably Chick-fil-A to connect. I feel a pressure to be emotionally available in a way I didn't when they were younger, and that makes it hard to switch back and forth to work mode when working from home. I don't want to be resentful of being "interrupted," and of course, I want to be there for my kids and hear all the details and be available for their lives. I want to be that person for them, and I'm all too aware how fast and fleeting it all is, and I could lose one of them next year to college. You know the guilt heaped on moms of young kids about how fast it all goes, so you better soak it in? Well, as a mom of teens, that guilt is magnified by about a million because this is exactly the time they were talking about — we're living the slow slippage of our kids out of our lives daily. I want to embrace it, soak it in, and be here for it. But I also have to pay my bills, and I don't know how to do both right now. I'm trying some new things, like getting noise-cancelling headphones, setting more firm boundaries about when I can and can't be interrupted, and trying to shift more of my morning chores to later in the day so I have more work time. The pressures and intensity of this stage feel a lot like the new parent stage all over again, only without the cute baby to cuddle. I still have plenty of sleepless nights, too — watching your child on Life360 is the new baby monitor. Maybe I just need to give myself the same amount of grace (and coffee) as I did back then. Read the original article on Business Insider
The Sun
12 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
11 best home fans 2025 to beat the UK heatwave; tried and tested
WITH the summer heat cranking up, finding ways to keep cool at home has never been more essential. We've put the best home fans through their paces to help you beat the UK heatwave in style. 12 These cooling lifesavers are perfect whether you need a powerful whole-room cooler or just a simple desk fan to make your WFH days more bearable during these scorching temperatures. Modern fans are a breeze to use, thanks to smart features that do the hard work for you. From sleek tower fans to stylish pedestals, compact table models and cutting-edge bladeless designs. They're significantly cheaper to run than a portable air conditioning unit (so you can keep your energy bills in check), and most can be easily tucked away when autumn arrives. Ones with more features generally mean a higher price tag, but don't overlook those extra functions like a timer function, remote control and night mode that can make all the difference. Best home fan at a glance: How we test home fans Living through last year's heat waves provided me with the perfect opportunity to push these fans to their limits in real-world conditions. I judged each one on assembly ease, cooling power, noise levels and control simplicity. Each fan spent time cooling my home office during work hours and keeping my bedroom comfortable overnight. I tested every special feature – from night modes to natural breeze settings – to determine if they're genuinely worth the extra cash. Design appeal and value for money were also crucial factors in my final ratings. 1. MeacoFan Sefte 10" Pedestal Air Circulator 12 MeacoFan Sefte 10' Pedestal Air Circulator £158.95 Rating: 5/5 This is definitely a cut above most home fans, but that does mean it's pricier. It fits together in a flash and boasts a great contemporary look that suits any room without being overly noticeable. However, it's this fan's cooling capabilities that wowed me. It uses hi-tech sounding Air Beam Precision to control the angle of the airflow, whether you're surrounded by people or using it alone. The DC brushless motor projects air across the room for startlingly efficient cooling that I could feel on the other side of my kitchen. The temperature of the entire room seemed cooler, even when I wasn't directly facing the fan. Removable columns enable adjustable heights, offering maximum versatility. Additionally, the unit oscillates not only side to side but also vertically, enabling it to reach every corner of the room. The dedicated night mode is a real game-changer. The fan is already whisper-quiet, but the night setting turns off all sounds and lights, gradually lowering the setting until it shuts off automatically, so you don't wake up freezing. There's even a glow-in-the-dark remote control to avoid scrabbling around in the night. Easily one of the quietest home fans I tested, it's well worth the extra cost to sleep soundly all summer, regardless of how hot it gets. 2. Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan FA220UK 12 Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan FA220UK £199.99 BUY FROM SHARK Pros: Can be used outside, has a misting attachment, extremely powerful, perfect in a large room Rating: 4.5/5 This fan delivers on versatility. There are a whopping 12 ways it can be used, including cordless, outdoors and tabletop. It's simple to put together as the whole head comes as one, and the supporting column just needs to be slotted into place. It looks very sleek and sturdy, although its matte black exterior doesn't make as much of a style statement as the Icycool Copper Pedestal Fan. However, it does everything you could ever need from a fan, with 180-degree oscillation and a 55-degree tilt to fill the room with icy air, a breeze mode, and a timer that can be set for up to five hours. It can even be used outdoors as a cordless model, with up to 24 hours of runtime, so there's no need to swelter over the barbecue ever again. A hose pipe can also be attached to turn it into a misting fan, which I know will be a huge hit with my children this summer. I especially liked the fact that it could transform from a pedestal fan to a desktop model with the press of a button, unlike the Challenge White Pedestal & Desk Fan, which required poles to be removed to change its use. This makes it extremely easy to use throughout the house without hassle. I used it next to me while I was working at my desk, and then transformed it into a pedestal when I watched TV in the evening. If you're willing to spend a bit extra, you won't regret investing in this when the temperature rises. 3. Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 12 BUY AT DYSON Pros: Also a heater and air purifier, distinctive style, excellent cooling, quiet, no assembly, can be controlled via app Cons: Very expensive, some filters need changing Rating: 4.5/5 There's no need to pack away this fan once winter comes, as this Dyson model does almost everything but pour you a cold drink. Its cooling, heating and purifying capabilities (almost) make it worth the hefty price tag. Of course, it looks great too, thanks to Dyson's instantly recognisable bladeless oval shape, and – hooray! – arrives ready to go straight out of the box. It wasn't quite as large as I expected, so it doesn't overly dominate a room. Although it's simple to operate with a magnetic remote and an accompanying app that offers voice control, there's quite a bit to get your head around at first. Fan speed, direction and rotation can all be tweaked for the perfect stream of hot or cold air, and both are equally powerful. I tried it in my kitchen on a chilly morning and was toasty in moments, but it also cooled down my stuffy living room in no time. As an air purifier, it's a little more confusing, and I felt bamboozled by the science reading on the box, which claims that the fan can remove 99.95% of airborne pollutants, including formaldehyde, which is found in some woods, fabrics, and glues. Yet it was strangely compelling to see the Dyson whir into action whenever I cooked something or lit a candle nearby. I also appreciated being able to monitor my home's air quality on the app, which would be even more valuable for anyone who suffers from allergies or lives near a busy road. Of course, if you're just looking for a home fan to use on a few hot days each year, you definitely won't need the extra features this Dyson offers – or want to spend this much – so you should consider the MeacoFan Sefte 10' Pedestal Air Circulator instead. But if you're happy to leave this out all year to get the full effect of its clever functions, you'll benefit from a seriously impressive machine. Read our full Dyson Fan review here. 4. Honeywell QuietSet Oscillating Table Fan 12 Honeywell QuietSet Oscillating Table Fan £22.10 Pros: Small, five speed settings, quiet night setting, oscillates through a wide area, timer Cons: Night setting isn't very powerful, you can't adjust the height Rating: 4.5/5 It can get very stuffy in the box room I use as my office during the summer, so I was more than happy to test out this fan. Space is at a premium for me, and although it's a chunky model, the Honeywell QuietSet Oscillating Table Fan sat unobtrusively on the corner of my desk without being too overwhelming. The squat design is quite cute, and the five power levels certainly get the air moving, but since there isn't a lot of space (and a lot of paper is involved in what I do), I generally stick to the lowest two settings. Of these, the nighttime setting is the quietest, but also the lowest speed. While the fan has an oscillation function, I didn't use it when I was working, as it was just a bit too much. The breeze created on the lowest settings is welcome, but I found it hit me in the neck, and as there is no way to adjust the angle of air delivery, this became a little chilly after a while. I also used the fan during warm nights, positioning it on a bedside table as far away as possible. I slept fine when it was in night mode, but I couldn't feel the air moving. The higher settings were better for cooling the air, but they were too loud for me to sleep through. I'm a very light sleeper, though. There's also a timer, with settings for one, two, four, and eight hours, which is simple to activate. The LED lights that accompany each increase in fan speed fade out after 15 seconds. There's also a handy carry handle on the back. 5. C hallenge White Pedestal & Desk Fan 12 Cons: Larger than some other fans Rating: 4/5 Can't decide on the right size fan? This nifty model can be used as both a pedestal and a smaller desktop fan by adding extra poles, which also makes it easier to store when not in use. It's a little larger than some of the other home fans I tested, so it won't easily hide away in a corner. If you'd prefer a less obvious fan in a darker colour, it could be an idea to opt for the LOGIK L16PFGM17 16' Pedestal Fan – Gun Metal instead. However, if you fancy a fan in white, this one has all the power you'll need, plus eight settings, so you can crank it up when it's sweltering. I could feel it from several metres away, and I was also impressed by how quiet it was – I didn't need to turn it off to hear the TV. The beeping noise when settings are changed is quite loud, so it's best not to do this too often if someone else is trying to sleep in the same room. However, otherwise, this is a solid summer buy that does the job nicely. 