Author Topic: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week  (Read 15107 times)

Schaefer Light

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #50 on: September 15, 2017, 02:43:11 PM »
9-5 is pure bullshit and society would be better off without it IMO. My DH just negotiated a raise and asked to work 1 day a week from home so it's a start. Read 4 Hour Work Week and see if you can apply those technique to your life.

I think the ideas in the book make perfect sense, but there's no incentive to implement them in my job.  I'd just be bored for even longer each day while waiting for 5 o'clock to come around.  Now, if I worked from home it would be a totally different story.

ketchup

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #51 on: September 15, 2017, 03:06:29 PM »
Yeah, 40 hours a week is generally arbitrary, wasteful, and silly.  My girlfriend solved that problem by working for herself.  Some weeks she works 0 hours, some 10 hours, and some 105 hours.  I'd love to do the same, but I'm stuck in a 9-5 for now.

AccidentalMiser

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #52 on: September 15, 2017, 08:20:19 PM »
I'm 28 years old and have been working full time since graduation from university when I was 21.

In those seven years, I've had jobs that I've enjoyed more than others, but deep down, the concept of the 9-5, Monday-Friday (sometimes Saturdays) work week just doesn't do it for me. People say "oh, you just need to find something you love doing, then you will enjoy work" but really, I just don't.

Something I enjoy doing is riding my bicycle, cooking food and home, having friends over for dinner, reading books and pottering around in my vegetable garden. A bit of travel thrown in there too. As soon as I'd monetise any of these things (growing vegetables for resale, importing and selling bikes, being a cycling coach) the fun just evaporates.

I simply hate the 9-5 Mon-Fri concept but I'm stuck doing it to get money to do things I actually want to do and keep a roof over our heads (my partner and soon to be children) and food on the table.

Work a 12-hour rotating shift for a while then get back with me about how unpleasant 9-5 M-F is. 

But seriously, keep working and socking away the $$.  Then you'll get to write your own schedule.

Anecdotally, the nurses I've talked to who switched from 9-5 to four 10s prefer the longer shifts and three day weekend

Yes, I agree.  4- is a dream schedule for me, too.  I'm talking about working days, then nights, then back to days.  It kills the soul.  The only thing worse than 12 hour rotating is 8 hour rotating, days, nights and swings which I've also worked. 


startingsmall

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #53 on: September 15, 2017, 08:38:28 PM »
I'm 28 years old and have been working full time since graduation from university when I was 21.

In those seven years, I've had jobs that I've enjoyed more than others, but deep down, the concept of the 9-5, Monday-Friday (sometimes Saturdays) work week just doesn't do it for me. People say "oh, you just need to find something you love doing, then you will enjoy work" but really, I just don't.

Something I enjoy doing is riding my bicycle, cooking food and home, having friends over for dinner, reading books and pottering around in my vegetable garden. A bit of travel thrown in there too. As soon as I'd monetise any of these things (growing vegetables for resale, importing and selling bikes, being a cycling coach) the fun just evaporates.

I simply hate the 9-5 Mon-Fri concept but I'm stuck doing it to get money to do things I actually want to do and keep a roof over our heads (my partner and soon to be children) and food on the table.

Work a 12-hour rotating shift for a while then get back with me about how unpleasant 9-5 M-F is. 

But seriously, keep working and socking away the $$.  Then you'll get to write your own schedule.

Anecdotally, the nurses I've talked to who switched from 9-5 to four 10s prefer the longer shifts and three day weekend

Yes, I agree.  4- is a dream schedule for me, too.  I'm talking about working days, then nights, then back to days.  It kills the soul.  The only thing worse than 12 hour rotating is 8 hour rotating, days, nights and swings which I've also worked.

I currently work four 10-hr days. (Plus an extra 5-10 hours every 3rd weekend.) I think it would be pretty pleasant if I didn't have such a long commute, but I currently commute 45 minutes each way. So I'm basically away from home for 11.5-12 hours on the days that I work. Combine that with having a young kid (kindergartener) at home and it's hard to do much beyond just surviving on workdays. Exercise? Yeah right. Keep the house clean? Barely. Do laundry? Occasionally. I like having that extra weekday off, but sometimes I feel like having an extra 2 hours on my work days would go a long way towards giving me some balance in my life. It's hard to build healthy habits in 3 days/wk.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #54 on: September 15, 2017, 09:01:40 PM »
I enjoy my job, but I'd love to go to 3-4 days a week at some point in the future. I worked 3 days a week briefly in 2012 (while studying, so it wasn't exactly time off), and enjoyed it immensely.

