| Working long hours 13:27 - Aug 16 with 6920 views | itfcjoe |
Is there anyone with a job where they work mega long hours, I always think i do lots but a lot of the time I am killing time and waiting for better opportunities to get on with things I need to - e.g. I find it much easier to schedule work in the evenings away from the phone ringing every 5 minutes so spend too long on here sometimes....!
But I'd say I do 50-60 hours a week, and generally will be doing something 7 days a week, even if it isn't much at weekends all the time and it is in my time....
I was on a stag do last weekend, and some guys on it were management consultants, or corporate lawyers, or those who had been investment bankers. Mate had gone to Oxford so these were smart guys all earning big bucks.
But they were talking about having to do 100+ hour weeks for months on ends, 3 weekends in 4. Being in the office until 4 in the morning, and then back there at 8, sleeping under desks, sending emails at 3 in the morning and having them back slated within 10 minutes and then going back and forth until they had to go to work. And these weren't one offs, this was all the time
I'm sure they were all doing well, one guy had his company pay for him to fly in business from Singapore and just had a meeting in Switzerland on the Monday but sounded like company didn't really care whether he did or not.
If that is success, I'm happy to fail! Another guy with £1m mortgage who says nearly all his post tax salary goes to a full time Nanny as his wife is also a lawyer and has changed jobs now because didn't see kids for weeks on end. It's a totally different world to what I know, and not one I want to know! |  |
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| Working long hours on 13:36 - Aug 16 with 3540 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
I'm lucky, I have a good work life balance. I do keep an eye on e-mails in the evening, but I dont work evenings or weekends.
Its important to keep an eye on the hours you work.
If you stood two people side by side and said Person A earns £40k per year, and Person B earns £50k per year.... you would say Person B earns more.
And they do, but if person A works 40 hours per week, and person B works 60 hours per week, then Person A is better paid for the work they do.
Its important not to be a busy fool. |  |
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| Working long hours on 13:37 - Aug 16 with 3527 views | davblue |
I leave the house at 6am to get a train but if I can leave the office at 15:45 so I can get back to see my boy I do. I do always feel guilty doing this but my compromise when I was told I needed to be in London to work was that I would miss the mornings but see him at night. I still only get about an hour with him a day which I suspect some fathers don’t .
I could work longer hours easily until 19:00 every night but it to those levels you mentioned. All that money is nice and allows you to do things but at what cost? Not seeing your children and missing out on things with them? I’m ambitious but not to those levels. |  | | |
| Working long hours on 13:38 - Aug 16 with 3525 views | homer_123 |
I've easily done 80 to 100 hours for a few weeks on end (project related).
But it's not sustainable in terms of health, wellbeing and productivity to be honest. I know a fair few people who live to work and it's what they do, as you say consultants and city workers but they are living to or beyond their means regardless of how much they earn, so it's cycle they can't get out of!
I've got one friend who, over the years, has been very savvy. Retired at 33 after 8 years of utter hell (at least that is how I view it) of working internationally, 7 days a week. Serious money as he worked and sold out - he's now made for life and now starting a family etc. keeping his hand in with of projects but doesn't do more than 30 hrs a week. [Post edited 16 Aug 2018 13:40]
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| Working long hours on 13:39 - Aug 16 with 3515 views | davblue |
| Working long hours on 13:36 - Aug 16 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I'm lucky, I have a good work life balance. I do keep an eye on e-mails in the evening, but I dont work evenings or weekends.
Its important to keep an eye on the hours you work.
If you stood two people side by side and said Person A earns £40k per year, and Person B earns £50k per year.... you would say Person B earns more.
And they do, but if person A works 40 hours per week, and person B works 60 hours per week, then Person A is better paid for the work they do.
Its important not to be a busy fool. |
It’s about working smarter.
I think that’s where robotics will be a big factor in the future, they will do the Manual intensive jobs. [Post edited 16 Aug 2018 14:19]
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| Working long hours on 13:41 - Aug 16 with 3504 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| Working long hours on 13:38 - Aug 16 by homer_123 |
I've easily done 80 to 100 hours for a few weeks on end (project related).
