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June 10, 2004 10:02 PM- bankers' hours
Let's start the clock. How long do you think I can get away with this? Today as I left the office at 5:01 pm I called out, "have a good weekend" to a colleague who reguarly puts in 65 hours a week and brings work home with her and drives an hour EACH way to work, that's to say 2 hours a day in the car to get to work. I could say that over and over again and I still would not understand how someone could do that. But whatever. So she gives me the LOOK, you know that LOOK people who work REALLY long hours and take work home with them and NEVER take a sick day or a holiday give to people like me. And she says, "keeping banking hours?"
And, if I'd been a little smarter I might have just said, "g'night" as I passed her desk seeing as it is only THURSDAY and most people are not starting their weekend. But whatever. So I was thinking on her comment and how true it is and wondering how long I can get away with it. Here's my regular day: roll in between 8:30 and 9 am (just as people on the manufacturing floor are coming out for their FIRST break of the day since they got there at 5:30 and 6 am). Leave at noon for home (1.2 miles away) where I make lunch, read mail, take the dogs for a walk, take a bath, make an Eiffel Tower out of matchsticks before returning to the office around 2ish. (Though I do have a standing 1:30 meeting on Wednesdays that I am mostly on time for). Leave at 5 unless someone does something very stupid that keeps me there late. And I NEVER, EVER take work home with me.
And, fairly often, like tomorrow for example, I take Fridays off.
So what do you think? How long can I keep this up? Who is it that is going to approach me and tell me I must keep better hours? I think I can make it til March. Anyone care to make a wager?
got 2 cents?
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Lizard Breath says:
well, you could always invite "Pinch Face" to come join you. teach her how to relax and enjoy life a little.
posted on: June 11
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Katherine says:
in my experience, most jobs can absolutely get done in around 30 hours a week, but most people have this thing that working like rabid dogs (apologies to your pups :) means that they are really truly fabulously fine employees who deserve raises and promotions and awards and bonuses and a meeting where the ceo pats them on the head and says: good boy, such a good boy, what a good boy you are! and other people shake their heads in wonder and say to one another: wow what a work ethic, the hardest working person in this company - and this is said with awe, as if it were a compliment. But these people have no lives, and usually have terrible health problems, and don't know themselves, and don't know much of anyone else, because they have elongated their jobs to encompass anything even resembling a vibrantly lived life. Okay, so having said that, I give you six months til you explode in a fiery burst of self-love and create that dream job you've been simmering about for twelve years now . . . you know, the one that doesn't make sense but you want it so much you could just pee your pants . . . yeah :) . . . and then the banker's hours will be moot moot moot :)
posted on: June 11
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the banker says:
oh Katherine, put a good word in for me with your boyfriend and so it will be! And Lizard Breath--how did you know "Pinch Face?" MWAHHH. Someone once said she looks like she is sucking on a lemon and it is so true.
posted on: June 11
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JennB says:
Work to live, don't live to work. Life is fucking short, and you have to find ways to enjoy yourself. If work is your life, fine, but don't take it out on me if you work 65+ hours and hate everything and everyone who doesn't do the same thing as you. Don't be a martyr because of the choices that you've made. I had a boss like that. We were chained to our desks - god forbid if we were 5 minutes late! - from 8:30 to 5:30. The shit would hit the fan if you left early, without a blessing from the Boss. I learned a lot from that man. And, while sometimes I feel guilty for not being busy and working like a crazy person 5 days a week, I know that my life is better off because of it. Don't let the nay-sayers get you down!
posted on: June 11
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Zoot says:
March? you can do it! Oh - and I NEVER take work home with me. MrZoot cant b/c its all top-secret and shit (he has to Zootproof his office when I come visit) and we like life minus work at home. Its a good life
posted on: June 11
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otter says:
O, darling, how similar our hours are...Except I leave at 11 and try to return by 1. And I'm out by 4:30 most days. And most of the morning is spent catching up on blogs. (By the way, I receive an "exceeds expectations" on my performance reviews every year--perhaps they weren't expecting much--ha!) The funny thing is, I have been on both sides of this, the bitter pinched face and the banker, and being the banker rocks ass.
