Why is a 40 hour work week normal, are most fine with this?

[horsepoor]

I hadn't heard the 6 hours a day thing, but it makes total sense.  I've frequently wished I could work a 30-hour week, but professional jobs rarely work that way.  Even if I'm there 40 hours, I'm probably being unproductive several hours in a typical week and could be as effective working 30, with increased hours when working on a deadline, work travel or whatever.  I try to squeeze a lot into my free time and it's pretty draining wedging it all in around the 40 hours.  OTOH, telework is getting to be more effective and feasible.  Even with a short commute, telecommuting cuts a good hour off my day because I don't have to make myself presentable for the office, pack a lunch, and drive the 10 minutes each way just to sit in a cubicle and get distracted by my co-workers.  Plus I can do small tasks at home like taking a break to pull weeds or throw some clothes in the laundry, rather than taking a walk or sitting in the break room reading a magazine.  This is one less thing I have to do after the work day is over.

[deborah]

In Australia, as the leading adopters of the 8 hour day (back in the 1850s), several states actually have 8 hour day as one of their public holidays. As a result, I was a bit surprised that anyone didn't know how it came about. Isn't it a holiday elsewhere?

When I worked, I generally worked more than 40 hours a week, and like many was not paid for extra. However, I found that if I spent an hour or two before going to work each day doing things I wanted to do (in my case embroidery), it really made my working day go faster.

[Johnez]

I'm fine with 40 hours, hell even 50 is cool. What I want is 3 days off in a row. If I'm going to wake up, make myself presentable with clothes and proper hygeine, and then drive to work, I'd be happier putting in 10 hours for 4 days as opposed to 8 hours for five days. Even if it was a six hour day you have to go through the whole routine and still it sucks the most valuable time away.

The two days most people get are the days nothing is open, and whatever is going on is packed (grocery stores, or anything entertainment related). Doctor appointments, banking stuff, personal business? Yeah good luck with taking care of that on Sunday....

[SnackDog]

40-50 hours goes pretty fast if you like your job.  If you hate your job, any hours is too many hours.  Find a job you love!  Life is too short for anything less.

We were recently discussing at work the situation with "volunteering for severance" as we have layoffs ahead.  Should we keep the guy who is dying for the job 'cuz he has bills to pay, even though he's not such a great worker or keep the better qualified worker who is fed up and wants the severance?

[forummm]

In Australia, as the leading adopters of the 8 hour day (back in the 1850s), several states actually have 8 hour day as one of their public holidays. As a result, I was a bit surprised that anyone didn't know how it came about. Isn't it a holiday elsewhere?

When I worked, I generally worked more than 40 hours a week, and like many was not paid for extra. However, I found that if I spent an hour or two before going to work each day doing things I wanted to do (in my case embroidery), it really made my working day go faster.

Interesting. Do you mean Labour Day? We have Labor Day in the US (we just spell it correctly ;) ).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Australia#Labour_Day

[piccione88]

 I think the 40 hour workweek was one of the biggest benefits of the industrial age!! Before that, people only had time to work, and sleep. In other parts of the world today, people still have to spend 15-16 a day to just make enough to live.
 A lot of people have outpaced that level of production, and could afford to work less in a daY. The up and coming guy may be more than happy to do the work you won't though.
 I always thought the ER movement was essentially the next revolution in the shorter working day. It's just we are forced to take it on the backend currently due to less thrifty people competing.

[deborah]

In Australia, as the leading adopters of the 8 hour day (back in the 1850s), several states actually have 8 hour day as one of their public holidays. As a result, I was a bit surprised that anyone didn't know how it came about. Isn't it a holiday elsewhere?

When I worked, I generally worked more than 40 hours a week, and like many was not paid for extra. However, I found that if I spent an hour or two before going to work each day doing things I wanted to do (in my case embroidery), it really made my working day go faster.

Interesting. Do you mean Labour Day? We have Labor Day in the US (we just spell it correctly ;) ).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Australia#Labour_Day

Yes - as your URL points out, it is for 8 hour day, and was initially called that here, so, for instance, my grandparents always called the holiday "8 hour day". Because it happened everywhere before federation, it is celebrated on a different day in each state. Just one more useless fact you now know about Australia (like that we are probably the only country in the world to actually lose a prime minister - he went swimming one day and was never seen again). Labor is the name of one of our parties (probably similar to the Democrats).