But it's not sustainable in terms of health, wellbeing and productivity to be honest. I know a fair few people who live to work and it's what they do, as you say consultants and city workers but they are living to or beyond their means regardless of how much they earn, so it's cycle they can't get out of!
I've got one friend who, over the years, has been very savvy. Retired at 33 after 8 years of utter hell (at least that is how I view it) of working internationally, 7 days a week. Serious money as he worked and sold out - he's now made for life and now starting a family etc. keeping his hand in with of projects but doesn't do more than 30 hrs a week. [Post edited 16 Aug 2018 13:40]
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Was your mate a business owner?
Thats another big difference... working long hours for yourself v working long hours for an employer. He had that carrot / goal of the big pay off.
P.S. I take your point, he kind of 'retired'. But working 30 hours a week isn't quite retirement. I guess you meant he no longer works out of need. [Post edited 16 Aug 2018 13:42]
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| Working long hours on 13:45 - Aug 16 with 3456 views | homer_123 |
| Working long hours on 13:41 - Aug 16 by Marshalls_Mullet |
Was your mate a business owner?
Thats another big difference... working long hours for yourself v working long hours for an employer. He had that carrot / goal of the big pay off.
P.S. I take your point, he kind of 'retired'. But working 30 hours a week isn't quite retirement. I guess you meant he no longer works out of need. [Post edited 16 Aug 2018 13:42]
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Yeah (as am I) - that's why I've been happy to put in silly, silly hours if needed.
He did work stupidly though (and it's taken him a while to get his health and body back in check after those 8 years) but sold the business and benefited greatly. He completely planned it that way as well, fair play.
Yeah, 30 hours isn't taking it easy but what he's doing know he classes as 'fun' so the 30 hours don't feel like work. | |
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| Working long hours on 13:48 - Aug 16 with 3443 views | PrideOfTheEast |
Probably 70 hours a week and normally a morning one day of the weekend. Pre kids I used to get up for an hour during the night and go back to sleep just to stay on top of stuff.
My wife and I fit into the bracket in your last paragraph. Both similar jobs, have a nanny and couldn't function without that but we block out time during the week to make sure we have family time and really value our holidays! |  | | |
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| Working long hours on 13:56 - Aug 16 with 3371 views | King_of_Portman_Rd |
Worked on a farm a few times (Summer Jobs etc.) and easily clocked up close to 500 hours in little more than a month.
That's why I went to Uni though.. To get myself a sensible job where I can leave work at 5(ish) and not worry about it until I wake up the next morning |  | | |
| Working long hours on 13:58 - Aug 16 with 3352 views | ElephantintheRoom |
I'm self employed. Sometimes I work 100 hours a week. Sometimes I work 0 hours a week. I suspect there are millions like me | |
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| Working long hours on 14:04 - Aug 16 with 3323 views | StokieBlue |
I used to be like that, once you get past that initial stage though and move upwards a bit you find that a work-life balance is easier to achieve and becomes much more important. In those roles it's pretty important to put the effort in at the start if you want to get the benefits later on.
As you get older having a work-life balance becomes far more important to most (sensible) people.
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| Working long hours on 14:06 - Aug 16 with 3304 views | itfcjoe |
| Working long hours on 13:48 - Aug 16 by PrideOfTheEast |
Probably 70 hours a week and normally a morning one day of the weekend. Pre kids I used to get up for an hour during the night and go back to sleep just to stay on top of stuff.
My wife and I fit into the bracket in your last paragraph. Both similar jobs, have a nanny and couldn't function without that but we block out time during the week to make sure we have family time and really value our holidays! |
Does it not burn you out? And can you be efficient for that many hours a week - guessing if it is what has happened forever it is just normal now! | |
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| Working long hours on 14:06 - Aug 16 with 3295 views | PrideOfTheEast |
| Working long hours on 14:04 - Aug 16 by StokieBlue |
I used to be like that, once you get past that initial stage though and move upwards a bit you find that a work-life balance is easier to achieve and becomes much more important. In those roles it's pretty important to put the effort in at the start if you want to get the benefits later on.
As you get older having a work-life balance becomes far more important to most (sensible) people.
