Poll: Hours Worked? Comments - too much or too little?

[LWJ]

I have prided myself in the past on my life work balance but in recent years, it is work work work. I think I need to move 2015 into a more enjoyable balance. I don't want for anything that is even close to critical. I do enjoy my work but don't seem to have time to do things that I say I want to do. I probably work 45 - 60 hours per week counting the interruption on my life that emails cause. I am more productive than all but one of my co-workers but am aware that I am in a role that isn't the best fit for me. I don't plan on changing my role however for many reasons. In a past career, I worked 35 hours or less and was one of the best in the country.

But this is not about me. What about you? How many hours worked and is that too much or too little?

Larry

[Aggie93]

On average, I'm 55 hours +/- now and that is down from 65+ six years ago. In office between 7-7:30 and leave usually 5-5:30. Eat lunch at my desk everyday - have gone out to lunch five times in six years. Add another hour plus after the kids go to bed 2-3 nights plus 3-5 hours on weekend. I work in investment management and every quarter when companies report earnings, that number goes up. Sometimes significantly. I get five weeks vacation and have to force myself to use them. I think I'll lose 5 days this year, but six years ago i took maybe 10 day, so taking 20 is a big improvement.

I like what I do, but now working for a large company and don't enjoy that part.

[id10t]

40 hours for full time, this semester 6 hours in hte classroom, plus time for grading, office hours (not supposed to be done during FT work, but we all do it), etc. Oh, and I'm taking a class (3 hrs per week), and have to develop a new class for Spring (40-60 hours sometime between now and Jan 5).

[5String43]

I've been retired for just a year now. I pretty much do what I want, when I want (as long as my wife says I can). Life is good.

[scottmandue]

Full time government under contract 40 hour week... not sure what you mean by 30 hour regular or 40 hour overtime?

[Head416]

I got a new job 3 months ago, so now I work 40-45 depending on the week and I love it. I'm not sure what my hours were before, but I was basically on-call 24/7/365. No more.

[911SauCy]

It would be interesting to see income versus time invested correlation

Like a hot crazy matrix for hard workers

[oldE]

I voted "Retired", but in truth, I'm semi-retired.
In the summer season, I'm putting in about 40 hours a week as a heritage interpreter at the tidal power site and gigging about every two weeks.
I was approached this fall by a baker friend who couldn't find anyone to work a farmers market once/week about an hour away, so Saturdays I'm doing that for him, plus the gigs a couple evenings /month.

In truth, I'm doing no more or no less than I want.
Wasn't it Mark Twain who said, "Work is whatever a body is obliged to do. Play is whatever a body isn't obliged to do."

Best
Les

[LakeCleElum]

Been retired 11 yrs, but:
Started working 7 days a week at age 15 in a gas station. That was a break from working on the farm.

Put myself thru college working 40 hrs a week.

For my career, I worked every bit of overtime and extra job I could. I was the scheduler for extra jobs and got my pick. During the holiday season, I would work six weeks straight w/o a day off. Most of those day were 12 to 14 hrs, one was 24 hrs.

Then I hit the wall at about age 45. Tried to do 40 hr week, but some overtime and night-time callouts couldn't be avoided.

Retired at age 52 and haven't had a job in 11 yrs.......I did build a house and do a lot of volunteer work.........

[BK911]

Got out of the Navy with no place to live, a GED, $18 in my bank account, and NO GI bill.
Started working 50+ hours per week and attended night school for 17 years.
First 10 years went every semester; Spring, summer, fall and winter.
Last 7 years just spring and fall.
All that hard work paid off.
Now i work 40 hours per week to the second.
I will knock my grandmother over if she is between me and the door at 4pm.

[Amail]

When not on field trips I've always tried to stick to 40 hours. These days I'm a manager and no more field trips. I'll get in the office early but I'm out the door at the crack of 5:00 and don't do anything more than think about work in the off hours. Too many people put family time second.

[mjohnson]

That's "Full Time Government Defense Contractor/National Laboratory/Military Industrial Complex" actually.

35 - 60 h/wk. Whatever it takes to get the job done. My favorite is traveling on nights, weekends and holidays to be there for that 0730 Monday morning meeting.

I'm not complaining - It's an awesome job. I'll take this over the real world any day!

[IROC]

Originally Posted by mjohnson

That's "Full Time Government Defense Contractor/National Laboratory/Military Industrial Complex" actually.

35 - 60 h/wk. Whatever it takes to get the job done. My favorite is traveling on nights, weekends and holidays to be there for that 0730 Monday morning meeting.

I'm not complaining - It's an awesome job. I'll take this over the real world any day!

My emphasis above - the rest fits me to a T. I just have to make sure not to get in BK911's way around 4 pm.

[aap1966]

Rostered hours 110 per fortnight: occasionally a bit more with teaching, etc.
(38 to 50 of those hours are nights-like now.)

[Bill Douglas]

I used to work three jobs and put the money into investments. It worked out well and haven't had a "real" job since I turned 45. If I do anything it's for myself or volunteer work.

[2porscheguy]

I've been in private practice for 30 years now. 10 years ago I was working 6 days a week for a good decade but I've now hired more associates so I've cut back quite a bit. For the last 5 years I've been practicing 4 days a week (about 28 hrs) and have taken about 8 weeks in holidays including all of August off.

So I guess I'm "partially" retired?

[SoCal911T]

I work 44/36 schedule for the State. Week one: Monday through Thursday 9 hours days and Friday 8 hours. Week two: Monday through Thursday 9 hours and Friday off.

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Full time government under contract 40 hour week... not sure what you mean by 30 hour regular or 40 hour overtime?

I have no idea either.

[2porscheguy]

^^^^^Don't you understand? ....It's the Gubmint!!!

[masraum]

Right now? I'm salaried, but I get paid 1.5x if I work OT. I work four 10hr days. No on call, sometime have OT available (pretty much always voluntary). Very little OT for the last 6-8 months, for 2 years before that I was working 60hrs/wk (completely voluntarily, did it for the $$$). Previous jobs, mostly 50ish hours, salaried, no OT when you factor in a little extra here and there, on call and projects.

When I was in my early 20s, I worked at a retail parts place that was HUGE in FL. I worked my way up to being a manager in 2 years. I made 21k/year with bonuses, so got another 4-5k in bonuses (was only a manager for about a year before I quit). The manager's minimum schedule was 50hrs/week, but I was told that 90% of the managers couldn't get their job done in that time and should be working 55-60. When I got promoted and realized what sort of BS the job was and how poorly the business was managed, I couldn't wait to get out. The only plus was that I liked my team and a few aspects of the job. I'm glad I'm capable and was able to get far, far away from that sort of gig.

[jcommin]

I'm a 2nd generation Greek American. To a Greek American a half day is 12 hours. I'm 64 yrs old and I still have nightmares about working for family businesses when I was a kid.

I still use the half day line........when I want to mess with someone.