Burnt to a crisp

wildcat

wildcat

Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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Feb 11, 2005
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Lou-evil
Wow guys, I don't see how some of you held on working the long hours for so many years. Mega corp life blows big time!

I have been working around 70+ hours a week and I feel like I am at work all the friggin' time. Funny thing is, I feel less and less productive after the 9 hour a day mark. I even work on Saturdays now woo hoo!

I wake up every day and it's the same thing over and over again. I feel like I am living the "Office Space" movie.

Am I going to get burned out or what? I certainly don't get paid enough for the amount of time I am there.
 
Extra crispy, here. In part, you toughen up and get used to it after a while. But it never really stops sucking. By friday most weeks, I am pretty useless since I am just plain beat. If I am not FIREd by 40, I will be dowshifting to some other occupation that is less taxing.
 
Wow, that's a crazy schedule. I liked to whine about my 50 hour weeks (on average, 45 most weeks then ramps up to 60 on a periodic basis) but I'll just shut up. I'm surprised your company(ies?) haven't wised up to the risk of losing highly skilled employees. In the last 2 years my company has made some changes to help retention, including the 9/80 schedule.

But I'm guessing you guys pull down serious jack, too. At my work 100k is about the best you can hope for after about 5 years working there without breaking into lead/supervisor/manager positions, or working crazy overtime (they pay overtime to all engineers, but it's just straight time, not 1.5). I'm only going to be a little north of 80k this year, and hoping my promotion goes through by the end and puts me a little north of 90k.
 
I pretty much worked 60 hours a week at my last job. When I started as one of the lead architects on the company's e-commerce website, it inched to about 70-80 for a year and a half. For the last 3-4 months, most weeks were 100-110 hours.

About the time I was ordered to go to the ER to see if I was just stressed out or having a heart attack, I figured it was time for a new job. I took a 25% pay cut initially, but went down to working a fairly strict 40.

I now work 40 at that job and 15-30 on a side job... the hours are pretty decent when you can spread them around and not have them come with any stress.
 
Am I going to get burned out or what?
Click to expand...

Yeah, you will. I have worked overtime and it gets old...but at least I got extra money...I dont care for the extra money anymore...your time gets to be too valuable as your investments grow...
 
Any of you know if its the weekend yet? I know its not sunday, the paper isnt thick enough...
 
Most days start wit DW kicking me to the background music of two alarm clocks and my first words are "what day is it?" once that is established I go from there.
 
wildcat said:
Wow guys, I don't see how some of you held on working the long hours for so many years. Mega corp life blows big time!

I have been working around 70+ hours a week and I feel like I am at work all the friggin' time. Funny thing is, I feel less and less productive after the 9 hour a day mark. I even work on Saturdays now woo hoo!

I wake up every day and it's the same thing over and over again. I feel like I am living the "Office Space" movie.

Am I going to get burned out or what? I certainly don't get paid enough for the amount of time I am there.
Click to expand...


Yes... you will wise up some day... but 70plus is insane... (but, I did 100+ for a few weeks... was a tax accountant... left after that year...)
 
In my last job, the first 3 years I was there, we were required to work every Saturday until 1:00pm. Now that sucked. Could never go out of town for the weekend unless you took a vacation day. When my boss hired me, he told me he planned to retire in 2 years. That was the only reason I hung on. Two years extended to 8 years. After the 3rd year, I just told him I'm not working every Saturday but I would come in an hour early every day during the week. Did that for about 2 weeks and he never noticed when I stopped.

I guess it paid to play ball as long as I did. Enabled me to keep a good paying job and retire at a fairly young age.(If 52 is young:-\)

"I wake up every day and it's the same thing over and over again."

Now the above statement is the clincher for a boring career. Hard to find a job that doesn't have some of this though. I hope you have better luck in the future.
 
Any of you know if its the weekend yet? I know its not sunday, the paper isnt thick enough...
Click to expand...

:D I was going to check for you, but looks like I still have the June calendar page up. Sorry.
Calendar.jpg​
 
You guys are cruel!

The problem with jobs like these is not only are they a grind down, they suck so much life force out of you that updating the resume is too much effort, much less interviewing well. In situations like these, I find have a "goal date" for change helps a lot. Even a minor change for the better. But I found that vacations don't really help with situations like this, sometimes it only makes it worse. $$ is good but health is much better! How long do you plan on working at this company? With compounding, you don't gain a lot more for retirement towards the back end of the career, could you switch to something less lucrative in 2-5 years and let the portfolio compound on it's own?
 
laurencewill said:
The problem with jobs like these is not only are they a grind down, they suck so much life force out of you that updating the resume is too much effort, much less interviewing well.
Click to expand...
Very well said!
 
laurencewill said:
(they pay overtime to all engineers, but it's just straight time, not 1.5)
Click to expand...


If you live in the US, I think this violates federal law. If you're non-exempt, you have to be paid at least time and a half for hours beyond 40 in a week. I'd be curious to know how your employer gets around that rule; I'm sure they're aware of it...

2Cor521
 
SecondCor521 said:
If you live in the US, I think this violates federal law. If you're non-exempt, you have to be paid at least time and a half for hours beyond 40 in a week. I'd be curious to know how your employer gets around that rule; I'm sure they're aware of it...

2Cor521
Click to expand...

He's probably salaried exempt with a 'perk' being that additional hours worked can be cashed out at his nominal salary.

One consulting company I worked at was very similar. You were salaried, but every billable hour over 40 could be banked and then used as vacation time or cashed out.
 
I can relate to the hing number of hours. I have decided that I am no longer going to put in high numbers of hours. From now on my target is 40 hrs/wk. I might have to put in a few extra from time to time... but I have no intention of working huge numbers of hours anymore. :mad:


4 years left. :p
 
cute fuzzy bunny said:
Any of you know if its the weekend yet? I know its not sunday, the paper isnt thick enough...
Click to expand...

Forget if is Sat or Sun; the worst are these national holidays are a pain to remember.
 
Aaah yes, the 70 hour week .... then you hit the proverial ceiling (boss not leaving before you are) and you realize it's time to set some healthy boundaries. For me that meant NOT working FRIDAYs when my 40+ hours were in. Got some funny looks at first ... but hey, what are they gonna do FIRE ME?

PS. Drove by home depot ... waaayy to many cars ... wait 'till monday. :cool:
 
I am so glad that I don't work in a high position....I used to work in the Export customer service department for a pharmaceutical company and handled 16 accounts.....it sucked me dry! On top of the workload, we had a high turnover of managers (6 in the 4 years I was there), no perks, and crazy politics.
I am now an executive assistant for the same company, different department, and happy as can be! I watch others run around to all day meetings, after hours conference calls, missing their kids games, and other important events....it's sad.
Like I tell my boss (who is supportive): this job is just to pay the bills, my art is my passion and is what defines me. If he ever leaves, I'm screwed!
 
Webzter said:
He's probably salaried exempt with a 'perk' being that additional hours worked can be cashed out at his nominal salary.

One consulting company I worked at was very similar. You were salaried, but every billable hour over 40 could be banked and then used as vacation time or cashed out.
Click to expand...


Ding! Ding! Exactly. We are salaried exempt and the extra hours is simply a perk (because we are direct and they can bill the hours).
 
I can't do the 60hr week thing. At some point you're just working a lesser paying job and pulling overtime as opposed to Actually making your salary.

I've been Really lucky considering I'm in IT and I've managed to avoid any job that consistently made me go over 40.
 
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