Post # 1
Member
5633 posts
Bee Keeper
I was discussing this with someone at my work and it made me think, am I working enough on my own side projects? Am I being lazy? I work 37-49 hours a week depending on what’s going on. I don’t do much of my home projects anymore. But others in higher positions work 40-60 hours. I’m like I need to put in the extra 20 for my own projects!
I commute over an hour each way. I’m depleted but I want to make time for my hobbies and side hustles. So what do you all do? How many hours a week do you work? How do you keep energized?
I have chronic diseases that are common and shouldn’t impact my energy but I’m adding it here just in case. I do feel burnt out though and I don’t get it because I have a relatively standard workweek.
Thanks bees!
Post # 2
Member
9230 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
sweatergal007 : my typical work week is 35 hours, but depending on what’s going on I get up to 40 sometimes, and when we have a trial (I work in litigation) all bets are off and I can be working 80 hour weeks for a month. Different people have different natural energy stores – don’t compare yourself to them.
I like to use my commute for hobbies (mostly reading) which helps pick up more time.
Post # 3
Member
9878 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
40 hours a week and I have a toddler. I’m exhausted haha.
Post # 4
Member
5887 posts
Bee Keeper
I work anywhere between 40-60 hours a week. Sometimes I wish I got paid hourly 🙂
Post # 5
Member
1023 posts
Bumble bee
I work 38ish hours a week at my day job and then usually, I pull 10-20 hours in a weekend babysitting. When I’m not babysitting, i feel like a total lazy bones, but it is what it is.
I sound like I’m from the 1950s, but managing a house and meals and pets, etc is also a lot of work and hours!
Post # 6
Member
1442 posts
Bumble bee
I work 8.30am until 5pm Monday to Thursday. In winter we finish at 4pm on Friday, and 3pm during the summer.
We rarely do overtime, even our bosses are out of the door on time.
I’ve worked places where crazy overtime is expected and it gets very old, very quickly. Now, I’ll happily do it when it’s needed, but we have a good balance and enough staff to do the jobs.
Post # 7
Member
5633 posts
Bee Keeper
Good to hear everyone! I work in law but not as a lawyer and I guess I’m getting sucked into the work work work culture. I feel lazy but I’m dead tired. Part of me wishes we followed some of the European culture of one month off or so annually. Also I know I could work more hours if I could work from home some days.
It’s great to hear everyone’s hobbies and work culture!
Post # 8
Member
964 posts
Busy bee
I’m a senior financial analyst in a corporate/management reporting role. Commute is 15 minutes via subway.
I work 40 most weeks, but closer to 50 in our busy seasons. May be more come budget time again.
I spend 10-15 hours a week on my side hustle.
Post # 9
Member
1442 posts
Bumble bee
sweatergal007 : I’ll add that I’m in the UK, we get 8 bank holidays (US equivalent of labor day etc,) plus anywhere from 24-40 days leave depending on the company.
The US does seem to have a work work work culture. Some people do it here but anyone doing over 50 hours a week and and not taking holidays is usually a director and on 6 figures.
Post # 10
Member
5081 posts
Bee Keeper
I’m a molecular biologist and I have an hour commute one way. Hours totally depend on what I’m doing. Right now, with the holidays, not a whole lot is going on because a lot of people are out and I’m not even going to be working 40 hours. A month ago I was working several extra hours per day doing a big experiment. It also kind of depends on what types of experiments I’m running. Some experiments require 10 mins of work and then have to sit overnight, others are hands on all day, others require checking in every few hours overnight or on weekends. My job is not one where I can put in extra hours and finish stuff early, things need to be done in the time they take to be done. I also do paperwork and writing, but those tend to fit in where I can fit them. I don’t work at home much at all. I work for the government, so I can’t access my email at home or bring things home which I’m totally ok with.
Post # 11
Member
552 posts
Busy bee
I work 40 hours a week plus occasional overtime which is always paid hourly at 2x my wage. Commute is less than ten minutes. I am unionized, I can’t complain.
Post # 12
Member
9519 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I’m in big law and probably average 45/week, but it’s lumpy as all hell. In a given week, I might be working on and off all weekend, but it’ll be dead during the week. Or I could bill 70 hours one week and barely hit 20 the next. The fluctuation’s the hardest thing IMO, especially since I can’t plan for it.
My commute’s about 10 min and I take a free shuttle so no complaints there. We can also work remotely pretty much whenever, so that’s nice.
Post # 13
Member
1154 posts
Bumble bee
My “real job” is a nurse – I do “36” hours in 3, 12 hour shifts, which really turns out to be a minimum of 37.5 because we are not paid for breaks, and technically work 12.5 hours, if not longer to finish charting etc.
I also coach dance part time, and that varies depending on the season, typically 5-10 hours a week between practices, performances, events etc. Plus the unpaid time I put in at home cutting music, choreographing, making bows etc
Post # 14
Member
5843 posts
Bee Keeper
I used to work 50-55 hr weeks and now I have a 6 month old so its more like 40-45 (Finance in NYC). I also commute 75 minutes each way. We’re getting away from the face time/workaholic culture but sometimes I wonder how it affects perceptions of me… whatever I prioritize my family and my own happiness
Post # 15
Member
6105 posts
Bee Keeper
sweatergal007 : I work 40 hours with a 30 minute commute each way. Sometimes I work overtime but it’s not often and I get paid time and a half or I can take it as comp time which is basically vacation time. I’m still tired at the end of the week and don’t do much on week nights (I have to be up by 5:30) but I can’t complain much.