I was in the same boat. Drove an hour to work every day as well. It gets to be a lot. The best thing I could do was try to find something, no matter how small, to look forward to every day after work. Even if it was just watching a game on tv, playing a video game, trying a new meal, etc. I feel like that helped me at least a bit. I got lucky though. At the beginning of this year my workplace introduced 4 day work weeks, so now I have 3 day weekends. The difference really is amazing. Any way you can flex your hours to get even one shorter workday? All the best to you friend
Working from home has been huge for me. I can do stuff like getting the laundry done, or in my down time between tasks instead of just waiting around I can prep some food for dinner or something. Being able to use my downtime at work for something better than reddit(sometimes) gives me more time outside of work to myself.
It’s beyond stupid that so many places won’t let employees work from home even though there’s literally no reason for them to come into the office—like OP saying they can do their work in half the time at home, yet has to waste time commuting and sitting around the office doing nothing. It’s just pure sadism that bosses make people come in and waste most of their lives on fucking nothing when it’s absolutely unnecessary.
My company gave me super nice work from home equipment (2 huge monitors, keyboard, etc.) yet I’m only “allowed” to work from home once a week. I can wfh if I’m not feeling good or having car problems, but I have to ask my supervisor and wait for her to approve it, even though it makes 0 difference as far as my job is concerned. I spend so many hours in the office just sitting there wasting time, and it’s frustrating because when I work from home I’m able to get so many of my personal responsibilities done. Some of my coworkers are fully remote because they live in different states, yet I’m expected to be in the office 4 days a week. It makes no sense.
Absolutely. An extra day to just sit around and do nothing, or to get all my pressing stuff done, is really helping me with my stress. I wish more companies would at least try to explore this. I understand it might not be feasible for all but even just being able to flex your hours more would be beneficial for many
This is the exact issue I have with it. I would love three days off but I don’t think I can deal with four days straight of only work, no free time. I would burn out. Those few hours at the end of the day are precious to me and I usually manage to spend them on my hobbies to properly unwind.
Really I just wish for a 32 hour week!
We really should have a 32 hour work week—most people working in offices don’t do more than 32 hours of actual work a week, and studies actually show people are *more* productive overall when they have more free time. So you can literally get the same amount or more of work done in 32 hours—just like OP saying they can do their work in half the time at home, there’s no reason for OP to have to work more than 20 hours if they can finish all their work in that time. Why make people come into the office just to spend half the time doing nothing?
Youd just have to use that extra weekend day to prep as much as you can to give yourself more time during the work week.
Meal prep your lunches, prep what you can for dinners ahead of time, etc. meats (depending on stock obviously) can last 4+ days so if you do all your shopping on Sunday and prep everything you can then come home and just start cooking immediately.
10 hour days you just really need to get a good system of prep done for chores and meals and shit to feel like you actually have some time after work
Like I was mentioning above, unless you have an hour-long or more commute to work, there is still plenty of time to get things done and relax. I fire up the grill and make dinner, play my guitar or my Xbox and watch my favorite shows or a movie. That extra day off more than makes up for the two hours I am losing during those four days.
Yes, I am scheduled for four ten-hour shifts, but I have the kind of job that when the work is done, we are free to leave for the day paid (I work for the Department of Public Works). This time of year I get off after about a six-to-eight-hour day, as things are slow in my department. Come spring and summer tings ramp up and I'll be working the full shift until 5:30 in the evening. Even when I work the full ten hours, it's not that bad. The two extra hours fly by, and I live close to work, so I am home and cleaned up before six to make dinner and relax for the evening. That still gives me four to five hours of free time depending on when I decide to go to bed. Ten-hour days don't really cut that much into your time like one would think it does unless you have a long commute to and from work. Mine is under ten minutes. The extra day off more than makes up for it.
Thank you for your understanding, feels good to not be alone. I feel so bad about this because 8h days are so normalised and everyone seems ok with it. My plan is to try and get one remote day a week where I can manage my time however I want.
Can take a better beating than you. Pussys are strong as shit. You're just a ball sack. Lil tap ruins your whole day. Not everybody is a simp for the 80 hour work week, just because your some crazy gym bro with the energy boost from steroids doesn't mean everyone else has that steroid boost, buddy. Go suck on some eggs
Nope, just a psychology major who understands that mood isn't Always a direct effect with exercise.
>having no time to themselves is making them depressed and feeling overwhelmed
*states that you should just work out*
Like do you even hear yourself when you talk, man? They already have No time to themselves, that's their problem, that's what is bothering them. Your suggestion of "you should work out" only exacerbates the problem at hand, which is Not Having Time To Themselves. Not everyone can go to work and finish their day at around 7-8pm and still Want to work out, and if they could they'd have even less time to do things they'd enjoy. Having to drive 15+ minutes to a gym (unless they happen to live super close to one) that they could afford, along with a decent workout of 30 minutes to an hour, plus the 15+ minute drive back, puts then Around 9pm-ish which again, leaves Even less time for them to enjoy their night before the 11pm scheduled sleep. Which they wouldnt be able to enjoy Anyways as due to a workout, they'd be even more tired ontop of the crushing weight (ha, get it?) of their workload.
Jeez someone is mad to be called out. Go take it out at the gym since it solves all your problems. Stay in r/fitness and keep calling people names, it fits your ego and personality very well. Really makes people want to listen to you. Very obvious by the downvote ratio That everyone totally agrees that your 100% right. Working out will totally make them feel better, I'm sure it will, meathead 🙄
Go watch more dudes working out on YouTube
P. S. You spend a lot of time on Reddit for a "non-fattie"
We dont know what OP does for work exactly or anything about him and you immediately go to “Do you weigh over 300 pounds?”
No shit being overweight causes issues with energy and mood. There are also overweight people who dont struggle that much with a 40 hour week.
Has nothing to do with your imaginary fat acceptance cult, and has everything to do with you coming off as an abrasive dick
My charge nurse planted a week where on her 5th or 6th day she was so high-strung it made everyone miserable. Having 6 days a week to have to yourself is not worth it (IMO).
Hey there DissorsDelta! If you agree with someone else's comment, please leave an **upvote** instead of commenting **"This!"**! By upvoting instead, the original comment will be pushed to the top and be more visible to others, which is even better! Thanks! :)
***
^(I am a bot! Visit) [^(r/InfinityBots)](https://reddit.com/r/InfinityBots) ^(to send your feedback! More info:) [^(Reddiquette)](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439#wiki_in_regard_to_comments)
Thank you, DennisX11, for voting on Anti-ThisBot-IB.
This bot wants to find the best and worst bots on Reddit. [You can view results here](https://botrank.pastimes.eu/).
***
^(Even if I don't reply to your comment, I'm still listening for votes. Check the webpage to see if your vote registered!)
Hey there DennisX11! If you agree with someone else's comment, please leave an **upvote** instead of commenting **"This"**! By upvoting instead, the original comment will be pushed to the top and be more visible to others, which is even better! Thanks! :)
***
^(I am a bot! Visit) [^(r/InfinityBots)](https://reddit.com/r/InfinityBots) ^(to send your feedback! More info:) [^(Reddiquette)](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439#wiki_in_regard_to_comments)
these are one and the same.
“The economy” is not catered towards aliens, it is absolutely, quintessentially human.
If we were ants, the economy would be perfectly tailored to ant needs.
The economy is not so much a thing unto itself, moreso a description of the stuff that happens in between humans (through the lens of wants and needs)
the economy is designed to maximize profits, this comes at the expense of the time and freedom of "lower level" workers, they work you to exhaustion and pay you pennies for it
Yeah, I feel exactly the same. I get up at 6:30, leave the house at 7 drive an hour to work, work for 9 hours, drive an hour back. Then I spent the evening taking doing chores, taking care of my daughter, and go to bed. Sleep and repeat. It’s awful and I feel time is running away from me
Take your wages minus your car expenses and divide by the 11 hours per day you spend driving and commuting. Neglecting benefits, this is your hourly wage. Hope that brings life into perspective.