6. MeacoFan Sefte 10' Table Air Circulator 12 MeacoFan Sefte 10' Table Air Circulator £99.99 Pros: Very quiet, powerful, 12 settings, horizontal and vertical oscillation, magnetic remote control attaches to front of fan, timer, eco mode, night mode Cons: Chunky build, short cable, timer only via remote control Rating: 4/5 This cool fan (pun intended) is powerful and packed with features that will definitely keep you cool and comfortable this summer. First off, it is incredibly quiet on the first setting, and I have had no problem sleeping with the fan on during warm nights. It has 12 settings in total, with levels two and three also being whisper-quiet. However, I generally didn't need to go beyond level four, as I found that level four was powerful enough. The Sefte also oscillates, both horizontally and vertically, with three different degrees of movement in each direction. I primarily tested the fan in my home office and found that the smallest oscillation setting was all I needed. However, in the living room, it's handy to be able to increase the degree of movement to cover the larger space. Eco mode means the fan automatically changes speed depending on the room temperature (which is shown on the digital display), so as the heat increases, the fan speed increases. I'm not sure of the value of this, though, as you can simply adjust the speed manually. I love that the remote control fixes magnetically to the front of the grille when not in use, so in theory, you should always be able to find it, just as well, because if you lose it, you can't use all of the functions. Annoyingly, you can only set the timer (1 – 12 hours) via the remote, which also mutes the beeping buttons and controls the display light. Although it's one of the quietest fans I've used, the design is quite chunky, so it looks a little intrusive and doesn't blend in. The power cable could also be longer – it's 161 cm (just over 5 ft) by my measurements. Power: 7. Icycool Copper Pedestal Fan Icycool Copper Pedestal Fan £59.99 BUY FROM THE RANGE Pros: Stylish, quiet operation, very stable, adjustable height Cons: Quite difficult to assemble Rating: 4/5 Fans aren't the most attractive home item, so I was pleasantly surprised by this stylish model. The copper finish gives it boutique hotel flair, so it won't stick out like a sore thumb in the corner of the living room. It also has a very stable base, so there's no chance it will be knocked over. However, I did find it a little tricky to get the screws in during assembly, as the motor is heavy to hold at the same time. I'd definitely recommend enlisting another pair of hands to help, if possible. Once put together, it's a great fan that delivers a powerful breeze, which can be felt several metres away. I also liked the fact that I didn't need to make room on my bedside table for a bulky desktop fan when using it at night. It wasn't too noisy, so it didn't disturb me while sleeping either. Although the Igenix DF0030 Oscillating Tower Fan is cheaper, it's worth the extra cost to have a fan that looks this good. 8. LOGIK L16PFGM17 16' Pedestal Fan BUY FROM CURRYS Pros: Looks good, great price Rating: 3.5/5 If you love the stylish look of the Shark FlexBreeze Portable Fan FA220UK but want to spend considerably less, this pedestal fan is a steal. Made of go-with-anything grey metal, it's surprisingly good-looking and won't be out of place anywhere in the home. I tried it in my living room, kitchen and bedroom, and it worked equally well in each one, with the dark metal far less jarring than a chunk of white plastic in the corner. It's fairly straightforward to put together though it does help to have someone on hand to hold the motor while you fasten the screws in place as they are a little fiddly. Settings are changed via a dial on the back, so there are no lights or noises if you tweak it during the night. However, it does mean that you need to be able to easily access the back of the fan. There's no timer or sleep mode, but I found it extremely effective at cooling me down as the wide head and blades can whip up a strong breeze that I could feel on the other side of the room. 9. Status 14-inch High Velocity Floor Fan Status 14-inch High Velocity Floor Fan £44.99 BUY FROM ROBERT DYAS Cons: Doesn't oscillate, portable Rating: 3.5/5 This fan earned bonus points from me before I'd even plugged it in as it lifts out of the box in one piece, ready to go, without so much as a screw to tighten. It's a fairly basic model without any timers or fancy features, but it more than delivers on power. I was amazed at how much wind it whipped up, and I found that I rarely needed to put it higher than the first setting, especially since the highest setting was quite noisy. It's very solid and well-built, and the clean metal finish looks surprisingly good. It doesn't take up a lot of floor space either, and would easily store away when the weather turns colder. You can tilt it to find the perfect angle, but be aware that it doesn't oscillate, so you need to face it directly to feel the breeze. 10. Igenix DF0030 Oscillating Tower Fan £32.99 BUY FROM AMAZON Pros: Great price, simple to use, integrated carry handle Cons: Timer makes a faint ticking sound, looks a bit cheap Rating: 3/5 This tower fan is fairly basic but is ideal if you're looking for a no-frills model with a price tag to match. It cools well, with three speeds to choose from and an oscillation function. I used it on the other side of my living room and could easily feel it from the sofa. Although be warned, there's no remote control, so you will have to get up to operate it. There's a two-hour timer that can be set on a dial, but I found this made a very faint ticking noise, so I chose not to use that function overnight. Otherwise, there are no complex settings or digital displays to navigate, as this fan operates with simple push-button controls. Though I tested the model in white, it's also available in black, which I think is a more stylish option, especially if it's going to be on display all summer. 