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Dying for work

Today I left te house at 4, drove to the airport, flew to Southern California, drove to the client site, worked from 1130 to 230, went for a five mile hike/trail run and now heading to the hotel for a shower before dinner. Ten hour day on the clock and I feel like I got to spend several hours of doing exactly what I wanted.

Tomorrow will be probably 0600-1430. Friday will be the reverse of today.
 
bojangle said:
See, I'd like that schedule better than working typical day hours. I'm currently working a grave shift, 6 pm to 6 am, and I prefer that much more than day shift. I think 6-6 is a little better than 4-4, because you got a couple more afternoon hours to pick up kids from school and see the family, etc. But I could definitely make 4-4 work well for me.



It's funny though. A lot depends on one's outlook and personal situation. I find working odd hours, and many times one day of the weekend, can be better for kids and family life. I can pick them up from school, take them if I have to, and attend other school events, for example. Things I might not be able to do on a regular day time week day schedule. Sometimes you might have to miss things, but it balances out with times you're available. Plus, having 3 to 4 days off a week is HUGE in my book.

The most burned out I ever got from work was the 3 years I worked as a detective. At the time, we were scheduled a typical 5/8 schedule with an unpaid lunch, like many working stiffs. I had weekends off, but it was only 2 days and I was used to 3 to 4 days off on shift work. Then, add to that, we were basically on call 24/7, and we're not really compensated appropriately for that burden and responsibility. Many times, it seemed like almost every weekend in the summer times, we'd get called out at night for a major crime and then end up working through the weekend, only to start all over again. Even when you're not called out on a given week, the burden and responsibly of always being on call definitely burned me out. I couldn't hardly have an alcoholic drink when off duty. I couldn't hardly really travel anywhere unless I was on an actual vacation. Speaking of vacations, three times while on a preapproved vacation, I was called out to crime scenes. Once I didn't have to go, as I was literally on the slopes in Tahoe, and the case wasn't a murder. The other two times I was on vacation, but in town, and had to respond to process murder scenes. It was an overall great experience in my career, but I have no desire to do it again. And that is entirely due to the working conditions that burned me out.

I can work more hours per week doing 12-hour graveyard patrol shifts than I worked as a detective and feel much more balanced in a work / life equilibrium. Longer days with more days off, and no burden of being on call 24/7 makes all the difference.



^^^Exactly! :thumbup
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Totally agree that working odd hours is better for work/life balance. Not everyone has that opportunity. When I worked swing and flex, I could sustain longer hours and still find balance. Try doing the daily grind in an over populated area and a commute with kids? Not so easy.
 
I work for the City of SF. I work 40 hours a week. My boss gives me the option of taking days off work that contractors are working. I take them. I look at all upper management and these clowns are in an hour before I am and usually a few hours after I leave.

I would never want that for myself. Ever.
 
CoorsLight said:
Totally agree that working odd hours is better for work/life balance. Not everyone has that opportunity. When I worked swing and flex, I could sustain longer hours and still find balance. Try doing the daily grind in an over populated area and a commute with kids? Not so easy.
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I think swing/grave shift for a married couple would be more challenging when the SO is working a normal 5/8 schedule. Yes, no?
 
easter bunny said:
We've got the Gigafactory over here. I know several people who work there or interviewed there. The attitude is that it's an amazing privilege to work there but manke no mistake you're going to sign your life away. You WILL be onsite for meetings at 8pm. After your regular 8-6 workday. And be expected to stay and work the 2 hours between. I think most companies today have the same attitude that you should feel lucky to be there.
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Exactly. The whole “you are lucky to work here” culture only worsens the epidemic of job insecurity. Especially in companies where a large proportion of the workforce is 1099, which is a rapidly growing trend.
 
CoorsLight said:
Totally agree that working odd hours is better for work/life balance. Not everyone has that opportunity. When I worked swing and flex, I could sustain longer hours and still find balance. Try doing the daily grind in an over populated area and a commute with kids? Not so easy.
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Also helps that I have a take home "company" car and basically no commute, since it's a short distance and I can log on from and change out at home. That stuff makes a pretty big difference from the times I was commuting 2 hours a day.

gnahc79 said:
I think swing/grave shift for a married couple would be more challenging when the SO is working a normal 5/8 schedule. Yes, no?
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I've found it can work well. I have a wife and two kids. She's not currently working, as she's going through a credential program, but she worked full time normal hours a couple years ago. There are definite benefits, in that she is off when I'm working, and vice versa, so someone's always around to watch the kids. Sleeping wise, I adjust a few hours on my days off, so I'm usually awake by about 11 am. That way I'm up for a good chunk of the day when I'm off, and go to sleep a few hours earlier, to make family life better.
 
bojangle said:
Not always that. Sometimes, like in my case, you put in time and devotion, and make sacrifices, with goals of moving upward, only to see time and time again that the people being rewarded with promotions haven't done dick.
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Did they coach the department softball team?