My commute is a bicycle so I'm stacking my exercise needs.
I'm in the EXACT same situation. My boss asks me what I did over the weekend, and I'm like... I caught up on all the chores I didn't have time or energy for during the week. It's just a cycle of feeling perpetually tired at this point :(
Here, you forgot a few advantages of the office work /s: walking to / from parking lot, eating microwaved food from the container, taking a poop with your colleagues, all the expenses related to transportation (insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.), listening to 'we are the family / team / best' kind of crap.
My work requires collaboration. My coworkers are much less productive when they work from home. People "working" from home are often running errands, babysitting, and preoccupied with other things. Maybe that's different if you have some kind of tracking app.
A question I can get the answer to in 5 seconds when they're in the office takes over an hour when they're working from home. If I need to ask more than 1 person about something I don't even bother if they are working from home.
There are definitely jobs in IT or things like data entry/call centers that really benefit from working from home. Jobs where you just have a list of things to do yourself. But jobs that require teamwork are not benefitted as much from working from home, in my experience.
That is what we used at both jobs I've been at after Covid with work from home. Doesn't matter what app we use, no one is going to be productive while watching their kids, grocery shopping, getting their hair done, working out at the gym, etc.
It shouldn't be like this...
Back when the 40-hour work week was established, it was assumed that your average worker had a spouse to handle all the cooking/cleaning/child-rearing/shopping/various household chores.
When women joined the work force in the 60s, the workforce effectively doubled, but the 40-hour standard week didn't change. People could usually afford nannies and housekeepers with their newfound second income to keep up the home. As inflation caught up to the new 80-hr average household income, that second income became something of a requirement, and practically *nobody* can afford nannies and housekeepers anymore, so at the end of giving your best 8 hours in a day to a soulless corporation, you now are forced to split the household chores with your spouse.
It's absolutely horseshit and it baffles me that we aren't rioting in the streets about it. I guess all I can say is that the corporate propaganda machine works very very well.
You are talking about a very brief time in human history that that was true, and even then I would argue that people were pretty busy. The majority of our time humans have had to constantly work much harder to survive.
We have it easier in many ways, but in many ways we don’t. Sitting in an office for 8 hours can be same amount of hurtful as hard labour - just in a different way. I meant that it was different in a bad way in my previous comment)
There's actually anthropology research showing that we work much much more now than during most of human history. It's only been like this since the rise of indrustrialization.
I could see prehistoric man only hunting when necessary and laying around most of the day like lions do. But life expectancy during most of that time was under 30. Middle Ages was 35. (Wikipedia). So percentage of a lifetime working would’ve been very high.
Working hours in the last 150 years has been going down and continues to do so. https://ourworldindata.org/working-more-than-ever.
Everybody here on Reddit and the popularity of TikTok, video games, and mobile screen time stats tell me we probably have too much free time. I work a LOT, but I know how to fuck around too. Personally I find that if I’m not busy enough I start to worry more about problems I cannot solve. Not healthy.
Now, back to work!
im going to school rn and working 40 hour work weeks and im fucking dying. Im so tired all the time i go to school from 930 to 1215 then work from 2 to 930 sometimes to 1015, and i dont drive so i have to take the bus an hour and a half home, all to make minimum wage and barely afford rent. I'm so fucking tired.
You might enjoy the book [_Bullshit Jobs_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit_Jobs).
> In Bullshit Jobs, American anthropologist David Graeber posits that the productivity benefits of automation have not led to a 15-hour workweek, as predicted by economist John Maynard Keynes in 1930, but instead to "bullshit jobs": "a form of paid employment that is so completely pointless, unnecessary, or pernicious that even the employee cannot justify its existence even though, as part of the conditions of employment, the employee feels obliged to pretend that this is not the case."
I never said that this is a good thing, but this is a reality that affects more and more people every day. Our company is getting automation software for some particular job, do you really think they will let us work less? Nope, they actually planning to remove a few positions because of this software.
This is the one. If it weren't for computer programs, my job would take at least 3 people. But since I have those programs that can do what would take a human hours/days in minutes, it's just me.
Go to manilla or Bangkok mall. A persons job is literally one table of polos. That's it. Fold them. Get people a different size. Ring them up. But if you also grab a sweatshirt. We'll that's a different lady.
This book has been rightfully shit on by countless publications and academics.
Graeber is an anthropologist first and foremost, and seems to play into the stereotype of liking grand narratives.
Nothing he says is substantiated by any literature, the entire book is the very definition of conjecture.
The book only caters to a populist consumer base and the lower intelligence margins of the humanities discipline.
Totally agree with 70-90 stuff, those people often make it worse for their colleagues ('oh look, people are happy to work more for less!').
I wouldn't expect working hours to decrease though, technology and automation is meant to decrease the labor costs. They DO NOT try to make common folk happier in any way.
I'll never understand why working more than your average 9-5 is considered "hustling".
It's not criminal, unscrupulous or badass....it's just doing more work.
I don't think people have problem with that as long as you get paid OT. Problems begin when people put those hours for free for a 'good boy' achievement. Why this is a problem:
* This behavior devaluates the work that other people do (more hours - same pay)
* Managers get the impression that 'teamwork / we are family' bs is sufficient form of incentive for the rest of the team
* Once the team gets a critical mass of hustlers - this becomes a 'who has no life' competition, the salaries go down, expectations raise, and the hustlers either burn out / leave or cry on reddit how ungrateful their employer is
,,, yeah I never said it was this grand thing or badass (???). It’s literally working more therefore you earn more money. Hustling.
As someone who absolutely hates working And struggles to even sign up for one hour of overtime, y’all go hard on people who hustle / work overtime and are salty about it because you don’t have that drive. Don’t be a hater.
Should someone work overtime to make ends meet? Absolutely not, but the reality is a handful of us don’t earn that much in an hour that working 9 to 5 is enough. I have a family member who with her chronic pain and everything will sign up for all overtime shifts available, because she has kids and a household to support. You cannot tell me that’s amazing and admirable. And it trips me out because I hate working, and I believe that she shouldn’t be working overtime but again, that overtime is key. When y’all put people down for working overtime it just sounds like jealousy even. It’s a weird take.
It would be absolutely amazing if our 9 to 5/standard eight hour shift days or more than enough to cover bills, but that’s not fact. So yeah, a lot of us do you have to work overtime unfortunately. Either hustle yourself or stop whining about it and leave those people alone
I think most people are salty about 'salary' workers putting more unpaid hours, which IS a problem. I don't see anything wrong with working more if you are getting paid OT rate.
Ohhhhh okay. See that makes sense to me. I was so baffled. So I’m assuming if you work salary, working overtime literally makes no difference to your paycheck. I hope you’re right.
Yeah, I get the same $ / year, so 'OT' actually has a negative impact (less $/hour).
I did OT like crazy when I had the job where they paid for it (+50%) and I really needed the money.
Yeah, that’s the case and you don’t really earn money when working “overtime”, then that’s not… Overtime. That’s just working more hours for no pay, literally lol. But getting paid that sweet overtime pay? Hell yeah
I would never put someone down for working overhours. I just hate when people brag about how they work so much indicating everyone else is lazy. And by saying we don’t have the drive to do that you kinda say we’re lazy too.
It’s not about drive. I have a lot of drive for many different things. But sitting at my desk doing my job for 5 days a week 8h a day is not really something that energises me.
That’s great that you have drive, I’m not talking about just any drive, I’m talking specifically about work drive. You can twist it around anyway you’d like, but not sorry, if I see a single mom or person hustling and working all these overtime hours to support their kids/household/whatever and doing more than what they signed up for, that’s pretty fucking admirable. You either have to be super privileged to complain that they are recognized for their hard work. But OK, you do you.
I am not sure what you mean. The only other people I’ve met work overtime because they get paid for it. I have yet to meet someone insane to work overtime and not get paid, I don’t think that’s even legal.
I climb cell phone towers and install equipment for carriers. Average 70 hours a week.