[The_path_less_taken]

HA! I ask myself the same question every day.  I dont understand how most people are okay with this.  This cant be how we are meant to live.  I learned years ago that I can not continue living my life going to the same place every single day, for the same hours doing the same crap.  It really drives me crazy thinking about it.

This is the absolute MAIN reason why I am reaching FIRE super aggressively right now.  I will do everything I can to get out of this RAT RACE.  As of recently, Im finally making enough passive income to pay all my bills but not be able to accommodate food,entertainment and travel which I absolutely need to.

So for now, I will continue working this crap 40 hour work week but Im not excited about it for one second!

Ditto.

Add in a squirrely boss, and then the main boss who will shriek like a banshee one minute (over nothing) and then give you a ghoulish grin that makes him look like a constipated warthog the next...I dunno. I have a contract signed by them that says I can work 4 ten hour days: never happened. They fired someone else, so a 3 person department is two, so no time available.

In reality there's always some mandatory bullshit meeting or something. There's one coming up that I've been informed I "can attend or not come back to work". I gave my boss a pirate grin when he reminded me of it and said, "That works either way for me." and walked away.

Seriously considering it. Only drawback is Obamacare: I should somehow suck it up for this bullshit meeting--it works out to 2-3 weeks a month of 6 day weeks---  and get all my dental/medical crap done while I have work coverage and then quit.

Theoretically I could live off side income...but not if had to pay some huge ER bill. Logical solution is to grow side income gigs.

[Gin1984]

I think the 40 hour workweek was one of the biggest benefits of the industrial age!! Before that, people only had time to work, and sleep. In other parts of the world today, people still have to spend 15-16 a day to just make enough to live.
 A lot of people have outpaced that level of production, and could afford to work less in a daY. The up and coming guy may be more than happy to do the work you won't though.
 I always thought the ER movement was essentially the next revolution in the shorter working day. It's just we are forced to take it on the backend currently due to less thrifty people competing.

In California I knew many immigrants working two jobs to get by. And yes that meant working 15-16/day.

[LouLou]

I think the 40 hour workweek was one of the biggest benefits of the industrial age!! Before that, people only had time to work, and sleep. In other parts of the world today, people still have to spend 15-16 a day to just make enough to live.
 A lot of people have outpaced that level of production, and could afford to work less in a daY. The up and coming guy may be more than happy to do the work you won't though.
 I always thought the ER movement was essentially the next revolution in the shorter working day. It's just we are forced to take it on the backend currently due to less thrifty people competing.

In California I knew many immigrants working two jobs to get by. And yes that meant working 15-16/day.

I also know lots of non-immigrants who work two jobs, with just bus rides to get between. 

[Inkedup]

Not fine with it. Those 40 hours balloon to 50-55 when I factor in the commuting time and requisite preparations for work. As for the workday itself I do have busy moments, but for the most part feel trapped in prison until 5pm.

A 4-day week would be more productive, or a reduced schedule from 40 hours to 30-35. It would still provide enough time to get the job done. It drives me nuts when I'm bored during the workday. Here I am trapped in prison while at home the laundry sits undone, dinner is not made, etc. It's a stupid and inefficient way to live. When one of my co-workers returned from her staycation, I'll never forget what she said about it, how it amazing it felt to be able to sit and talk with her family over mugs of coffee, tend the garden, and dawdle over cooking dinner without minding the clock. These should be daily life activities, not something that happens only when you use vacation time. It's a sad reflection of our culture.

[Abe]

My work week is on average 75 hrs (residency, boo!). Once done with training it will still be around 60 hours. If I'm operating I don't mind it being that long, though. A 40 hour work week sounds nice, but unrealistic for my line of work. With regards to the question, it's normal (in the US) because of various labor laws passed during the Great Depression and afterwards. People routinely worked closer to my number of hours on the farm or in factories before those laws.

[DecD]

I have a feeling that the 40-hour week was more manageable when that was the total for a family.

I mean, if I had a stay at home spouse, and could come home from work to a clean house, dinner on the table, errands run, etc, how much more peaceful would life be?  Someone at home to meet the kids off the school bus, take them to doctor appointments, stay with them when they get sick (instead of negotiating whose work schedule is better able to handle an unexpected day off).  Then the evenings are freed up for family time, the weekends are freed up for longer-term projects or family outings or just relaxing.  No more Sunday afternoon grocery runs.  No more cleaning on Saturday mornings. 