11. Devola Floor Fan 16 Devola Floor Fan 16 £34.95 Pros: Powerful fan, carry handle on back, large, not too heavy to carry between rooms Cons: No timer, no remote control, only three settings, too big for small rooms Rating: 3/5 This fan is quite impressive and has an industrial vibe. It's a floor fan, so the stand doesn't get in the way, but the fan itself is massive. I used it in the living room and also tried it in the bedroom, but it was too noisy for me to sleep through. It has three speeds and is pretty powerful. You can also tilt the head to direct the air where it's most effective, but the stand's design prevents it from oscillating from left to right, which is a shame. Still, it works extremely well and I suspect it would be brilliant during a heatwave – alas, when I tested it, the weather hadn't reached those glorious heights and even the lowest setting was too much. The Devola Floor Fan is good for large spaces, but I think it's overkill for smaller rooms. It also requires more effort than we've come to expect from our appliances, as it lacks a timer or remote control, so you've to get up to switch it on and off, adjust the speed, and tilt the head to direct the airflow where you want it. Additionally, the electric cable is quite short, so you're limited to the position of your sockets, and you must have the fan facing you to benefit from the breeze. On the plus side, though, it's ready to go straight out of the box, with no need to make any adjustments. Where to buy home fans? Home fans can be bought online and are also available in a range of shops, including department stores and supermarkets. Don't wait until a heatwave before deciding to buy one, however, as many of these models will quickly sell out. Choose your favourite from the reviews above and get shopping on one of these recommended sites: Amazon Argos B&Q Dunelm Dyson John Lewis Meaco Robert Dyas The Range Wilko How much does a home fan cost? Fans are available to suit all budgets, from around £20 for a basic desktop fan to several hundred pounds for some bladeless models. If you just want a fan to blow cold air on a few hot days each year, there's no real point forking out over the odds. However, if you need to cool a large area, want a particularly quiet model to help you sleep, or prefer a more stylish fan you won't mind out on display, it could be worth spending extra on a model that will last for years. How much does it cost to run a fan? The brilliant news about fans is they're incredibly cheap to run, especially compared to energy-guzzling air conditioners. Most standard home fans use around 50 watts of electricity, which translates to just 1-2p per hour based on current energy prices. Even if you're keeping cool with your fan running all day during a heatwave, you're only looking at about 20-30p daily. For the budget-conscious, pedestal fans typically cost around £2-£5 per month with regular use, while ceiling fans are similarly economical at approximately 1p per hour. The power consumption varies between models – bladeless fans and those with extra features might use slightly more electricity, while basic desk fans use less. Which is the quietest fan? If you're a light sleeper or work from home, finding a whisper-quiet fan is essential – and the MeacoFan Sefte models are among the quietest for peaceful cooling. Both the pedestal and tabletop versions operate at just 25dB on their lowest settings – about as loud as a gentle whisper. The dedicated night mode is particularly impressive, gradually reducing fan speed while eliminating all lights and sounds. The Honeywell QuietSet lives up to its name, offering five speed settings, including an ultra-quiet night mode that's ideal for bedrooms. While not quite as silent as the MeacoFan models, it remains remarkably quiet even on higher settings. The Challenge White Pedestal & Desk Fan deserves an honourable mention – it's quiet enough that you won't need to turn it off to hear the TV, though its beeping when changing settings might disturb light sleepers. Can I use a fan overnight? Yes, it's perfectly safe to keep your fan running all night – and during a heatwave, that cool breeze can be the difference between tossing and turning or getting proper sleep. However, some people experience morning dryness due to the constant airflow. If you wake up with a scratchy throat or dry eyes, try positioning the fan to circulate air around the room rather than blowing directly on you. For allergy sufferers, fans can sometimes stir up dust and pollen; therefore, models with air purification, such as the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool, are worth the investment. The MeacoFan Sefte range excels for overnight use with its whisper-quiet operation and clever night modes that gradually reduce speed before automatically switching off, preventing you from waking up chilly at 3 am. A timer function is particularly valuable for overnight use, letting you enjoy cooling comfort while falling asleep without running the fan unnecessarily all night. What is the biggest number of settings on a home fan? When it comes to cooling control, the MeacoFan Sefte range absolutely outperforms the competition with an impressive 12-speed setting, providing precise control over exactly how much breeze you need. Most standard fans offer just three basic settings (low, medium, high), but premium models are increasingly providing more flexibility. The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool comes in second, offering 10 different speeds, while the Challenge White Pedestal & Desk Fan provides a respectable eight settings. Why does this matter? More settings means finding that perfect sweet spot – powerful enough to cool you down but not so breezy that it's blowing your paperwork everywhere or keeping you awake at night. The difference between settings 1-3 on the MeacoFan models is particularly valuable, offering whisper-quiet operation at just 25dB while still providing effective cooling, making it perfect for light sleepers who require gentle airflow.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Societe Generale Asks Staff to Return to Office Four Days a Week