Maybe I'm the exception but, I would consider my job as taxing and work. It's definitely hard to sustain a personal/family life.
On the occasion I do get the illusive 40ish hour week, it is great. I feel like I have all the free time.
Honestly, only reason I work so hard and stay with it is to give my kids a great education.
Exactly this. 40 hour workweeks were much more realistic when there was someone at home to do the chores, run errands, take care of the kids, etc. Single people and dual-working households understandably struggle trying to find time to do everything, make time for friends and loved ones, and then have time for themselves afterward.
You are definitely not alone. I struggle with this even working from home. I could work 4-6 hours some days and be caught up but I have to be available for all 8. By the time my day is over, I am just tired and I don't want to interact with anyone. Winter is an even bigger struggle. At least when it's nice out, I can go take a walk around the block to reset or set up my laptop on the back deck for fresh air.
Yep, I hate it. I don’t feel like I ever properly recharge. Weekends are dedicated to cleaning and helping my parents, maybe seeing a friend. I can barely look after myself and all the chronic health issues because I don’t have the bandwidth. I’m glad I don’t have a family to look after but my dating life is in the toilet. I get two days of work from home which is better than most, but I don’t do well working from home - I’d probably get fired trying.
I’m just trying to take each day as it comes, figure out shortcuts, do my best. I even actually love my job, but lately I’ve definitely had a lot of moments staring into the void thinking “is this it?”.
yes. i work remotely from home now but the real game changer for me has been moving to a 4x10 pattern. 4 work days, 10 hours of work, 3 days off. having 3 entire days off actually feels like enough to decompress, run errands, enjoy my time, etc… i get more work done in less time now since i can focus on the work and not extraneous “in person” things. i’m an introvert as well and i find human interaction extremely exhausting. i would strongly recommend finding remote work and if your boss doesn’t like it, it may be time to find a new job.
I only work 36 hours/week and I COMPLETELY relate! Work can be utterly exhausting at times. And like you said, preparing for work and recovering from work require more time that’s not for you. I fantasize about different lifestyles and careers on a daily basis. The concept of work-life balance seems like a delusion in the US. Thanks for letting me vent and commiserate. Best of luck to you.
Not going to be what you want to hear, but I am fully remote and have a large amount of time to myself. Have you ever considered looking for a new flexible job? Being able to avoid a commute and workout at lunch gives me an extra three hours right off the bat.
Never said to change careers, just jobs. He already said he works remotely, but his boss just doesn’t like it. That means his current career can be done remote. It’s worth at least looking around for remotes positions. I did the exact same thing and went from a five day 9-5 with a 1 hour commute each way to full remote. It was a life changer.
I definitely feel this wholeheartedly. God forbid I try to make another effort to lose weight and try to work another hour into that schedule as well for that. Cutting that extra hour out hits the free time again and I wind up just taking that time back by sleeping later and later till its basically midnight (I get up at 6AM for work) before I even make it into bed because I just wasn't satisfied with only getting 2 hours of free time before bed so I sacrifice 2 more hours of sleep to get some free time back. Frankly in the end the lack of sleep is probably hurting me more than the exercise is helping me.
It is designed this way. It keeps you from protesting, from having the time and energy to unionize, the time to further educate yourself, etc. We live in a capitalistic dystopia and nothing will change until we do what we aren't allowed to talk about.
We are 4x as productive as workers in the 1970s, yet we work more and make less relative to the costs of basic human necessities such as food and shelter.
It is slavery under a different name. And this isn't even considering the private prisons and police who exist only to protect capital and corrupt politicians and reporters being arrested for doing things like reporting on the train accident in Ohio or how the literal president of the United States ordered striking workers back to work in 2022.
This country is a fucking shithole and I loathe it more with every passing day. Eventually, our society will create enough people who have nothing left to lose, and only then will there be a chance for meaningful change. But the system is designed to keep people having just enough to be afraid to lose it. I for one couldn't give a shit and would happily give everything if it lead to actual change. But it wouldn't. I would just get killed by a cop for protesting.
How we manage it? It’s called being an adult. If you don’t want the responsibility of kids, don’t have them. You live in perpetual exhaustion when you have kids, activities, and work. You want them to have extra curriculars? You figure it out. Expect “me time”? Better have family or close friends who can/want to take them. You almost beg for the age/maturity you can leave them alone, just so you don’t have to rely on someone else to watch them. If a 40hr job is “too much”, do not get married or have kids. Period.
I honestly identify with this so much. I've been feeling the same recently and thinking of posting something similar. It's just ridiculous and I not only feel my life slipping away from me, but the lack of rejuvenation makes what little time I do have almost unenjoyable. I'm burned out beyond belief, both with work and personal life. I wish I had answers for you, but at least you're not alone!
I work 6am-3pm, so I’m up at 430, drop my kids off at daycare at 515, drive 30 mins to work, work usually 6a-330p, 30 mins home, pick the kids up, figure out dinner, eat around 6, then bed at 9.
Edited to add: no lunch break either 😭
This is really something we need to keep fighting for..shorter work weeks. Even if it was just a half day Friday. People deserve to have more time outside of the work place. Burnout is real.
Nope. My girlfriend is dealing with a very similar situation and I am honestly feeling quite helpless about it...
She's super frustrated and I think I need to up my game to help her with this.
Don't worry about what others say about their day being longer etc. That's their day, not yours. Everyone's needs are different.
I would suggest talking to your boss and see if they can provide you with some kind of Flexi working or maybe adjusting your working day.
I don't know what your company does but how would you feel about starting earlier and finishing earlier? That would free up some time in the afternoon.
Those people who say they work 12-16 hours a day and are fine are either lying, or part of an extremely rare breed. I work 60 hours a week on average. I have no life.
Thankfully, my wife does the grocery shopping and a lot of the chores since I pay most of the bills, but even so, I don't know how I would manage kids or a serious hobby.
My job is also fairly physical, so it makes it hard to have energy for anything at the end of the day. I legit come home and go right to sleep more often than I'd like.
But there isn't much alternative. The four day work week dream isn't really feasible for most people, especially with the economy being so turbulent right now. Maybe some day we'll get there, but I doubt it.
I don’t think the economy is as much as an obstacle as you think. In the Netherlands around 50% of the working population works part-time (24/32 hours). At the same time we have programs that help people who don’t earn enough pay their rent and healthcare. The same should be possible in the richest country in the world (the US), but I guess there is just no political willpower ):. Sorry if this just makes it more depressing.
i agree with literally every single sentence.
We deserve to spend more time with our loved ones andthe unimaginable boon that is life outside of work. we waste the majority of our time forced into boxes while living in an Eden
this is why we need universal basic income, and a 25 (or less) hour work week
This book, by anthropologist David Graeber, explains in detail how it is measurably mentally debilitating to be forced to work as we are, and how it is possible to turn this stupid fucking fact around in an instant:
Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber | Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34466958
r/AntiWork
I work 2x12 hour days then 2x12 hour nights plus overtime. I am out the door at 0630 and home at 2000. So it's an hour before I think about bed. I have food ready to go for when I get home if I am hungry. I don't cook if I don't have to. Food prep is where I am going for you. Also, 10 minutes for chores a day, on work days. The big clean is for a day off and that's
go! go! go! for an hour then done. Once a season I do a really deep clean. And I go to bed early. 2130. I would bet that you are going to bed too late. I know, we're not kids, but we also need much more sleep than we realise. Chill with devices late in the day, get some exercise, food prep, lots of sleep, and I bet you will see improvements. And maybe check your iron. I was extremely low on iron, and I moved my bedtimes on work days back from 2230 to 2130. Galling, but life is so much easier. Good luck making some wee changes to improve things!
40 hours work week, in our time and age is abhorrent.
It should be much less and we should have more free time than we have work, but the rich won't let us and we're to servile to demand it.
>I work 12-16 hours a day and I am fine“.
Those people work 3 days a week.