(And before anyone thinks about jumping on me for being antifeminist, I'm a female with a PhD in engineering who chooses to work fulltime, so don't worry, I'm not hankering back to the 50s.)

No, if my spouse and I could split those 40 hours, and each work a 20-hour week, that would sure be peaceful. 

But I'm all talk right now.  I think my company might be supportive of me going to part-time.  There's a decent chance.  But right now we are really enjoying the savings-power of a double income.  Maybe in 2 years I'll drop to half time or something.  So- it is a choice for us to have 2 full time jobs & 2 kids, and therefore we deal with the stress of that, until we are willing to cut the amount going into Vanguard.

[nobodyspecial]

My work week is on average 75 hrs (residency, boo!). Once done with training it will still be around 60 hours.

That was the problem the economist article was talking about.
The developed world is splitting into the un/under-employed and jobs that need 5-10years of education followed by working 60-80 hour weeks ,for high pay, followed by burnout. The regular jobs are dissapearing.

Currently trying to educate DW on FIRE so I can do another 2-3years of this and retire on $25K/year instead of working till i'm 65 to retire on $50K/year.

 

[music lover]

I agree that the 40 hour work week is unrealistic. With prep time (showering, getting dressed, etc.), drive time, etc. you are gone from home nearly half the day. Assuming you sleep 8 hours you barely have free time; you still have to cook, clean, etc.

One would assume you have to shower and get dressed (10 minutes tops) regardless of whether or not you are working, so it's not fair to count that as time taken away due to work. A 1 hour commute, 8 hours of work, and 8 hours of sleep still leaves you with 7 hours every single day for other things, and 16 hours a day on the weekends. That's plenty of time.

[Albert]

One would assume you have to shower and get dressed (10 minutes tops) regardless of whether or not you are working, so it's not fair to count that as time taken away due to work. A 1 hour commute, 8 hours of work, and 8 hours of sleep still leaves you with 7 hours every single day for other things, and 16 hours a day on the weekends. That's plenty of time.

I don't think I'm badly overworked, but I don't get your magical numbers either. My average weekday: wake up in the morning, half an hour for a shower, getting dressed and drinking a cup of tea, then 40 min commute followed by 8 1/2 h of work plus 1 h of mandatory lunch brake plus 40 min to commute back. That leaves about 4 1/2 h for something other than sleep.

[dachs]

Who was that guy who said (in the 50s or so) that in 50 years we either work so much less OR consume much more. We all know what's happened and that's why people "have" to work 40 hours ;)

[Bateaux]

I average over 50 hours a week.  I get paid time and a half over 40.  Every day of OT I work is 1.5 less days I have to work the way I justify it.  Just 949 total days till planned retirement.

[Mr Dumpster Stache]

I work at a distribution center, and we have a "4 10s" shift and a "3 12s" shift. Three 12+ hour days is a little rough, but four days off in a row is totally worth it. :D

[Sailor Sam]

I'm deliriously happy with my current 40 hour office job. Our morning meeting is at 0730, and we work until 1530. Knocking off in the early afternoon allows plenty of time to pursue hobbies and cook healthy fare. I feel like I'm living in some worker's paradise. However, my previous position was 100+ hours per week, so my perspective is admittedly skewed.

[Hummer]

I do four 10 hour days. Since all the breaks are paid, I'm at work 10.25 hours a day (I get there 15 min early to organize my crew). So about 11 hours from leaving the house to getting back into the house. Monday to Thursday. I feel fortunate. I work at a pulp mill. We do work overtime once in a while but it's relatively rare. Only during mill shutdowns once a year or occasional area shuts. Overall I fell like I have a good gig. Working for FIRE.

[bacchi]

Who was that guy who said (in the 50s or so) that in 50 years we either work so much less OR consume much more. We all know what's happened and that's why people "have" to work 40 hours ;)

Keynes.

We (FIRE people) have chosen the first path but, as piccione88 above mentioned, we have to take it on the backend rather than a sane 20-30 hours/week during our working life.

[nobodyspecial]

The subject of todays planet money podcast http://www.npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money#
 

[Dr. Pepper]

I work way more then 40/week, usually closer to 80, sometimes 100. Some weeks are slow and I will get close to 40, but really the less time off, the more you appreciate when you get time off.  I'm all in with work right now, but once I can get to the retirement point, no more.

