I recently shifted everything over to the life side. I've always worked at home (self-employed) and was very successful for a while, but decided to scale work way back to the point of just keeping it alive and drawing a small salary. Now I'm a full-time dad, and have more time for my music. My wife has a great salary and really good benefits, so we're quite comfortable. I had to work like a dog and make a really good income myself to learn that that stuff isn't important. Life is wonderful - should have done it years ago.

Getting sick of the "hours, hours, hours..." grind, myself.
We're always being pushed to get all of the hours in that we can. A really effective means to ensure that your workforce despises management is to mandate the hours worked. Even better if the "Director of _____" rarely shows up on a saturday or for any substantial extra effort.
On average, we're looked down upon if we don't hit 50/week without fail. People tend to blow off taking any vacation. At the end of the year, the director of fill-in-the-blank cant understand why people arent hitting this magical quota. At the last minute - he decides that we can buy back vacation hours (which people have been asking for for quite some time) for the first time.
I havent been on a bike ride longer than 15mi, a vacation day (for the purpose of unwinding, myself) or anything enjoyable for longer than I can remember.
It's great to be gainfully employed, and have something fulfilling to do - but this is getting old.

One of my best team members is a guy that I used to work for. I left that miserable company and he stayed on through lots of horrible projects. By the time he finally quit - he took the better part of a year off, and didnt wear shoes for the majority of it. He wasnt burned out - he was downright crispy. He's starting to feel the same way again, and I'm trying my darndest to prevent this from happening to the whole group.

"Middle management" is truly that. Not exactly fulfilling!

Salaried, so no OT $ here. I typically work 50 - 60 hrs/week in the office and another 10-12 at home. A few hours less on weeks with "holidays", but that usually means just more work at home and less in the office.

I haven't taken a vacation or sick day in something like 4 years.

I'm getting really tired of hearing "you really should take your vacation - everybody deserves time off" followed by ...."remember that I need this, this, and this (by some impossible deadlines)".

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1323556122.gif

dw1-
You're so right.
On top of that, the incapable and clueless are allowed a hall pass. My peer (manager of the "other" half of the ME's in the department) refuses to enforce the minimum hours, and he's got a number of clowns that can't manage to hit 40/week on a regular basis.

The only way I'd work 60+ hours a week are 1. if it were something I absolutely loved or 2. it paid a ridiculous salary (at least 200/year), and I knew it would only be for a couple years, after which I could slow down. Life is too short to spend long hours doing something you hate, or even only mildly dislike, even if the pay is good. What good is money if you don't have any time to spend it?

Total between in office and at home (mostly in office) 55-60 per week for the last 18 months (plus the commute in Chicago). Salaried, no OT here

Its a bit of a grind...however, I am almost never working past 3pm on Fridays (which yes means I make up for it the rest of the week) and I manage to go out of town and do something fun about every 2nd weekend...so far it works...I'm also single, 23, and have no responsibilities, so I can throw mvyself into my job a little more and not worry about it, knowing it will pay off down the road.

Overall, I'm fairly satisfied with the balance. However about 8/9 months ago, it was more like 65-75 per week and that was starting to grind on me. Its better DI



EDIT: as I say its better, I am only posting at 930pm on a Saturday night because I am staying in due to needing to be at work at 8am tomorrow so we can prepare for our twice yearly safety audit. Its all worth it (or so i keep telling myself)

It's as simple as: Work to live....not live to work.

50-60 per week, but I don't mind. My wife does though, so I am trying to reel things in and work smarter