posted on: June 11
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the banker says:
Oh Otter! I have to laugh because that is the greatest irony of it-- my review was sterling-- gommy boss (who is the CTO) did not have ONE thing I should go "work on" and was nothing but happy-- so I agree with Kat, if you do your work and get it done-- why put on a show for extra hours-- get in get out-- that's my motto!
posted on: June 11
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samantha says:
isn't it funny how you assume 'others' to be striving hard, putting in those extra hours - well, that would be me, putting myself through the guilt grinder - and then I read all the comments and sigh a big whoosh of relief. Fortunately, I don't work at a place where overtime is encouraged. I think I'm at the point where I'm hoping I'll have a job that I WANT to bust ass for - so don't feel bad, sweet bluepoppy! Bank those hours! if this doesn't make much sense, it's because I ate mexican and drank corona for lunch with my coworkers. :) and thanks for commenting at my site! it has made my day, possibly weekend!
posted on: June 11
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rachael says:
I'm a recovering workaholic. At my previous job, I went above and far beyond the call of duty. Coming in early, working through lunch, often staying into the wee hours of the night to meet some insane deadline. I would feel guilty if I left at 5. I repeat, I felt GUILTY FOR LEAVING ON TIME. The thing is we just had too much work to do... and though I would gripe about having too much work to do, I WOULD STILL STAY AND DO IT. So rather than them hiring more designers, they would just expect all of the current designers to work 16-18 hour days, because WE WOULD. I can honestly say for three years I was my job. That sucks. Now that I work for myself, I am enjoying life much, much more. It's just a pity that I didn't stand up for myself sooner.
posted on: June 11
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rachael says:
actually... the 16-18 hour day was a bit of an exaggeration... but a typical work day was 8 a.m. - 7 or 10:30 p.m.
My god.. what was I thinking? AND much like your pinched face woman, I had an hour drive to work & an hour home. Wow... I cringe just thinking about it. I compensated by for not ever sleeping.
Please, by all means enjoy your life.
posted on: June 11
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Red Baron says:
Now you see a lot of this is a throwback to the 70s and 80s where you had firstly the idea that the economy was up the spout and therefore your job had little or no security, it was therefore important to ensure that if there were to be redundancies that you wouldn't be the one picked. Then in the 80s it became about greed and money grabbing big bonuses and living to work ethos etc. etc. The thing is that employers obviously had no reason to change this because they exacted supposedly maximum productivity (of course this is b*llocks really). Now it is de rigeur to spend large chunks of your own time at work to show how committed you are. As you say tho' the risks associated with this are high, blood pressure, burn out etc.
So you take your pick, have the life you want and enjoy it for as long as possible or enslave yourself to a faceless TNC and die at 55! Tough call for a leftie like me Champagne Communism has an appeal but I think I'll be strong and stay skint!
posted on: June 11
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gimmy says:
I'm a huge believer in making the most of your time. If you get your stuff done and are doing your share then screw it, why stay later? Your job is not your life, it just helps you live a better one. And if someone does bring it up, tell them that instead of insisting you work more hours, have them state exactly what it is you AREN'T doing and if you can fit it all in while still keeping your schedule, then they'll never be able to say anything again,
Did that make any sense?
posted on: June 12
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Marilyn says:
I've been on both sides of this fence...although my workaholic days tended to be in the TV industry where at the time we all seemed to subscribe to the "work hard, play hard" motto. Nowadays I have a piddly-ass nothing job in a weird office on a dinky island that doesn't require me to work even a nanosecond of overtime...it also doesn't require me to use 99% of my brain. The good news is I wear flip-flops to work every day...the bad news is the annoyance-to-enjoyment ratio is at an all-time low. Now if only I could find a way to work there without ever having to interact with my boss... I say the only thing you're "getting away with" is doing it RIGHT! :)
posted on: June 12
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yogagirl says:
now here.. this is where I can compete! I teach yoga when I should be at work. (8:15am class at the neighborhood gym) ..roll into work at 10:30 (usually still beating my BOSS into work) ...short lunch on most days lasting only 20 mins or so, long on days I'm bored and then I spend an hour or 2 at the food court next door watching soaps and CNN simulaneously..then out the door by 5 o'clock sharp to teach yoga again...and for the last 5 years my boss has given me a 10% raise each spring. Go figure.
posted on: June 16
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