[Luck12]

One would assume you have to shower and get dressed (10 minutes tops) regardless of whether or not you are working, so it's not fair to count that as time taken away due to work. A 1 hour commute, 8 hours of work, and 8 hours of sleep still leaves you with 7 hours every single day for other things, and 16 hours a day on the weekends. That's plenty of time.

No mention of 1 hour of lunchtime, time to poop/pee, shower, eat, cook, errands, laundry, take care of kids, time to decompress after work, etc?  You barely get a few hours a day on the weekdays to just relax. 

I'm so lucky to average about 25 hours a week logged in (for the past 2+ years).  95%+ of the time, I'm in (or logged in when working at home 1-2 times a week) at 9:15-9:30, leave at 4:15-4:40, take 2 hour lunches when I run/lift/bike/walk around/errands, and once or twice a week I'll even go outside to read at the park.  I have FU money and am 1.5-2 yrs away from FIRE so I just do whatever the fuck I want to do.  Still get decent reviews.  Go ahead and hate me :) 

[Smevans]

I leave for work at 6am and usually get home around 7-7:30. We also work a good majority of Saturdays either at work or at home. Sucks giving up most of my life for a company that could care less about workers. But it is what it is until I am FIRE or can find a better opportunity.

[Tabaxus]

I get to work at 8:00, generally leave anywhere from 10:00PM - 2:00AM.  Suffice to say, hopefully only 10 more years or so on the treadmill. 

[rocketpj]

I work between 50-65 hours/week on average, but I tend to work them all at once (I work 24 and 48 hour shifts in my job, which includes sleeping).  So I do nothing but work from 8am on Monday to 8am on Wednesday, then go home for a few days before I do it again.

On the one hand I have around 9 days off in a 2 week cycle.  On the other hand I often work weekends and it can be hard to connect with my kids, or at least harder than I would like.  I do get to be the 'at home dad' during the week a lot, which I like.

And it gives me time for my side hustle, which is eventually going to be my only hustle.

All that said, working for 2 days straight is exhausting and logging 60 hours/week in any configuration has started wearing me down.

[Hummer]

I work between 50-65 hours/week on average, but I tend to work them all at once (I work 24 and 48 hour shifts in my job, which includes sleeping).  So I do nothing but work from 8am on Monday to 8am on Wednesday, then go home for a few days before I do it again.

On the one hand I have around 9 days off in a 2 week cycle.  On the other hand I often work weekends and it can be hard to connect with my kids, or at least harder than I would like.  I do get to be the 'at home dad' during the week a lot, which I like.

And it gives me time for my side hustle, which is eventually going to be my only hustle.

All that said, working for 2 days straight is exhausting and logging 60 hours/week in any configuration has started wearing me down.

Seems strange. What exactly do you do that the company allows you to sleep and do such long shifts? If you don't mind my asking.... :)

[mm1970]

Didn't Henry Ford figure out that after 40 hours worker productivity declined?  Before hand they were working more.

Now that manufacturing technology and productivity has outpaced previous demand, we as a society would rather demand more and work for it than work less and live off less than we could have otherwise.

That's funny, because at my last company they had an unwritten (except I found it written somewhere) 45 hour policy for exempt employees (which is illegal).  Because, and I'm paraphrasing - "we all know that people aren't working 100% of the time, they aren't 100% efficient.  But that last hour, you KNOW they are working at 100% because why else would they be there?  So it's like getting an extra 20%, not an extra 10%!"

[mm1970]

The thing is, after 6 hours at work, productivity declines significantly. Work days should be 6 hours long, just to get maximum efficiency.

I found this to be true.  I was at my most efficient at 6 hrs/ day when I went "part time" after having the kids.

[mm1970]

My work week is on average 75 hrs (residency, boo!). Once done with training it will still be around 60 hours. If I'm operating I don't mind it being that long, though. A 40 hour work week sounds nice, but unrealistic for my line of work. With regards to the question, it's normal (in the US) because of various labor laws passed during the Great Depression and afterwards. People routinely worked closer to my number of hours on the farm or in factories before those laws.

I don't understand why it's unrealistic.  Do we really want doctors/ surgeons to be working exhausted?   (I assume that's what you are going into.)

I realize there are many aspects to being a doctor, but I'd assume fewer patients = less time.