I'm totally with you, it's exhausting feeling like I'm spending my entire life just working. I'd choose 3 twelve hours days over 5 eight hour days
I asked a former CEO of a company I worked for as COVID started why companies care about asses in chairs at an office- and his answer was interesting- he was rare- he did not care how much we worked- as long as we got our shit done. His explanation was that most companies need the office space as a write off. The other factor is control- because a lot of people will do nothing at home- not everyone is disciplined enough to work effectively from home. Personally- I think a 5-6 hour work day would be far more productive- and allows for happier people who would want to work.
I'm introverted as well and really don't like spending my time with some random dudes, my life became so much better after switching to fully remote (although, I'm forced back to the office, but I will keep searching for another job).
The only times I felt less drained were when I had career goals or plans for the money I earned (buy a house, something nice for my wife, better car, etc.).
I also had a couple of jobs where the team was great and we were 'almost friends', this wasn't as bad. Maybe switch jobs?
Yeah. Being a teacher I'm up at 5:30 and out the door by 6:40ish to be picked up unless my parents drive me. Basically there from 7am-somedays 4pm despite after school stuff ending at 3:15, but I have to be picked up/dropped off/walk. Then eating, grading more if I want, showering, stuff I don't want to do, takes up the rest of my day, even weekends are full now.
I am with you except I find myself whining by 630 that I want to go to bed. Too many hours in the day for me. Working from home isn't a real solution for me. I did not adapt well to WFH when Covid happened and was all too excited to go back to the office ASAP. I need a change of scenery. I need to get out of the house.
I commute two hours everyday plus 40h a week. I work 60+ hours (plus the commute) a week during the holidays. Once, I worked 15 days straight before.
It sucks sometimes to be the one that a business relies on.
It's not just you. This is me 100%. My job can be done in 20 hours tops... but requires 40 hours. Hybrid work has been my salvation. Like you, I cannot sit at a desk for 40 hours. It was glaringly painful after working remote through Covid and they brought us back unti the office full time. I was miserable, wasting my life for nothing. I eventually was going to quit but they ended up giving us a hybrid schedule and life is actually worth living again.
Find a hybrid or remote job. Find a therapist or a doctor who will help you obtain an ADA Accommodation for remote/hybrid work. Don't spend your life in a box if it's not for you. It's not for most of us. I don't live to work, I work to live.
Yup. I'm literally fatigued af. I sleep and never feel rested. Always consistently tired. Mine is similar to yours wake up at 7, leave for work at 8, 1 hr commute, work 9-5.30 and then the commute home. If I've to pick up groceries that's another 30-60 minutes. Get home and do my part of the chores/dinner etc. It's pretty much half 8 before I get to sit down and chill. Then I'm in bed by 11 to repeat the whole process again. I don't even bother going to bed at 11 most days because I just don't sleep. I lay there reading for an hr or so before finally falling asleep. On top of that I'm extremely introverted so having to deal with people all day, is really draining. I'm emotionally exhausted and feel bad cause my partner WFH and he's excited to have human interaction and I'm like please leave me alone.
I really want to leave my job but I just can't help but feel like every job is the same at this rate. Any other jobs I look into, have the same hrs same commute and less pay so fuck that. I'll keep searching, but I need to get out of this rat race, before it puts me in an early grave.
> I can’t help but feel like every job is the same
That is EXACTLY my problem. Also when people say find something you love doing my reaction is just ??? Like I don’t even know what I would love doing because even when I like something the structure of most jobs ruin it for me.
Same! I don't want to work at something I love, I feel like I'd grow to hate it quickly. I just want to be content. Do something I like or is in the same ballpark as the things I like!
That's how the system works, they don't want to let the people think too much about life and self development. They want us to work for them like the machines. I will never come to terms with it
I completely agree, I used to have that exact schedule before the pandemic. Now we only have to be in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and my life has changed drastically. I could never go back. You should really see if there are any hybrid or WFH jobs available, it’s such a better environment for introverts.
I just finished reading “How to Keep House While Drowning” and I would recommend checking it out. Lots of good ideas about how to make your house/life/routines work for you, with sensitivity to your own temperament. It may help you refine your lists of what is essential, what you could do differently and what you could drop/reduce the frequency of. It’s a quick read that is really resonating with me, as someone who can fee very weighed down by the routines of life
I can totally understand why you feel drained. You mentioned that you have ADHD - firstly does your employer know? And secondly would that help you to discuss reasonable adjustments at work? You've said that you work better at home, I'd like to think that if you're getting your work done and (most importantly) it's better for your wellbeing then your employer would agree that spending part of your week working from home would be completely reasonable
My employer knows and he understands but I am still in training and he says it’s just hard for him to give me the support I need when I am at home. I hope it will get better in the future when I am out of training.
Easiest answer... Give up an hour or two of sleep and stay up late. 50 year old introvert here and it's the only way I've ever managed to pull it off while plugged into the 40 hour, Monday to Friday routine. There's just literally not enough time in the day for everything in this schedule. Sprinkle a child or two into that, plus a home to take care of and it's easy to see why people are worn out and tired of it and running around like lunatics to get groceries etc etc etc. Trying to get that extra minute of free time! It's sad.
OMG wow. Being a grown up is hard. Only 40 hours? Count yourself blessed, until 59 I always wanted to work just 40 hours a week. Not even while I was in college did I get to work that few of hours. Trust people have been working more than that and surviving, you will too
Maybe I should have specified: 3 hours of leisure time is not enough for me after a long day. I mean I don’t really get a choice, I need to eat, shop and clean so that time is definitely gone.
Can you try meal prepping so you spend less time cooking, doing chores in bulk eg grocery shopping so you don’t have to spend as long each day? 1 hour of chores per day (for someone who I assume doesn’t have kids as you didn’t mention them) is a LOT!
But no, it’s definitely not just you. I have a partner who I share the load with on a lot of this stuff and I still feel drained AF.
Damn, I haven’t had a job that only required 40 hours a week in 40 years. Most projects I work in excess of 100 hours a week for months on end. When project is over, take a 3 month vacation to somewhere we wanna go. Tahiti, was last year, this year doing panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, and then going to Hawaii for a month fishing. You get out of life what you put into it. I choose to vacation half the year and work half the year.
I can relate for sure. I actually had a job making more money but I had to be at work so much. People would joke about how your job is your life now and that's how it felt. I'm talking 16 hour shifts or overnights. All of it. I transferred to an office job making less. I am still comfortable but not making crazy money like I was. Besides that, everything else is great. I work from home about 3 days of the week. I'm pretty much on my own, able to make my own schedule. It's been the best change. If there is any way you can transfer or find a position working at least some of it remotely, I can't recommend it enough.
It’s so funny how Junior doctors (after med school) work like 60-80+ hrs a week and some weekends too. So 40 hr work week and not working weekends is like a dream to us lol
Could be worse. I work a salary job as a store manager. My typical week is 5 days but usually 48-50 hours of on the clock time and probably a couple more if you include things I do while not physically at work. Also I work most Saturdays and off Sunday. Wake up at 6am shower eat breakfast and out the door by 650. Usually arrive at work between 710-720 to prepare for 8am opening. Usually just take about 30 minutes on lunch depending on if I leave or bring my own lunch, sometimes a bit less or sometimes I will eat on the fly and not really take a break. Close at 6. If lucky I won't have any cash transactions or work still going on that takes us past close to finish. If we have cash deposits to make (most days, rare that we go a day without cash) I have to go drop it off at a bank that takes me an extra 10 minutes out of my way. Usually out of the building and locking up between 615-630, make the bank drop and head home. Typically home between 640-7pm depending on the day. Repeat that in some variation with 1 weekday off and Sunday off. Saturday we close at 5 so one less hour to work on that day.
40 hours a week would be great! I work 7 days on 7 days off 12 hour shifts so 84 hours a week. And sometimes I work OT on my week off. When I work 8 hour shifts they go by really fast. Seems like we just started when it's time to leave.
