I have been hosting a weekly(ish) office for a few years now. Most Fridays start around 2:30 PM Central because that works well for me. These started as an excuse for me to work on open source and side projects and became a banter for many remote people.

I also plan to host a monthly morning edition so friends in other time zones can join.

Since I started hosting weekly(ish) office hours, other groups, including the DSF, Wagtail, and various PSF factions, have begun hosting their own. I try to join a few of those when I can.

Jeff’s Office Hours (these are mine)

I host my weekly office hours on most Fridays starting around 2:30 PM Central. Once a month, I plan on hosting them at 8 AM or 9 AM Central.

What’s the goal? I am usually done with client work for the week, and by Friday afternoon, I use it as an excuse to work on some of my projects and to banter. It’s become an office water cooler for many people who want a place to chill to end their week.

How to join? They are always on Zoom. Contact me for a meeting gist/invite.

Wagtail Office Hours

Meagen Voss hosts weekly Wagtail Office Hours on Wednesdays from 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada).

What’s the goal? To work on Wagtail or Wagtail projects together with other community members.

How to join? They are always on Google Meet. Reach out to Meagen for a meeting gist/invite.

DSF Office Hours

Jacob Kaplan-Moss or at least one board member from the DSF hosts these weekly on Wednesdays at 1 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada).

What’s the goal? To work on anything related to the DSF. It’s also a good space to ask questions.

How to join? They are always on Google Meet. Contact Jacob or another DSF member for a meeting gist/invite.

Conference Chats twice a month meetups

While these aren’t officially “Office Hours,” I have been a member since day one.

If you run a conference or event and you are looking for a like-minded group to learn and share with, they host two meetups every month:

• The first Friday of the month starting at 1:00 PM US Eastern time
• The second Wednesday of the month starting at 9:00 PM US Eastern time

Check out their website for the most recent schedule: www.conferencechats.org

My office hours are a byproduct of hanging out with the Conference Chats and wanting an excuse to talk off-topic.

Wrapping up

Office hours have become more than just a way to squeeze in extra project time—they’ve become their own communities and spaces. Whether you join for some off-topic banter or to dive deep into a project, there’s always a space for you. Feel free to reach out, join a session, or even start your own office hours if you think your community could use another one.