Of course I understand that hospitals and clinics and offices aren't generally set up that way.  My line of work isn't set up that way either, but there's no good reason for it.

[forummm]

I get to work at 8:00, generally leave anywhere from 10:00PM - 2:00AM.  Suffice to say, hopefully only 10 more years or so on the treadmill. 

You better be getting paid well for this kind of workload. I would say it should be enough to get off the treadmill in only 5 years if you really wanted to. Or at least downshift like crazy.

[forummm]

My work week is on average 75 hrs (residency, boo!). Once done with training it will still be around 60 hours. If I'm operating I don't mind it being that long, though. A 40 hour work week sounds nice, but unrealistic for my line of work. With regards to the question, it's normal (in the US) because of various labor laws passed during the Great Depression and afterwards. People routinely worked closer to my number of hours on the farm or in factories before those laws.

I don't understand why it's unrealistic.  Do we really want doctors/ surgeons to be working exhausted?   (I assume that's what you are going into.)

I realize there are many aspects to being a doctor, but I'd assume fewer patients = less time.

Of course I understand that hospitals and clinics and offices aren't generally set up that way.  My line of work isn't set up that way either, but there's no good reason for it.

I think Abe was saying it was "unrealistic" because of the way the profession is setup. Everyone has to do the same thing. There is a big movement in medicine to get away from this absurd schedule. A lot of the older docs resent the younger ones that are moving to limit their schedules. But studies show that physicians make worse decisions when they are too tired.

[Cpa Cat]

The 40 hour workweek never bothered me so much - when it was actually 40 hours.

But it wasn't. Ever.

In my industry - accounting - the 40 hour workweek was actually 40 hours + unpaid lunch - so even on a normal day, it was a 45 hour workweek. Plus we were exempt, so we'd get mandatory unpaid overtime if it was busy - depending on the firm, this could be a 60-80 hour week for multiple months in a row. That wouldn't be so bad if we could bank overtime so that we could use it for extra vacation or shorter days in the Summer, when it was invariably slow. But nope - we had to sit there, for our 40 hours + lunch, even if there was nothing to do.

Interestingly, it wasn't the long hours during busy season that killed me on working a standard job - it was the slow-season mentality that I had to sit there and warm my seat even if I had nothing to do.

I once tried to negotiate a schedule of 4 10 hour days for the Summertime, because I doing nothing at work, anyway - but I was turned down. "We might need you on Friday." No one ever needed me on Friday.

[dachs]

My work week is on average 75 hrs (residency, boo!). Once done with training it will still be around 60 hours. If I'm operating I don't mind it being that long, though. A 40 hour work week sounds nice, but unrealistic for my line of work. With regards to the question, it's normal (in the US) because of various labor laws passed during the Great Depression and afterwards. People routinely worked closer to my number of hours on the farm or in factories before those laws.

I don't understand why it's unrealistic.  Do we really want doctors/ surgeons to be working exhausted?   (I assume that's what you are going into.)

I realize there are many aspects to being a doctor, but I'd assume fewer patients = less time.

Of course I understand that hospitals and clinics and offices aren't generally set up that way.  My line of work isn't set up that way either, but there's no good reason for it.

I think most people "working" more than 12 hours a day are not really working during the whole time! Or at least not on a regular basis! What I've heard from young lawyers or investment bankers is that they basically have to be there and wait for stuff someone else (from around the globe) will send them or something like that. It's just impossible to concentrate during such a long time.

Also doctors with that long shifts are allowed to sleep as long as there is no emergency. However, if there is one (what might be the case quite often) they actually do work that long. Another example might be quite complicated operations that might last several hours but I doubt you do those every day.

[thepokercab]

One of my all time favorite blog posts over at Raptitude covered this topic:

http://www.raptitude.com/2010/07/your-lifestyle-has-already-been-designed/

The money quote: 

The ultimate tool for corporations to sustain a culture of this sort is to develop the 40-hour workweek as the normal lifestyle. Under these working conditions people have to build a life in the evenings and on weekends. This arrangement makes us naturally more inclined to spend heavily on entertainment and conveniences because our free time is so scarce.

I’ve only been back at work for a few days, but already I’m noticing that the more wholesome activities are quickly dropping out of my life: walking, exercising, reading, meditating, and extra writing.

The one conspicuous similarity between these activities is that they cost little or no money, but they take time.