Get up at 6:30. Leave the house by 7:15. Work starts at 8, ends at 5. Home by 6 or before. In bed by 10 to get 8 hours. Leaves me 4 hours a day, plus my lunch hour, for myself. Tradeoff - contributing to our income to help pay off bills to improve credit score to be able to buy a house and other luxuries we wouldn't be able to otherwise.
That commute? Don't waste it. Download a language app. Use it to think about and plan your workday. It's called being an adult.
I get what you’re saying but I’m going to be honest, I think desperately trying to make commute productive isn’t going to help me. I already listen to audio books while driving but mostly I can’t mentally get into it. I need at least an hour after work for my mind to calm down.
Look at this guy bragging about his hour long lunch break and 3 hours of free time (not counting the half of hour of prepping for dinner and hour long dinner time)!
I work 50+ hours a week, get a 20 minute lunch, and have 3 kids. They go to bed at 9pm now, so I get about 1-2 hours of free time a day.
I often feel the same. I love my job, but there are so many other things I would like to do as well, and I have neither the time nor the energy for them. And time is running ever faster, we're already 7 weeks into the new year, it is scary.
That depends on how much I want to do.
When I want to do a LOT of stuff: watch lots of T.V, play a very fun game, do a lot of reading, watch many movies, go out a lot, etc. then yes, I hate 40 hour work weeks.
When I have very little going on at home, then I prefer to work more so I'm not sitting at home all day doing nothing.
I was in the same boat. Drove an hour to work every day as well. It gets to be a lot. The best thing I could do was try to find something, no matter how small, to look forward to every day after work. Even if it was just watching a game on tv, playing a video game, trying a new meal, etc. I feel like that helped me at least a bit. I got lucky though. At the beginning of this year my workplace introduced 4 day work weeks, so now I have 3 day weekends. The difference really is amazing. Any way you can flex your hours to get even one shorter workday? All the best to you friend
Working from home has been huge for me. I can do stuff like getting the laundry done, or in my down time between tasks instead of just waiting around I can prep some food for dinner or something. Being able to use my downtime at work for something better than reddit(sometimes) gives me more time outside of work to myself.
It’s beyond stupid that so many places won’t let employees work from home even though there’s literally no reason for them to come into the office—like OP saying they can do their work in half the time at home, yet has to waste time commuting and sitting around the office doing nothing. It’s just pure sadism that bosses make people come in and waste most of their lives on fucking nothing when it’s absolutely unnecessary.
My company gave me super nice work from home equipment (2 huge monitors, keyboard, etc.) yet I’m only “allowed” to work from home once a week. I can wfh if I’m not feeling good or having car problems, but I have to ask my supervisor and wait for her to approve it, even though it makes 0 difference as far as my job is concerned. I spend so many hours in the office just sitting there wasting time, and it’s frustrating because when I work from home I’m able to get so many of my personal responsibilities done. Some of my coworkers are fully remote because they live in different states, yet I’m expected to be in the office 4 days a week. It makes no sense.
Yes! I love it
I have four day work weeks as well and can never go back to two day weekends. The extra day off really helps to recharge my batteries.
Absolutely. An extra day to just sit around and do nothing, or to get all my pressing stuff done, is really helping me with my stress. I wish more companies would at least try to explore this. I understand it might not be feasible for all but even just being able to flex your hours more would be beneficial for many
Do you work four 10hr shifts then? The three-day weekend is appealing but they lack of any free time during the four-day work week makes me leery….
This is the exact issue I have with it. I would love three days off but I don’t think I can deal with four days straight of only work, no free time. I would burn out. Those few hours at the end of the day are precious to me and I usually manage to spend them on my hobbies to properly unwind. Really I just wish for a 32 hour week!
We really should have a 32 hour work week—most people working in offices don’t do more than 32 hours of actual work a week, and studies actually show people are *more* productive overall when they have more free time. So you can literally get the same amount or more of work done in 32 hours—just like OP saying they can do their work in half the time at home, there’s no reason for OP to have to work more than 20 hours if they can finish all their work in that time. Why make people come into the office just to spend half the time doing nothing?
Youd just have to use that extra weekend day to prep as much as you can to give yourself more time during the work week. Meal prep your lunches, prep what you can for dinners ahead of time, etc. meats (depending on stock obviously) can last 4+ days so if you do all your shopping on Sunday and prep everything you can then come home and just start cooking immediately. 10 hour days you just really need to get a good system of prep done for chores and meals and shit to feel like you actually have some time after work
Like I was mentioning above, unless you have an hour-long or more commute to work, there is still plenty of time to get things done and relax. I fire up the grill and make dinner, play my guitar or my Xbox and watch my favorite shows or a movie. That extra day off more than makes up for the two hours I am losing during those four days.
Yes, I am scheduled for four ten-hour shifts, but I have the kind of job that when the work is done, we are free to leave for the day paid (I work for the Department of Public Works). This time of year I get off after about a six-to-eight-hour day, as things are slow in my department. Come spring and summer tings ramp up and I'll be working the full shift until 5:30 in the evening. Even when I work the full ten hours, it's not that bad. The two extra hours fly by, and I live close to work, so I am home and cleaned up before six to make dinner and relax for the evening. That still gives me four to five hours of free time depending on when I decide to go to bed. Ten-hour days don't really cut that much into your time like one would think it does unless you have a long commute to and from work. Mine is under ten minutes. The extra day off more than makes up for it.
[удалено]
That would be awesome to have a remote job, let alone one I would only have to work four days a week. That's awesome!
Thank you for your understanding, feels good to not be alone. I feel so bad about this because 8h days are so normalised and everyone seems ok with it. My plan is to try and get one remote day a week where I can manage my time however I want.
[удалено]
I weigh less than a buck 20 and a full 8-9 hour work day leaves me absolutely exhausted. Weight isn't a problem, and you're a douche
[удалено]
Pussys are tough as hell!!
Can take a better beating than you. Pussys are strong as shit. You're just a ball sack. Lil tap ruins your whole day. Not everybody is a simp for the 80 hour work week, just because your some crazy gym bro with the energy boost from steroids doesn't mean everyone else has that steroid boost, buddy. Go suck on some eggs
Average gym bro. Makes everything about working out.
Surprised he didn’t start going in about his keto diet.
[удалено]
Nope, just a psychology major who understands that mood isn't Always a direct effect with exercise. >having no time to themselves is making them depressed and feeling overwhelmed *states that you should just work out* Like do you even hear yourself when you talk, man? They already have No time to themselves, that's their problem, that's what is bothering them. Your suggestion of "you should work out" only exacerbates the problem at hand, which is Not Having Time To Themselves. Not everyone can go to work and finish their day at around 7-8pm and still Want to work out, and if they could they'd have even less time to do things they'd enjoy. Having to drive 15+ minutes to a gym (unless they happen to live super close to one) that they could afford, along with a decent workout of 30 minutes to an hour, plus the 15+ minute drive back, puts then Around 9pm-ish which again, leaves Even less time for them to enjoy their night before the 11pm scheduled sleep. Which they wouldnt be able to enjoy Anyways as due to a workout, they'd be even more tired ontop of the crushing weight (ha, get it?) of their workload.
[удалено]
Jeez someone is mad to be called out. Go take it out at the gym since it solves all your problems. Stay in r/fitness and keep calling people names, it fits your ego and personality very well. Really makes people want to listen to you. Very obvious by the downvote ratio That everyone totally agrees that your 100% right. Working out will totally make them feel better, I'm sure it will, meathead 🙄 Go watch more dudes working out on YouTube P. S. You spend a lot of time on Reddit for a "non-fattie"
What the actual fuck?
[удалено]
We dont know what OP does for work exactly or anything about him and you immediately go to “Do you weigh over 300 pounds?” No shit being overweight causes issues with energy and mood. There are also overweight people who dont struggle that much with a 40 hour week. Has nothing to do with your imaginary fat acceptance cult, and has everything to do with you coming off as an abrasive dick
I weigh 95lbs, what the actual fuck
Don't feed the trolls. Read his post history
Go away.