SB |
Indeed. I've benefited massively from the work put in over the last 10 years and now focus on leading teams etc which brings its own challenges but for me is a lot less pressure. | | | |
| Working long hours on 14:12 - Aug 16 with 3251 views | PrideOfTheEast |
| Working long hours on 14:06 - Aug 16 by itfcjoe |
Does it not burn you out? And can you be efficient for that many hours a week - guessing if it is what has happened forever it is just normal now! |
It's definitely just normal now and I'd say generally efficient.
A lot of my time is spent managing things rather than doing them so you're away from the detail but close enough to be able to add value. I can also generally work from anywhere which provides flexibility, although does mean you inevitably spend a couple of hours a day on holiday working, but again I don't mind that and nor does the family. | | | |
| Working long hours on 14:14 - Aug 16 with 3229 views | itfcjoe |
| Working long hours on 14:04 - Aug 16 by StokieBlue |
I used to be like that, once you get past that initial stage though and move upwards a bit you find that a work-life balance is easier to achieve and becomes much more important. In those roles it's pretty important to put the effort in at the start if you want to get the benefits later on.
As you get older having a work-life balance becomes far more important to most (sensible) people.
SB |
I found that some were surprised at the quality of life you could have earning what is admittedly still a good wage in Ipswich but is probably less than a third of what they are in London. Levels of disposable income, holidays, type of house etc.
Best of luck to those who do I just find I question the point - that no job should need or expect/demand that many hours. Those who fall off on the way up just work bloody hard for nothing in reality - if you can come out the other side you are set clearly, but guess loads fall by the wayside.
I was chatting to a mate on way back who also runs a business and we couldn't believe the hours as thought we put them in at times - but guess this is in sleepy Suffolk! | |
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| Working long hours on 14:17 - Aug 16 with 3190 views | itfcjoe |
| Working long hours on 14:12 - Aug 16 by PrideOfTheEast |
It's definitely just normal now and I'd say generally efficient.
A lot of my time is spent managing things rather than doing them so you're away from the detail but close enough to be able to add value. I can also generally work from anywhere which provides flexibility, although does mean you inevitably spend a couple of hours a day on holiday working, but again I don't mind that and nor does the family. |
To be honest i do work on holiday for an hour or two a day so think I'm more in that camp than I realise but maybe my pinch points are easier to manage as I am not the boots on the ground - I need to work when I'm away mainly but I also like to stay involved. | |
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| Working long hours on 14:34 - Aug 16 with 3117 views | Bluefish |
Changing jobs last year was the best thing I've done. More time at home and no work, calls or stress out of hours. My plan was to potentially use this as sideways step to move up but reevaluting I don't think I want to give my free time up and move to stress again |  |
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| Working long hours on 14:38 - Aug 16 with 3088 views | J2BLUE |
I don't understand working so much and so hard in most cases. If you love your job, work for yourself or you're maximising earnings to invest and retire early then great. People who work all the hours under the sun to then buy more expensive material crap are people I don't understand. I think there's an odd mentality where if you don't work as much as possible to maximise earnings you're lazy. We don't have much time on this planet. If the common wisdom is to work 60-100 hours in your prime and help the economy by buying rubbish that doesn't make you any happier i'll happily opt out.
Not saying you are doing that obviously. Think it's a bit odd when people prioritise money over seeing their kids grow up. Talking about the one who didn't see them for weeks, not every day people who see their kids daily. |  |
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| Working long hours on 14:41 - Aug 16 with 3069 views | itfcjoe |
| Working long hours on 14:38 - Aug 16 by J2BLUE |
I don't understand working so much and so hard in most cases. If you love your job, work for yourself or you're maximising earnings to invest and retire early then great. People who work all the hours under the sun to then buy more expensive material crap are people I don't understand. I think there's an odd mentality where if you don't work as much as possible to maximise earnings you're lazy. We don't have much time on this planet. If the common wisdom is to work 60-100 hours in your prime and help the economy by buying rubbish that doesn't make you any happier i'll happily opt out.