[Tabaxus]

I get to work at 8:00, generally leave anywhere from 10:00PM - 2:00AM.  Suffice to say, hopefully only 10 more years or so on the treadmill. 

You better be getting paid well for this kind of workload. I would say it should be enough to get off the treadmill in only 5 years if you really wanted to. Or at least downshift like crazy.

I mean, to be fair, this is only during the week.  I can normally get away with only working 4-8 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday.

[forummm]

I get to work at 8:00, generally leave anywhere from 10:00PM - 2:00AM.  Suffice to say, hopefully only 10 more years or so on the treadmill. 

You better be getting paid well for this kind of workload. I would say it should be enough to get off the treadmill in only 5 years if you really wanted to. Or at least downshift like crazy.

I mean, to be fair, this is only during the week.  I can normally get away with only working 4-8 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday.

Yeesh. I would save 80-90% of my salary and GTFO.

[CabinetGuy]

A lot of people work more than 40 hours a week because they haven't learned to push back appropriately, flat out say "no," or care far too much about what other people might think.

I use to be on site installing cabinets as a subcontractor from 7-5.  Unpacking tools and packing/cleaning up taking up about 45 mins a day.  I wouldn't take a lunch, and would wolf down snacks at exactly 10 am and 2pm.  I would work Saturdays, and Sundays (only when trying to beat a deadline.)

Guess what?  I burned out.  Found MMM, got a decent stache, and am no longer living paycheck to paycheck.  Started to work shorter hours, would take an hour lunch, said "Hell no!" to weekend work, and started charging more per job (as an installer.). End result, the jobs still seem to get magically done on time, and I make the same amount per year.  I have found a lot of deadlines to be completely Fucking arbitrary.  Don't give me this bullshit that you want to be in your kitchen before Thanksgiving.  We all know what time of year it is, and its not our fault you dragged your feet while making selections.  Yes, I'll push hard to make your deadline.  But I'll be damned if I'm working past 5 just so you can have your picture perfect Thanksgiving. <end rant>

[markbike528CBX]

I tried to drum up some sympathy at work for once working 21 days straight @12hours/day.
Bad move.   Got topped with 30 days.

It feels like such a fast day when I'm back in the office working 8hours.

My normal week is 40 hours  0700 to 1530
hours 41-48 unpaid,  <---  boss thinks this is mandatory, I don't think so. I win.
other time is "comp time"  deferred time off.

[mpg350]

I do four 10 hour days. Since all the breaks are paid, I'm at work 10.25 hours a day (I get there 15 min early to organize my crew). So about 11 hours from leaving the house to getting back into the house. Monday to Thursday. I feel fortunate. I work at a pulp mill. We do work overtime once in a while but it's relatively rare. Only during mill shutdowns once a year or occasional area shuts. Overall I fell like I have a good gig. Working for FIRE.

Same here I love 4 10's if I ever were to leave and go back to 5 8's its going to suck.

I love having wed off because it breaks up the work week.

[ETBen]

When you factor in commuting times, it's even worse!  Although as others said, it's still better than before the modern working era and many other parts of the world. 

I think most people haven't even considered that anything less is possible.  Also the american value as someone else said that you need to be perceived as a "hard worker".

I look at my mother who is healthy and can continue working for quite some time.  Her husband can barely walk and works in manufacturing.  I've tried to discuss many times that he could cut back to lower paying work that's less demanding.  Or part time work.  She maintains that they can't afford it, meanwhile they just bought a brand new custom home and she's constantly shopping.  In her mind, they still live more frugally than their peers (which is true), so this is totally fine!

[music lover]

I work 9 hour days in a 37.5 hour week. 36 hours are worked Monday to Thursday, and the remaining 1.5 hours that are owed accumulate and are worked every 4th Friday (6 hours). Therefore, I get 36 or so Fridays off every single year.

Hourly pay only, 30 minute unpaid lunch, no "salary" (unpaid hours)...I start at 7:00 and am out the door 4:30 without fail. My commute is about 10 minutes each way.

