How many hours a week do you work?

[rduell]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

35 hours a week at my main job as librarian and about 3 a month in a side bookkeeping job that I have for one of the libraries in the System. I'm salaried, so working extra only earns me comp time.

On the other hand, my husband averages about 56 hours a week, maybe more depending on if there's work.

[Snoopy2645]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

I work between 15-20 but for us its perfect for now so no one has to go to daycare I love to work & make money but right now the kids come first

[freeballer16]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

Well I go to school Monday to Friday.... approx. 31 hours
I work at Dairy Queen random scheduling... 18 to 20 hours a week
I work at a furniture auction thursday....3 to 8, friday 7 to 11, and saturday 9 to 12

so thats a total of 62 hours give or take, of course half of that is unpaid lol

[PrincessPerky]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

I listened to people on sunday talk of how they want thier priorities in life to be family first but looking at time they don't think it works out that way.

on the other hand not only od I want to put family first I do not think anyone would say I did otherwise, and the same for DH..he works early to be home early, he avoids late nights, while stil goin gin even earlier for overtime, he and I seem to actually put family where so many want to.,.is that new house mocha latte, and new care really worth what people claim are their important priorities of family? (not talking to anyone in particular, I make it a point NOT to know of lattes cars and houses.)

Just wondering, what is stopping poeple from actually putting family first?

[Bookie]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

Just wondering, what is stopping poeple from actually putting family first?

In my limited circle the answer to that question lies in the identification of family well-being with material well-being. The family is put first when the parents can provide their children with the "advantages," and these things are all measured in terms of what money can buy.

My fast-track friend doesn't work insane hours in a high-pressure job because he enjoys the challenge. He does it so the family can live in the really nice house in the best school district. He does it so the kids can have their music lessons, tennis lessons, summer camps and school-sponsored travel. He does it because he wants to give those children all the things, the experiences, the benefits he never knew, and none of that comes cheap.

In a consumer society every phase of life becomes a commercial commodity, and the ability to consume triumphs as the measure of life's quality. You want to put the family first? Then get out your checkbook. The best things in life are no longer free.

[vsjhoc]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

0. I'm currently a law student and per the ABA rules, first-year law students cannot work during the academic year. I am ready for summer to get here so that I can make some cash!

I don't understand how this can be legal. How can a voluntary professional association (admitted lawyers are not required to join it) dictate the labor laws affecting students? And how are they going to police this, or stop you?

[vsjhoc]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

In a consumer society every phase of life becomes a commercial commodity, and the ability to consume triumphs as the measure of life's quality. You want to put the family first? Then get out your checkbook. The best things in life are no longer free.

For more along this theme, read "The Two-Income Trap" by Elizabeth Warren and (can't remember her first name, but it's her daughter) Warren.

[Bookie]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

For more along this theme, read "The Two-Income Trap" by Elizabeth Warren and (can't remember her first name, but it's her daughter) Warren.

Read it. Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Tyagi

If you liked that, try Juliet B. Schor's two books,

The Overspent American: Why We Buy What We Don't Need

The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure

.

[lrjohnson]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

Just wondering, what is stopping poeple from actually putting family first?

My Guy and I don't have family, but we do find our own happiness and time more important than the "rat race" and it's hard for people to really understand.

My Guy decided not to work for a few months and live on his savings. He was spending his time how he wanted. People assumed he was looking for work or depressed or whatever. They couldn't belive that he just wanted to pursue his own interests. Now he's working part time (he turned down a couple full time during that period, to many's surprise). People now assume he wants to become full time-he sure doesn't. The twenty hours is fine for him! And I'm jealous, not mad!

I'd take a 25% pay cut today to work 25% fewer hours. It's not that i don't love my job, it's that I'd love spending more "me" time: reading, seeing friends, travelling, puttering, learning new skills. I've mentioned this to people, and they just look at me like I am crazy....25% less money??? Somehow they don't see the free time as valuable!!!!

[disneysteve]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

Just wondering, what is stopping poeple from actually putting family first?

I think it is much of what Bookie said. Lots of people think they are putting family first by working a zillion hours so they can buy lots of stuff for their family. Of course, stuff isn't what makes a happy family. Time together is what makes a happy family. But far too many people don't see that.

The other piece of that is that lots of people build their lifestyles when they are young and newly married. Once kids come along, they don't want to give up the lifestyle they've gotten used to even though there are now more demands on their income, so they work more to cover the added costs of raising a family.

I'd take a 25% pay cut today to work 25% fewer hours. It's not that i don't love my job, it's that I'd love spending more "me" time: reading, seeing friends, travelling, puttering, learning new skills. I've mentioned this to people, and they just look at me like I am crazy....25% less money??? Somehow they don't see the free time as valuable!!!!

I understand this completely as I've actually done this. From 1993 to early 2000, I worked in a very demanding job. Lots of hours, 2 late nites/week, on call every other weekend, etc. I really enjoyed it for the most part, learned a great deal, got terrific experience and was being reasonably well compensated.

But when I first started, I was married less than a year, didn't own a home and had no kids. Once I had a house and a child, the job gradually became less appealing. By 2000, my daughter was 4-1/2 and old enough to start wondering why Daddy was never home. I decided I had enough and quit, even though I had no other job prospects lined up.

I was out of work for nearly 3 months and honestly put almost no effort into finding another job. I enjoyed every moment of that time. I spent time with my family. We traveled quite a bit - 10 days in Disney World, a week in Las Vegas. I sold on ebay heavily which I love doing. Finally, a job came along. It was part-time at first for about 1/2 of my previous income. I took it and I'm still there over 6 years later. The hours and pay gradually increased, but even now I'm making less than if I had remained at the old job. BUT, I work fewer hours, have less responsibility, have weekends off and spend a lot more time with my family. So I very willingly and happily sacrificed money for time and don't regret that decision at all.

[abowers]

Re: How many hours a week do you work?

As a preschool teacher I worked 40 hours a week, and took overtime occasionally -- but working four 10 hr days, I would have burned out much sooner if I took overtime every week. I needed that break in the middle of the week to recharge!

Now I am a graduate student -- I'm taking 12 credit hours of grad classes afternoons & evenings (I have class until 10pm, 3 nights a week), I am working 20 hours during the week, plus babysitting 10 hours every week, with an additional 6 hours of babysitting every other week.
That's about as much as I can handle right now while needing to do tons of reading and other assignments & papers for grad school.

On the side -- I also make knitted bags to sell, which brings in some extra income (more in spurts than continuous, because they sell at shows, etc.), as well as do some surveys online, which brings in marginal extra income ($10-20/month).

I take any additional weekend babysitting if I can fit it in.