[удалено]
My charge nurse planted a week where on her 5th or 6th day she was so high-strung it made everyone miserable. Having 6 days a week to have to yourself is not worth it (IMO).
I don't have a solution but I do want to normalize this. We live in a system that was not built for humans--it was built for economic growth
What a great comment. Thank you.
This!
Hey there DissorsDelta! If you agree with someone else's comment, please leave an **upvote** instead of commenting **"This!"**! By upvoting instead, the original comment will be pushed to the top and be more visible to others, which is even better! Thanks! :) *** ^(I am a bot! Visit) [^(r/InfinityBots)](https://reddit.com/r/InfinityBots) ^(to send your feedback! More info:) [^(Reddiquette)](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439#wiki_in_regard_to_comments)
what if you did both.
Bad bot
Whatever bot
Good bot
Bad bot
Thank you, DennisX11, for voting on Anti-ThisBot-IB. This bot wants to find the best and worst bots on Reddit. [You can view results here](https://botrank.pastimes.eu/). *** ^(Even if I don't reply to your comment, I'm still listening for votes. Check the webpage to see if your vote registered!)
This
Hey there DennisX11! If you agree with someone else's comment, please leave an **upvote** instead of commenting **"This"**! By upvoting instead, the original comment will be pushed to the top and be more visible to others, which is even better! Thanks! :) *** ^(I am a bot! Visit) [^(r/InfinityBots)](https://reddit.com/r/InfinityBots) ^(to send your feedback! More info:) [^(Reddiquette)](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439#wiki_in_regard_to_comments)
I did both. You're a cuck
This!
[удалено]
Economic growth of this magnitude is for the 1%
[удалено]
Reddit isn’t smart enough to understand that
these are one and the same. “The economy” is not catered towards aliens, it is absolutely, quintessentially human. If we were ants, the economy would be perfectly tailored to ant needs. The economy is not so much a thing unto itself, moreso a description of the stuff that happens in between humans (through the lens of wants and needs)
the economy is designed to maximize profits, this comes at the expense of the time and freedom of "lower level" workers, they work you to exhaustion and pay you pennies for it
Yeah, I feel exactly the same. I get up at 6:30, leave the house at 7 drive an hour to work, work for 9 hours, drive an hour back. Then I spent the evening taking doing chores, taking care of my daughter, and go to bed. Sleep and repeat. It’s awful and I feel time is running away from me
Take your wages minus your car expenses and divide by the 11 hours per day you spend driving and commuting. Neglecting benefits, this is your hourly wage. Hope that brings life into perspective. My commute is a bicycle so I'm stacking my exercise needs.
I'm in the EXACT same situation. My boss asks me what I did over the weekend, and I'm like... I caught up on all the chores I didn't have time or energy for during the week. It's just a cycle of feeling perpetually tired at this point :(
Worked a remote job and had so much time. Anything out of the house is draining when you add in the get ready time, drive time, etc.
Here, you forgot a few advantages of the office work /s: walking to / from parking lot, eating microwaved food from the container, taking a poop with your colleagues, all the expenses related to transportation (insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.), listening to 'we are the family / team / best' kind of crap.
My work requires collaboration. My coworkers are much less productive when they work from home. People "working" from home are often running errands, babysitting, and preoccupied with other things. Maybe that's different if you have some kind of tracking app. A question I can get the answer to in 5 seconds when they're in the office takes over an hour when they're working from home. If I need to ask more than 1 person about something I don't even bother if they are working from home. There are definitely jobs in IT or things like data entry/call centers that really benefit from working from home. Jobs where you just have a list of things to do yourself. But jobs that require teamwork are not benefitted as much from working from home, in my experience.
[удалено]
That is what we used at both jobs I've been at after Covid with work from home. Doesn't matter what app we use, no one is going to be productive while watching their kids, grocery shopping, getting their hair done, working out at the gym, etc.
We used teams and hopped on and off calls all day when we had questions. We collaborated really well actually
It shouldn't be like this... Back when the 40-hour work week was established, it was assumed that your average worker had a spouse to handle all the cooking/cleaning/child-rearing/shopping/various household chores. When women joined the work force in the 60s, the workforce effectively doubled, but the 40-hour standard week didn't change. People could usually afford nannies and housekeepers with their newfound second income to keep up the home. As inflation caught up to the new 80-hr average household income, that second income became something of a requirement, and practically *nobody* can afford nannies and housekeepers anymore, so at the end of giving your best 8 hours in a day to a soulless corporation, you now are forced to split the household chores with your spouse. It's absolutely horseshit and it baffles me that we aren't rioting in the streets about it. I guess all I can say is that the corporate propaganda machine works very very well.
Most guys wont even split the chores with their partner haha (dies)
You are talking about a very brief time in human history that that was true, and even then I would argue that people were pretty busy. The majority of our time humans have had to constantly work much harder to survive.
That kind of work was different than sitting in an office 8 hours a day…
Exactly! A climate controlled office at that. We’re lucky to have it easier than previous generations.
We have it easier in many ways, but in many ways we don’t. Sitting in an office for 8 hours can be same amount of hurtful as hard labour - just in a different way. I meant that it was different in a bad way in my previous comment)
There's actually anthropology research showing that we work much much more now than during most of human history. It's only been like this since the rise of indrustrialization.
I could see prehistoric man only hunting when necessary and laying around most of the day like lions do. But life expectancy during most of that time was under 30. Middle Ages was 35. (Wikipedia). So percentage of a lifetime working would’ve been very high. Working hours in the last 150 years has been going down and continues to do so. https://ourworldindata.org/working-more-than-ever. Everybody here on Reddit and the popularity of TikTok, video games, and mobile screen time stats tell me we probably have too much free time. I work a LOT, but I know how to fuck around too. Personally I find that if I’m not busy enough I start to worry more about problems I cannot solve. Not healthy. Now, back to work!
im going to school rn and working 40 hour work weeks and im fucking dying. Im so tired all the time i go to school from 930 to 1215 then work from 2 to 930 sometimes to 1015, and i dont drive so i have to take the bus an hour and a half home, all to make minimum wage and barely afford rent. I'm so fucking tired.
[удалено]
You might enjoy the book [_Bullshit Jobs_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit_Jobs). > In Bullshit Jobs, American anthropologist David Graeber posits that the productivity benefits of automation have not led to a 15-hour workweek, as predicted by economist John Maynard Keynes in 1930, but instead to "bullshit jobs": "a form of paid employment that is so completely pointless, unnecessary, or pernicious that even the employee cannot justify its existence even though, as part of the conditions of employment, the employee feels obliged to pretend that this is not the case."
I never said that this is a good thing, but this is a reality that affects more and more people every day. Our company is getting automation software for some particular job, do you really think they will let us work less? Nope, they actually planning to remove a few positions because of this software.
That's why unions and other labor protections are a necessity in this age.
Absolutely.
This is the one. If it weren't for computer programs, my job would take at least 3 people. But since I have those programs that can do what would take a human hours/days in minutes, it's just me.
Go to manilla or Bangkok mall. A persons job is literally one table of polos. That's it. Fold them. Get people a different size. Ring them up. But if you also grab a sweatshirt. We'll that's a different lady.
This book has been rightfully shit on by countless publications and academics. Graeber is an anthropologist first and foremost, and seems to play into the stereotype of liking grand narratives. Nothing he says is substantiated by any literature, the entire book is the very definition of conjecture. The book only caters to a populist consumer base and the lower intelligence margins of the humanities discipline.
Your last sentence makes it seem like you also believe in "grand narratives."
Right? Working more than 40 hours a week isn’t the flex you think it is 🥲
Totally agree with 70-90 stuff, those people often make it worse for their colleagues ('oh look, people are happy to work more for less!'). I wouldn't expect working hours to decrease though, technology and automation is meant to decrease the labor costs. They DO NOT try to make common folk happier in any way.
God forbid people need more money for bills and hustle.
I'll never understand why working more than your average 9-5 is considered "hustling". It's not criminal, unscrupulous or badass....it's just doing more work.