[GetItRight]

I would prefer to work less than 40 hours of course (30 hours/3 days sounds good off the top of my head), but I dislike the lack of flexibility most of all. I would be fine doing 40 hours in 3 or 4 days and having a 3 or 4 day weekend. Or not coming in some days and working on projects after hours at night or weekends instead. Unfortunately every time I take a day off because I worked all day Saturday or all night Wednesday I get grief for it... So I come in with only a couple hours sleep and end up doing the minimum all day which could be an hour or two of work and 6-7 hours of seat warming while browsing the internet or chatting up coworkers, simply because I'm tired from working all night and can't focus enough to be more than minimally productive.

I don't get it, but I'm paid hourly and get OT so I suck it up and warm my seat most times. I mean I understand to an extent they want me there in case anything comes up but it's insane to pay me my OT rate for basic BS items when they could just call or email if something comes up since I can do about 99% of my job remotely. Which brings me to my next irritation, why the hell do I have to go to the office at all? I'd rather work remote in evenings/weekends when projects or maintenance demands and come to the office once or twice a week. Or better yet relocate to a more pleasant low cost of living area and do a week in the office every month or two.

[nobodyspecial]

At least you get paid for it - some of us work all-nighters or saturdays and it's just part of "perpetual crunch time".

[Blonde Lawyer]

I work between 50-65 hours/week on average, but I tend to work them all at once (I work 24 and 48 hour shifts in my job, which includes sleeping).  So I do nothing but work from 8am on Monday to 8am on Wednesday, then go home for a few days before I do it again.

On the one hand I have around 9 days off in a 2 week cycle.  On the other hand I often work weekends and it can be hard to connect with my kids, or at least harder than I would like.  I do get to be the 'at home dad' during the week a lot, which I like.

And it gives me time for my side hustle, which is eventually going to be my only hustle.

All that said, working for 2 days straight is exhausting and logging 60 hours/week in any configuration has started wearing me down.

Seems strange. What exactly do you do that the company allows you to sleep and do such long shifts? If you don't mind my asking.... :)

I'm not the OP but I'm guessing firefighter or EMT.

[Abe]

My work week is on average 75 hrs (residency, boo!). Once done with training it will still be around 60 hours. If I'm operating I don't mind it being that long, though. A 40 hour work week sounds nice, but unrealistic for my line of work.

I don't understand why it's unrealistic.  Do we really want doctors/ surgeons to be working exhausted?   (I assume that's what you are going into.)

I realize there are many aspects to being a doctor, but I'd assume fewer patients = less time.

Of course I understand that hospitals and clinics and offices aren't generally set up that way.  My line of work isn't set up that way either, but there's no good reason for it.

Also doctors with that long shifts are allowed to sleep as long as there is no emergency. However, if there is one (what might be the case quite often) they actually do work that long. Another example might be quite complicated operations that might last several hours but I doubt you do those every day.

During training we do have calls that are 24 hours and are allowed to sleep if nothing is going on overnight. Otherwise we are working 12-14 hours a day without being able to sleep. When we are done with training, the usual schedule is 1-3 days of operating (which can go for 12-14 hours/day, potential longer if on call), 2 days of clinic (about 10 hours/day). Then we take home call for varying amounts of time that in a busy practice leads to coming in and operating 1-2 times a week (another 4-6 hours). We do try to do only a few long operations per week to preserve our sanity.
Why is it so busy?  Mainly because of 1) patient demand...no one wants to wait 5 months for their operation! 2) we have multiple obligations (patients we operated on and are recovering in the hospital, patients we are operating on that day, and patients in clinic/home) and people do not like being stood up by their doctor, so no putting off a project until tomorrow because we're tired! I would gladly work half as much as the average surgeon and make half as much, but no practice would hire me because those patients would find someone else to operate on them. That's how medicine is in the US; our society is sicker than average and also more demanding than average.

[iamlittlehedgehog]

I've got a pretty sweet deal with my main job- 35 hours a week with the understanding that I work weekends as needed. It has never been needed as long as I've been with the company.
But between my two other jobs, an off-hours legal assistant and server/bartender/barback I clock in anywhere from 50-75 hours working a week. Usually rounds out to 60.
I dream of the day I work a professional job that pays me enough I can work 1 40 hour week job. However I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[nobodyspecial]

I dream of the day I work a professional job that pays me enough I can work 1 40 hour week job.

Employment Standards Regulation - Exclusions for High Technology Professionals

"The hours of work provisions of the Act, including those governing meal breaks, split shifts, minimum daily pay and hours free from work each week, as well as the overtime and statutory holiday provisions, do not apply to “high technology professionals”.