working long hours

silverside

hi
my current job involves working a lot of hours (11 or 12 hours on a good day, more than that one or two days a week)

obviously this is affecting my social life a bit and tiring me a bit

i do love my job though, so changing it/working less isn't really an option.

Would like to hear about how other people deal with it... at the moment just keeping the head down and working through it seems to do it for me, there is a real energy in the workplace which keeps me going, and the work is mostly interesting, but i do have the occasional 'fed up' day...

at least i don't work weekends

anyway i'm not really whinging, but i would like to hear other peoples experiences...

KdjaCL

I left a good job career thing cos it stopped me playing football. **** that, work is somfin you have to do not want.

Having fun and a life is somfin you want to do.

Im totally the wrong person to give you advice as i count my minimum wages but lots of time off


kdjac

Dizzyblabla

see, I do 12 hour shifts, but because of the way the shifts work, I get alot of time off, by the sounds of it, you're only getting the w/e's off, that's not good for you at all. Maybe you could talk to your boss about using some of the overtime to get a half day on a Friday or something? or come in late one or two mornings? You must be getting savage overtime for those kind of hours!

Sangre

Talk to your employer, tell him you think the long hours are affectint your work and you'd appreciate some less hours. Who knows, he could understand that a tired, unhappy worker is an unproductive one.

Repli

I agree with KdjaC - work to live - don't live to work
I would never let work interfere with my personal/social life and if it did and there was no other solution, I'd get another job

TinCool

I tend to work long hours towards the end of the month but I always get time off in lieu as a result which is always nice.

the_syco

Are you a chef? Having worked in a kitchen, of a fairly busy restraunt, I know that weekends can be 12 hour shifts. Although there's not much you can do about it, remember that you'll burn out after awhile, if you work too much, too hard.
Another job I can think of, is pub/tourism related job. Again, you'll burn out if you work too hard.
Finally, are you a programmer?

Aside from these 3 jobs, I don't know any other jobs that would do 12 hour shifts, but still give you great energy.

It may be fun now, but if you don't have time to relax, you'll end up hating the job. A good idea, would be talk to your co-workers, and see how they cope with the 12 hour shifts.

RicardoSmith

You can't keep that lifestyle up for too long. You need to find a better balance.

WhiteWashMan

it realyl depends on what is the most important thing for you as a person.
you either work long hours becuase you are driven, you want to, you love your job, it is your life, and its what you want to do...

or

you do wha tthe majority of people do, and thats work to pay the bills, and nothing else. as said, most epople work to live, not live to work.

obviously i you want to work long hours, and you enjoy it and you dont mind doing it, then great. some people wish they could do that. hell, if youa re going to work, if you enjoy it, most people would be happy with that.

]however, it is a trade off. you cant expect to have everything you ever wanted out of your work, and then wonder why you are not getting the great social life.

perhaps you need to organise your social life better? there is no reason why you can t do it, but if youa re only going out once or twice a week, then make sure thats its something you want to do, or somewhere you want to go, with people you want to go out with.

if you have occasional fed up days, i suggest you finish on time those days, and just go for a pint (or even just go for a pint after work whenever that may be).

Gordon

Moved from PI

roundcrisis

HI silverside: I m on the same boat, I ve been doing this for over a year and it doesnt get any easier but I love what i do and I m not complaining
the best way to do this is organize yourself in the best possible way and try to be realistic when people ask you how long it would take to get this or that done.
at the begining of the day do a list of things you want to get done and try to actually do that (its nearly impossible) depending on what do you do.

Arrange to do things with friends after 7:30pm and actually go there
I dont know, it works for me (but i still work at least 11hours a day).

bests

silverside

thanks for the replies

the work itself doesnt really bother me, in fact i enjoy it, i couldn't really ask for a better job. i am getting great experience and learning a lot. looking for a reduction in hours is not practical at all.

it is just slightly annoying to have to cancel social things at the last minute due to work pressures, now it's got to the stage where if i get out before 8 i look on it as a bonus, then i make the most of the weekends and holidays.

i was just interested to hear how other people get on with it, i reckon if i do it for 2 or 3 years, any other job will seem easy after it...

thanks for the replies

the work itself doesnt really bother me, in fact i enjoy it, i couldn't really ask for a better job. i am getting great experience and learning a lot. looking for a reduction in hours is not practical at all.

it is just slightly annoying to have to cancel social things at the last minute due to work pressures, now it's got to the stage where if i get out before 8 i look on it as a bonus, then i make the most of the weekends and holidays.

i was just interested to hear how other people get on with it, i reckon if i do it for 2 or 3 years, any other job will seem easy after it...

the_syco i work trading/modelling financial stuff, whitewashman i guess i am one of those people who is not happy unless I am really pushing myself, roundcrisis glad to hear it, sounds like good advice...

RicardoSmith

I've done it a lot on the past. To be honest looking back, it was never worth it in the long run. All it does is cheapen your time. Thats both at work and home. You need a balance so that your mind and body can recover so that you last the distance. Burning the candle both ends is not sustainable in another other than the short term.

If it was setting up a new business or establishing yourself in a new role or for a very rare and important project deadline then ok. But when it becomes every second day then theres a problem. You should always have some reserves in a system to cater for unexpected situations. But if your burning the candle at both ends then you've no reserves.

WhiteWashMan

RicardoSmith wrote:

I've done it a lot on the past. To be honest looking back, it was never worth it in the long run. All it does is cheapen your time. Thats both at work and home. You need a balance so that your mind and body can recover so that you last the distance. Burning the candle both ends is not sustainable in another other than the short term.

If it was setting up a new business or establishing yourself in a new role or for a very rare and important project deadline then ok. But when it becomes every second day then theres a problem. You should always have some reserves in a system to cater for unexpected situations. But if your burning the candle at both ends then you've no reserves.

well, i agree, and disagree.

if all you do is work, then that is bad. but i dont think working 12 - 13 hours a day is that bad. especially not when you are enjoying it.

burning the candle at both ends would mean either working 18 hours a day and having nothing else, or working and then partying all night!

i think the real problem will hit when the OP has to start making decisions about time and home life (ie with someone else) while youa re single its easy to do the things you want to do, be it work rest or play.
but when you have a partner, then you have really have to decide at that point which is more important.

RicardoSmith

The problem comes when your body shuts down.....

silverside

lol

but i am young healthy and single at the moment which means i don't have to worry too much

we'll cross that bridge when we come to it...

RicardoSmith

silverside wrote:

lol

but i am young healthy and single at the moment which means i don't have to worry too much

we'll cross that bridge when we come to it...

I hope you get the warning signs early my friend...

smileygal

If you are at a desk all day, look after your back and eyes in particular.

Computers can wreck your eyes and your back will never forgive you for being stuck at a desk forever.