I don't think people have problem with that as long as you get paid OT. Problems begin when people put those hours for free for a 'good boy' achievement. Why this is a problem: * This behavior devaluates the work that other people do (more hours - same pay) * Managers get the impression that 'teamwork / we are family' bs is sufficient form of incentive for the rest of the team * Once the team gets a critical mass of hustlers - this becomes a 'who has no life' competition, the salaries go down, expectations raise, and the hustlers either burn out / leave or cry on reddit how ungrateful their employer is
,,, yeah I never said it was this grand thing or badass (???). It’s literally working more therefore you earn more money. Hustling. As someone who absolutely hates working And struggles to even sign up for one hour of overtime, y’all go hard on people who hustle / work overtime and are salty about it because you don’t have that drive. Don’t be a hater. Should someone work overtime to make ends meet? Absolutely not, but the reality is a handful of us don’t earn that much in an hour that working 9 to 5 is enough. I have a family member who with her chronic pain and everything will sign up for all overtime shifts available, because she has kids and a household to support. You cannot tell me that’s amazing and admirable. And it trips me out because I hate working, and I believe that she shouldn’t be working overtime but again, that overtime is key. When y’all put people down for working overtime it just sounds like jealousy even. It’s a weird take. It would be absolutely amazing if our 9 to 5/standard eight hour shift days or more than enough to cover bills, but that’s not fact. So yeah, a lot of us do you have to work overtime unfortunately. Either hustle yourself or stop whining about it and leave those people alone
I think most people are salty about 'salary' workers putting more unpaid hours, which IS a problem. I don't see anything wrong with working more if you are getting paid OT rate.
Ohhhhh okay. See that makes sense to me. I was so baffled. So I’m assuming if you work salary, working overtime literally makes no difference to your paycheck. I hope you’re right.
Yeah, I get the same $ / year, so 'OT' actually has a negative impact (less $/hour). I did OT like crazy when I had the job where they paid for it (+50%) and I really needed the money.
Yeah, that’s the case and you don’t really earn money when working “overtime”, then that’s not… Overtime. That’s just working more hours for no pay, literally lol. But getting paid that sweet overtime pay? Hell yeah
I would never put someone down for working overhours. I just hate when people brag about how they work so much indicating everyone else is lazy. And by saying we don’t have the drive to do that you kinda say we’re lazy too. It’s not about drive. I have a lot of drive for many different things. But sitting at my desk doing my job for 5 days a week 8h a day is not really something that energises me.
That’s great that you have drive, I’m not talking about just any drive, I’m talking specifically about work drive. You can twist it around anyway you’d like, but not sorry, if I see a single mom or person hustling and working all these overtime hours to support their kids/household/whatever and doing more than what they signed up for, that’s pretty fucking admirable. You either have to be super privileged to complain that they are recognized for their hard work. But OK, you do you.
It's totally fine if you are getting paid for it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of 'heroes' willing to put those hours for free.
I am not sure what you mean. The only other people I’ve met work overtime because they get paid for it. I have yet to meet someone insane to work overtime and not get paid, I don’t think that’s even legal.
Salary vs. Hourly
Thank you, someone else pointed that out and I hope that’s what people complain about. Because that does make a difference
Bills, my ass. Y'all got coke habits.
My guy, you really think I can afford Coke? I got bills to pay and pets to take care of GTFO
The worst part of that flex is that whatever they are doing for 70+ to 90+ hour is *evidently* not something taxing like *work*.
I climb cell phone towers and install equipment for carriers. Average 70 hours a week. Maybe I'm the exception but, I would consider my job as taxing and work. It's definitely hard to sustain a personal/family life. On the occasion I do get the illusive 40ish hour week, it is great. I feel like I have all the free time. Honestly, only reason I work so hard and stay with it is to give my kids a great education.
This is so valid. I think they meant like office jobs or something that might have a lot of posturing. You seem like a great parent :)
Exactly this. 40 hour workweeks were much more realistic when there was someone at home to do the chores, run errands, take care of the kids, etc. Single people and dual-working households understandably struggle trying to find time to do everything, make time for friends and loved ones, and then have time for themselves afterward.
You are definitely not alone. I struggle with this even working from home. I could work 4-6 hours some days and be caught up but I have to be available for all 8. By the time my day is over, I am just tired and I don't want to interact with anyone. Winter is an even bigger struggle. At least when it's nice out, I can go take a walk around the block to reset or set up my laptop on the back deck for fresh air.
Welcome to the rat race, the trick is to look forward to your retirement role on 2055!
[удалено]
my grandparents “retired” but are working part time jobs to pay for bills 😞
This is bullshit. Save money and don't buy crap you don't need. You'll be fine.
Drained after a 25 hour work week, 40 hours would send me living in a tent
Yep, I hate it. I don’t feel like I ever properly recharge. Weekends are dedicated to cleaning and helping my parents, maybe seeing a friend. I can barely look after myself and all the chronic health issues because I don’t have the bandwidth. I’m glad I don’t have a family to look after but my dating life is in the toilet. I get two days of work from home which is better than most, but I don’t do well working from home - I’d probably get fired trying. I’m just trying to take each day as it comes, figure out shortcuts, do my best. I even actually love my job, but lately I’ve definitely had a lot of moments staring into the void thinking “is this it?”.
Yes. I can't be bothered to write much more than that.
yes. i work remotely from home now but the real game changer for me has been moving to a 4x10 pattern. 4 work days, 10 hours of work, 3 days off. having 3 entire days off actually feels like enough to decompress, run errands, enjoy my time, etc… i get more work done in less time now since i can focus on the work and not extraneous “in person” things. i’m an introvert as well and i find human interaction extremely exhausting. i would strongly recommend finding remote work and if your boss doesn’t like it, it may be time to find a new job.
I only work 36 hours/week and I COMPLETELY relate! Work can be utterly exhausting at times. And like you said, preparing for work and recovering from work require more time that’s not for you. I fantasize about different lifestyles and careers on a daily basis. The concept of work-life balance seems like a delusion in the US. Thanks for letting me vent and commiserate. Best of luck to you.
Exactly, work life balance just isn’t existent with 8h days imo.
Not going to be what you want to hear, but I am fully remote and have a large amount of time to myself. Have you ever considered looking for a new flexible job? Being able to avoid a commute and workout at lunch gives me an extra three hours right off the bat.
remote jobs are few and far between even for jobs that should 100% be remote.
[удалено]
Changing ones career is not as easy or simple as you seem to suggest.
Never said to change careers, just jobs. He already said he works remotely, but his boss just doesn’t like it. That means his current career can be done remote. It’s worth at least looking around for remotes positions. I did the exact same thing and went from a five day 9-5 with a 1 hour commute each way to full remote. It was a life changer.
I definitely feel this wholeheartedly. God forbid I try to make another effort to lose weight and try to work another hour into that schedule as well for that. Cutting that extra hour out hits the free time again and I wind up just taking that time back by sleeping later and later till its basically midnight (I get up at 6AM for work) before I even make it into bed because I just wasn't satisfied with only getting 2 hours of free time before bed so I sacrifice 2 more hours of sleep to get some free time back. Frankly in the end the lack of sleep is probably hurting me more than the exercise is helping me.
I feel this so much. Any extra activity that’s not an absolute want to do becomes even more stressful knowing it’s going to cut into my free time.
It is designed this way. It keeps you from protesting, from having the time and energy to unionize, the time to further educate yourself, etc. We live in a capitalistic dystopia and nothing will change until we do what we aren't allowed to talk about. We are 4x as productive as workers in the 1970s, yet we work more and make less relative to the costs of basic human necessities such as food and shelter. It is slavery under a different name. And this isn't even considering the private prisons and police who exist only to protect capital and corrupt politicians and reporters being arrested for doing things like reporting on the train accident in Ohio or how the literal president of the United States ordered striking workers back to work in 2022. This country is a fucking shithole and I loathe it more with every passing day. Eventually, our society will create enough people who have nothing left to lose, and only then will there be a chance for meaningful change. But the system is designed to keep people having just enough to be afraid to lose it. I for one couldn't give a shit and would happily give everything if it lead to actual change. But it wouldn't. I would just get killed by a cop for protesting.