Hopefully once I get a decent enough nest egg and a paid off home, I can pursue that goal of going part-time :)

nnls

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #55 on: September 15, 2017, 09:28:49 PM »
I'm 28 years old and have been working full time since graduation from university when I was 21.

In those seven years, I've had jobs that I've enjoyed more than others, but deep down, the concept of the 9-5, Monday-Friday (sometimes Saturdays) work week just doesn't do it for me. People say "oh, you just need to find something you love doing, then you will enjoy work" but really, I just don't.

Something I enjoy doing is riding my bicycle, cooking food and home, having friends over for dinner, reading books and pottering around in my vegetable garden. A bit of travel thrown in there too. As soon as I'd monetise any of these things (growing vegetables for resale, importing and selling bikes, being a cycling coach) the fun just evaporates.

I simply hate the 9-5 Mon-Fri concept but I'm stuck doing it to get money to do things I actually want to do and keep a roof over our heads (my partner and soon to be children) and food on the table.

Work a 12-hour rotating shift for a while then get back with me about how unpleasant 9-5 M-F is. 

But seriously, keep working and socking away the $$.  Then you'll get to write your own schedule.

Anecdotally, the nurses I've talked to who switched from 9-5 to four 10s prefer the longer shifts and three day weekend

I work 12 hour shifts, 8 days in a row and then get 6 days off. Most of the people I work with do this. There are a few that prefer to do 4 days on with 3 days off. but most of us prefer the extra time off.

Longer breaks between working is far better

doggyfizzle

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #56 on: September 15, 2017, 10:00:58 PM »
I work a 9/80, with every other Friday off and 1 day each week telework.  Not a bad schedule only having to be in the office max two days in a row.   The 9/80 is by far the best schedule I've ever worked, including my month on (of 12 hour days) and month off in a previous life doodblebugging around the world's oil fields.

rdaneel0

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #57 on: September 17, 2017, 09:21:58 PM »
Like others have said, most of us on this forum want to retire early because we don't find the working life to be ideal.

That said, I think your worldview of working might be a bit narrow. I personally love the M-F, 9-5 life, because it's wayyyy easier than what most people in the world do! I used to work minimum wage 7 days a week, usually 10 hour days with a 15 minute lunch break, and that was with no retirement plan, no health insurance, and no vacation time.

Sure, being financially independent and retired is easier than working, but in the grand scheme of things, working 5 days a week for a salary is pretty freaking cushy. I'd try focusing on how lucky you are, while saving as much as possible for early retirement, to cope with how you feel. Most people in the world would kill for a nice and easy 9-5. 

ooeei

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #58 on: September 18, 2017, 09:40:42 AM »
Well yeah, that's why it's called "work" and not "fun," and they have to pay people to do it.

If it was super enjoyable they wouldn't need to pay people.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #59 on: September 18, 2017, 10:26:12 AM »
I personally love the M-F, 9-5 life, because it's wayyyy easier than what most people in the world do! I used to work minimum wage 7 days a week, usually 10 hour days with a 15 minute lunch break, and that was with no retirement plan, no health insurance, and no vacation time.

Good point, this is a good thing to keep in mind.  When I got my first 9-5 job I was so excited.  I get to know exactly what days and hours I'm working, AND I get Saturday and Sunday off EVERY WEEK?!

catccc

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Re: I Simply just do not Enjoy the Concept of the Modern Work Week
« Reply #60 on: September 18, 2017, 11:13:01 AM »
And this is half the reason I am working towards FIRE.  Although, in recent years, i've found some flexibility in my job, working from home 2 days a week, and it helps a lot!  Anyway, you aren't alone.

From a perspective side, when I was in college, I thought, "sheesh, working people have it so easy, they just go to work and then can eat dinner and watch TV when they get home."  As a college student, I'd go to class, one of three of my part time jobs, be ready to collapse, but need to stay up to study...  So it's not so bad.  It just gets old.

Then you throw in having a family and life just gets a little crazy, but with the right attitude, it's lovely despite the crazy.