Man, I put in 50 hours a week on site, then lots of admin at home and everywhere because now we have apps and linked google accounts with kids. I set limits (I will not respond to anything after 9pm), but my day starts at 6:45 and often ends after 8pm. Those summers off though....net $4.5K a month.
 
Interesting read.

Instead, the work ideology was reimposed. During the 80s, the aggressively pro-business governments of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan strengthened the power of employers, and used welfare cuts and moralistic rhetoric to create a much harsher environment for people without jobs. David Graeber, who is an anarchist as well as an anthropologist, argues that these policies were motivated by a desire for social control. After the political turbulence of the 60s and 70s, he says, “Conservatives freaked out at the prospect of everyone becoming hippies and abandoning work. They thought: ‘What will become of the social order?’”

It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but Hunnicutt, who has studied the ebb and flow of work in the west for almost 50 years, says Graeber has a point: “I do think there is a fear of freedom – a fear among the powerful that people might find something better to do than create profits for capitalism.”
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At my old job I used to work salary averaged 9-10 hrs a day and usually had 1 or 2, 12 hr days and the occasional breifing or meeting or training class schedule off my regular shift hours. After a couple years I said screw that peasantry and quit and after a year of searching I got lucky with a city job that is hourly and about half the responsibility of my previous work.

I start next month and I hear the position has lots of opportunity for overtime in fact your expected to pick up some hours as they are short staffed, at least I get paid for the extra hours.

As far as workers being productive past 6 hours, in my old line of work you learn how productive you can be well into the 10 or 11 hour mark when your free time is at risk lol.
 
rsrider said:
Work is over rated, useless, and completely shit for most people.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jan/19/post-work-the-radical-idea-of-a-world-without-jobs
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A lot of work must have gone into writing that article covering an unworkable pipe dream about a post work society. A universal basic income is simply unworkable. Where does the money come from? How will goods and services be provided? Sounds a lot like communism. The article actually mentions slave labor of the past. They couldn't possibly be suggesting that is something to aspire to return to, could they?

I'll say this. The overwhelming majority of people I arrest are unemployed. An unemployed society will not be a fantasy utopia.
 
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i work a four day week. but put in short 50 hrs for it.
used to put in 120 hrs a week.
truck driving, some independents do not even earn in there pockets 1/2 min wage for 15 hr days seven day work weeks.

work shorter days???? how much do you want to pay for a roll of tp?

.
 
bojangle said:
A lot of work must have gone into writing that article covering an unworkable pipe dream about a post work society. A universal basic income is simply unworkable. Where does the money come from? How will goods and services be provided? Sounds a lot like communism. The article actually mentions slave labor of the past. They couldn't possibly be suggesting that is something to aspire to return to, could they?

I'll say this. The overwhelming majority of people I arrest are unemployed. An unemployed society will not be a fantasy utopia.
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I think you are missing the point a bit. Employment has become the end all be all of existence in America. Being unemployed in this culture is to be like a rudderless ship. Not surprised you arrest a lot of people like this. It will take a major cultural shift to change the idea that work is all there is to life. We will have to re-learn how to have a meaningful life away from work. The pallet of humanity encompasses art, music, food, travel, science, writing, history and so much more that gets over looked in modern life because we are too busy or, too tired from, working. We are missing out and there should be a way to change it.

You may also be interested in exploring the idea of what money is and how its created. Banks do it every day when they write a loan. Money is only as real as we want it to be. Yes, it is a helpful and necessary tool to mediate the exchange of goods but its far from the best way to calculate the value of a persons life.
 
HappyHighwayman said:
I work to live, not live to work, but the professional world for some reason demands you at least pretend you love working.
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This

Being on Disability for 4 months has changed my perspective greatly.
 
Yakoo752 said:
Bring back unions!
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I agree we need MORE!!!!. Being a member myself UPEC LOCAL 792!!! I work 4 days a week, 10 hour days. I couldn't be any happier. I take all my breaks, we are provided everything we need. Never worked hard and really good pay. I wouldn't change anything. UNION 4 lYFE!!!!
 
This made me think...and reflect.

CoorsLight said:
Seems like the personal anecdotes here don't really address the impact on family. For you guys working long shifts, how does that affect your spouses and kids, if you have them?
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I have been pushed for a long time and worked a lot of hours. While in my 20's I worked 60 hour work weeks regularly, but still managed to race moto's, raise kids, coach youth sports, play on softball teams, but lacked real vacations with the family. Time and money.