Save Societe Generale SA asked its employees who are on hybrid work schedules to return to the office four days a week, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg News. 'I would like to inform you of the executive committee's decision to harmonize rapidly our working from home policy within the group, on the basis of a maximum of one day per week,' Societe Generale Chief Executive Officer Slawomir Krupa wrote in the memo sent Thursday.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
John Lewis tells head office staff to work in office at least three days a week
John Lewis is asking head office staff to spend at least three days a week in the office or out on the road in the latest shift away from working from home. The department store group said members of its commercial teams – which include those working in buying and merchandising – should work no more than two days a week from home from July. Previously they were allowed to work up to three days a week at home. The change at the employee-owned group, which is renowned for its good treatment of workers, including access to holiday homes and a generous pension scheme, comes amid a broader shift among businesses ranging from the retailer Boots to Amazon and JP Morgan, who have told staff they must return five days a week. Last month HSBC told staff in its UK high street banks that it may cut their bonuses if they did not work in the office at least 60% of the time. The business has also discussed a group-wide policy of working in the office three days a week, according to the Financial Times. John Lewis's parent group also owns Waitrose supermarkets but the change in working practice applies only to those working for its department store's commercial teams. In the wider group, flexible working is encouraged as agreed with a manager. John Lewis said the changes for its commercial team were partly to enable training and development after it recruited 50 new members of staff and to aid collaboration as it works on a turnaround plan to boost profits. However, some workers have reacted angrily to the change, saying there is not enough space in the group's new head office in Pimlico, central London, according to trade journal Retail Week, which first reported the change in working patterns. The group is in the middle of a tough turnaround plan started by former chair Sharon White and continued under her successor, Jason Tarry. That has involved closing about 16 department stores and at least 20 Waitrose outlets and cutting thousands of head office jobs. Group sales rose 3% to £12.8bn in the 12 months to 25 January 2025, as underlying profit rose from £42m to £126m and sales growth picked up through December and January. A John Lewis spokesperson said: 'Flexible working is an important part of our offer; everyone in our business can request to work flexibly, and most central office partners have hybrid working arrangements in place. 'A collaborative culture is critical to help create the best product ranges and store environment for our customers and we're taking steps to encourage team members to spend time together in our offices, our stores, meeting brands and suppliers and balancing this with working remotely.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Penalty rates and BREAKS could be on the chopping block under new work from home rules
Professionals working from home could be denied the right to take breaks or be paid penalty rates for weekends and public holidays if an employer group had its way. The Australian Industry Group, which represents 60,000 businesses employing a million workers, has asked the Fair Work Commission for permission to take away entitlements in exchange for allowing WFH privileges. The employer group had made the application to vary the clerks award, covering administration support staff. It has confirmed it has been participating in confidential discussions with the workplace umpire. 'It would be highly inappropriate for any party to comment on or otherwise disclose the content of discussions or developments that have occurred in the context of those proceedings,' a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Austrtalia. 'To do so would be a clear and deliberate breach of faith.' AI Group chief executive Innes Willox argued he supported work from home, after former Liberal leader Peter Dutton lost the election with an aborted plan to force Canberra-based public servants back into the office. 'The last election demonstrated the importance people place on working from home, and we know that accommodating this, when they can, is also important to many employers,' he said. 'Sadly, some in the union movement seem determined to cling to the notoriously complex web of outdated workplace laws instead of constructively and cooperatively exploring how regulation of working arrangements can be genuinely modernised in a way that is both fair and flexible for all parties.' A little more than a third or 36 per cent of Australians are now working from home with Covid lockdowns normalising the practice.