Not saying you are doing that obviously. Think it's a bit odd when people prioritise money over seeing their kids grow up. Talking about the one who didn't see them for weeks, not every day people who see their kids daily. |
In fairness the one who hadn't seem for weeks quit his job to do something a bit less demanding, although it still sounded like he was well over worked.
He said he was in soft play with his daughter having not seen her for weeks on a Sunday and got summoned into work and just sat there and cried - it is harrowing stuff really.
That was when he left investment banking to go into management consulting | |
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| Working long hours on 14:42 - Aug 16 with 3063 views | GeoffSentence |
Well, I think we can conclude from this thread that the EU working time directive is not being widely applied. |  |
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| Working long hours on 14:42 - Aug 16 with 3051 views | J2BLUE |
| Working long hours on 14:41 - Aug 16 by itfcjoe |
In fairness the one who hadn't seem for weeks quit his job to do something a bit less demanding, although it still sounded like he was well over worked.
He said he was in soft play with his daughter having not seen her for weeks on a Sunday and got summoned into work and just sat there and cried - it is harrowing stuff really.
That was when he left investment banking to go into management consulting |
Jesus. That's awful. | |
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| Working long hours on 14:46 - Aug 16 with 3031 views | Reuser_is_God |
That's ridiculous.
My job has become something that isn't just 9-5 anymore in the past 2 years but I doubt I do more than 50 hours a week which is still ridiculous.
Those that work constantly just can't enjoy life.
EDIT: The worst thing about people like that is that they'll pretend they love it & that they wouldn't change it for the world but deep down they probably want to top themselves. [Post edited 16 Aug 2018 14:49]
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| Working long hours on 14:51 - Aug 16 with 2989 views | Kieran_Knows |
My job before this one I used to work fairly long hours, and then spent most of my evenings on my laptop doing work stuff (drawings etc).
Changed jobs 3 years ago and am now literally Monday-Friday, 9-5pm. Although those hours vary as I do just come and go as I please. Only slight gripe is that I drive from Ipswich to Marks Tey each day, but it's worth it compared to what I did before. [Post edited 16 Aug 2018 14:52]
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| Working long hours on 14:51 - Aug 16 with 2981 views | Reuser_is_God |
| Working long hours on 14:38 - Aug 16 by J2BLUE |
I don't understand working so much and so hard in most cases. If you love your job, work for yourself or you're maximising earnings to invest and retire early then great. People who work all the hours under the sun to then buy more expensive material crap are people I don't understand. I think there's an odd mentality where if you don't work as much as possible to maximise earnings you're lazy. We don't have much time on this planet. If the common wisdom is to work 60-100 hours in your prime and help the economy by buying rubbish that doesn't make you any happier i'll happily opt out.
Not saying you are doing that obviously. Think it's a bit odd when people prioritise money over seeing their kids grow up. Talking about the one who didn't see them for weeks, not every day people who see their kids daily. |
Imagine spending thousands on a curved TV or something but you spend your life at work that you never get to watch it. | |
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| Working long hours on 14:52 - Aug 16 with 2971 views | hype313 |
| Working long hours on 14:38 - Aug 16 by J2BLUE |
I don't understand working so much and so hard in most cases. If you love your job, work for yourself or you're maximising earnings to invest and retire early then great. People who work all the hours under the sun to then buy more expensive material crap are people I don't understand. I think there's an odd mentality where if you don't work as much as possible to maximise earnings you're lazy. We don't have much time on this planet. If the common wisdom is to work 60-100 hours in your prime and help the economy by buying rubbish that doesn't make you any happier i'll happily opt out.
Not saying you are doing that obviously. Think it's a bit odd when people prioritise money over seeing their kids grow up. Talking about the one who didn't see them for weeks, not every day people who see their kids daily. |
Indeed, you can always make more money but you can't make more time.
As I get older life is about experiences/moments/memories rather than a pound note, I lost a good friend aged 38 with a 2 year old to cancer 2 years ago, it totally changed my mindset on life.
Work hard yes, but if you can't do your job each day within a 8-9 hour day then I do wonder if people are just working because they don't have a home life/want to be seen to be working all hours to colleagues/or are terrible at their job. |  |
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