I would hit the gym at 6 AM then to work from 7:30 to whatever.. train again at lunch 3 times a week, and some times after work until 6:30 or whatever and then come home... help with the kiddo's and once they were in bed go back to work from 8-9 to 11 or 12 quite often. Saturdays were shared by all the needful things of that life. I felt like the busiest MF in the world. Physically I was super active and got to enjoy some solid family time. Boy traveled to the races with me. Came to the softball games...lot of time playing video games, playing catch, hitting the batting cages. The downside (or upside) was little time to hang with friends and party or have the money to go on vacations (thanks to kids and racing).

At 31 I suffered a divorce, got broke, had to quit racing and then only had my kids two weeks a month, still coached sports and started teaching aerobics and found myself getting out with friends a bit more, but also way more busy at times. Work hours stayed solidly in the 60-70 range, but that included more weekends and a cut back to just working out to once a day. Sundays were full play days unless I had my kids, but we always did something together. A little fun MX time, some Harley time and still at the gym 6 days a week. I did manage some vacations (selfishly most were on my own and not with the kids although we did do some). For the first time I took a few that were a week or more. One actually 3 weeks.! I found that amazing! First time in my adult life where I felt my mind was at peace. (I started working full time at 21, had a child at 22 and was racing MX)

At 40 put the head down and really worked hard... new wife.. a second set of kids and financially committed to getting all my kids through college and on a successful path. Attended lots of kids athletics, coached a little but not like before since the sports choices were different really. A couple vacations in the first few years, but the wife just does not like to travel that much. I had started riding the track again in my late 30's instead of just the street.

A few year later I was chasing barf racing stuff. Seems like I always have had some big investment in fun work going on. I started missing the full 6 days a week gym time... started slipping to 5 sometimes 4. Thank goodness I taught my class 3 times a week so I had to be there. Injuries provided my vacations by 45, a couple knee surgeries.

By 50 I was working 60 on the real job. 20 for barf. No time card punching ... all self motivated pushing myself for the financial goals and family support. Old injuries continued to slow me a bit (back and knee), still taught aerobics twice a week and still doing all my own yard work (with a very helpful wife's support). Had to stop track riding because of my knee... left MX behind forever. Quit the hard core racing team thing cause work was more demanding and it was keeping me away from riding and the family. I set more goals for both jobs (Architecture and BARF). The rallies were my vacations really.

In my middle 50's walls started hitting me. Knee replacement followed by a TIA and a couple of surgeries. My weight had climbed since being 45 and instead of the life long 185-195 I was 215, then 225 and 245 when I had the knee replacement and TIA. I was told by the Dr. this happened mostly because of stress and my love of cheeseburgers..:nchantr Dr. said... you are only allowed to work 40 hours a week... and you need to let your job stay at the office. I tried.

I dropped 40 lbs...(by basically becoming a veg boy)... got sick because of it..passing out in a restaurant and scaring the hell out of my wife. Dr. said wtf. your a big guy.. eat some damn meat... got my strength back, but also the weight (all in about 7 months), but eating way better and still teaching aerobics two days a week except for 2 months recovery. Started riding even more... and doing a little less yard work. Invested more time into BARF and the motorcycle safety stuff (considered my volunteer work in ways as I quit Rotary to support a different community). I added COTA with friends to the mix so I actually took 5 days off in a row for 5 years. Took one long ride with friends for 6 days (glory!) and rode single days even more.

Now as I approach 60.. I am committed to working at least 5 more years before a hopeful slide into retirement at 70. Still pushing 45-55 on the real job and 10 or so on BARF stuff.. still teaching aerobics, but fighting back and elbow injuries :rant. Now the wife does 85%-95% of the yard work (we have never had a gardener). Only riding vacations are planned, but I sure find value in those because of the focus on the road and having zero work shit on my mind for most of those entire days. At the same time the Government requirements of my type of work has increased tremendously and it is a challenge to keep learning a morphing when I have to do everything to run my office.

So...is that article really about me..?: |
 
I've never really worked a "regular" schedule. Starting at age 24 it was twelve's and twenty-fours. When I first got into this line of work my schedule was pretty regulated because I worked for a private company that didn't value the work I did, they only valued the "billable-hours" I could produce. Now I'm working in a place where I'm a fixed cost for a needed service. And the quality of what I can do is valued.

I only work twenty-fours now, and my hours are less than what they were at a private company but still range from 48 to 72 hours a week, plus some extra hours for for my "side job." (That is sometimes as few as 7 and as much as 40 and the pay is dog shit. But I do it because I like it. It's interesting and fulfilling.)

But my work can go from zero to everything-you've-got in seconds, generally without warning. It's not the lack of time-off that gets us either, it's actually the job that kills us. And killing us it is...

The plus of that is that I have a decent vacation schedule, and a reasonable ability to trade. Depending on how it's all arranged, it provides for some pretty long periods of time off. I'm happy to exchange the sometimes very long hours and long workweeks for the ability to check out for a while.

There's no way I'd survive working 9-5.
 
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