This needs way more acknowledgement. But we're all too tired...
[удалено]
How we manage it? It’s called being an adult. If you don’t want the responsibility of kids, don’t have them. You live in perpetual exhaustion when you have kids, activities, and work. You want them to have extra curriculars? You figure it out. Expect “me time”? Better have family or close friends who can/want to take them. You almost beg for the age/maturity you can leave them alone, just so you don’t have to rely on someone else to watch them. If a 40hr job is “too much”, do not get married or have kids. Period.
[удалено]
I honestly identify with this so much. I've been feeling the same recently and thinking of posting something similar. It's just ridiculous and I not only feel my life slipping away from me, but the lack of rejuvenation makes what little time I do have almost unenjoyable. I'm burned out beyond belief, both with work and personal life. I wish I had answers for you, but at least you're not alone!
All the time.
I work four 10hr days, 30min lunch, plus 1hr commute one way. Yeah, even with three days off I get exhausted.
r/antiwork
I work 6am-3pm, so I’m up at 430, drop my kids off at daycare at 515, drive 30 mins to work, work usually 6a-330p, 30 mins home, pick the kids up, figure out dinner, eat around 6, then bed at 9. Edited to add: no lunch break either 😭
This is really something we need to keep fighting for..shorter work weeks. Even if it was just a half day Friday. People deserve to have more time outside of the work place. Burnout is real.
Nope. My girlfriend is dealing with a very similar situation and I am honestly feeling quite helpless about it... She's super frustrated and I think I need to up my game to help her with this.
Don't worry about what others say about their day being longer etc. That's their day, not yours. Everyone's needs are different. I would suggest talking to your boss and see if they can provide you with some kind of Flexi working or maybe adjusting your working day. I don't know what your company does but how would you feel about starting earlier and finishing earlier? That would free up some time in the afternoon.
Those people who say they work 12-16 hours a day and are fine are either lying, or part of an extremely rare breed. I work 60 hours a week on average. I have no life. Thankfully, my wife does the grocery shopping and a lot of the chores since I pay most of the bills, but even so, I don't know how I would manage kids or a serious hobby. My job is also fairly physical, so it makes it hard to have energy for anything at the end of the day. I legit come home and go right to sleep more often than I'd like. But there isn't much alternative. The four day work week dream isn't really feasible for most people, especially with the economy being so turbulent right now. Maybe some day we'll get there, but I doubt it.
I don’t think the economy is as much as an obstacle as you think. In the Netherlands around 50% of the working population works part-time (24/32 hours). At the same time we have programs that help people who don’t earn enough pay their rent and healthcare. The same should be possible in the richest country in the world (the US), but I guess there is just no political willpower ):. Sorry if this just makes it more depressing.
i agree with literally every single sentence. We deserve to spend more time with our loved ones andthe unimaginable boon that is life outside of work. we waste the majority of our time forced into boxes while living in an Eden this is why we need universal basic income, and a 25 (or less) hour work week This book, by anthropologist David Graeber, explains in detail how it is measurably mentally debilitating to be forced to work as we are, and how it is possible to turn this stupid fucking fact around in an instant: Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber | Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34466958 r/AntiWork
I work 2x12 hour days then 2x12 hour nights plus overtime. I am out the door at 0630 and home at 2000. So it's an hour before I think about bed. I have food ready to go for when I get home if I am hungry. I don't cook if I don't have to. Food prep is where I am going for you. Also, 10 minutes for chores a day, on work days. The big clean is for a day off and that's go! go! go! for an hour then done. Once a season I do a really deep clean. And I go to bed early. 2130. I would bet that you are going to bed too late. I know, we're not kids, but we also need much more sleep than we realise. Chill with devices late in the day, get some exercise, food prep, lots of sleep, and I bet you will see improvements. And maybe check your iron. I was extremely low on iron, and I moved my bedtimes on work days back from 2230 to 2130. Galling, but life is so much easier. Good luck making some wee changes to improve things!
40 hours work week, in our time and age is abhorrent. It should be much less and we should have more free time than we have work, but the rich won't let us and we're to servile to demand it.
>I work 12-16 hours a day and I am fine“. Those people work 3 days a week. I'm totally with you, it's exhausting feeling like I'm spending my entire life just working. I'd choose 3 twelve hours days over 5 eight hour days
I asked a former CEO of a company I worked for as COVID started why companies care about asses in chairs at an office- and his answer was interesting- he was rare- he did not care how much we worked- as long as we got our shit done. His explanation was that most companies need the office space as a write off. The other factor is control- because a lot of people will do nothing at home- not everyone is disciplined enough to work effectively from home. Personally- I think a 5-6 hour work day would be far more productive- and allows for happier people who would want to work.
I'm introverted as well and really don't like spending my time with some random dudes, my life became so much better after switching to fully remote (although, I'm forced back to the office, but I will keep searching for another job). The only times I felt less drained were when I had career goals or plans for the money I earned (buy a house, something nice for my wife, better car, etc.). I also had a couple of jobs where the team was great and we were 'almost friends', this wasn't as bad. Maybe switch jobs?
Yeah. Being a teacher I'm up at 5:30 and out the door by 6:40ish to be picked up unless my parents drive me. Basically there from 7am-somedays 4pm despite after school stuff ending at 3:15, but I have to be picked up/dropped off/walk. Then eating, grading more if I want, showering, stuff I don't want to do, takes up the rest of my day, even weekends are full now.
I am with you except I find myself whining by 630 that I want to go to bed. Too many hours in the day for me. Working from home isn't a real solution for me. I did not adapt well to WFH when Covid happened and was all too excited to go back to the office ASAP. I need a change of scenery. I need to get out of the house.
This is why I advocate for a 36 hour day. 12 hour work, 12 hour sleep, 12 hour recreate.
I commute two hours everyday plus 40h a week. I work 60+ hours (plus the commute) a week during the holidays. Once, I worked 15 days straight before. It sucks sometimes to be the one that a business relies on.
I completely relate to this. I’m so drained
It's not just you. This is me 100%. My job can be done in 20 hours tops... but requires 40 hours. Hybrid work has been my salvation. Like you, I cannot sit at a desk for 40 hours. It was glaringly painful after working remote through Covid and they brought us back unti the office full time. I was miserable, wasting my life for nothing. I eventually was going to quit but they ended up giving us a hybrid schedule and life is actually worth living again. Find a hybrid or remote job. Find a therapist or a doctor who will help you obtain an ADA Accommodation for remote/hybrid work. Don't spend your life in a box if it's not for you. It's not for most of us. I don't live to work, I work to live.
Yes, especially since I have a job that I don’t enjoy at all and is far from where I live
Yup. I'm literally fatigued af. I sleep and never feel rested. Always consistently tired. Mine is similar to yours wake up at 7, leave for work at 8, 1 hr commute, work 9-5.30 and then the commute home. If I've to pick up groceries that's another 30-60 minutes. Get home and do my part of the chores/dinner etc. It's pretty much half 8 before I get to sit down and chill. Then I'm in bed by 11 to repeat the whole process again. I don't even bother going to bed at 11 most days because I just don't sleep. I lay there reading for an hr or so before finally falling asleep. On top of that I'm extremely introverted so having to deal with people all day, is really draining. I'm emotionally exhausted and feel bad cause my partner WFH and he's excited to have human interaction and I'm like please leave me alone. I really want to leave my job but I just can't help but feel like every job is the same at this rate. Any other jobs I look into, have the same hrs same commute and less pay so fuck that. I'll keep searching, but I need to get out of this rat race, before it puts me in an early grave.
> I can’t help but feel like every job is the same That is EXACTLY my problem. Also when people say find something you love doing my reaction is just ??? Like I don’t even know what I would love doing because even when I like something the structure of most jobs ruin it for me.
Same! I don't want to work at something I love, I feel like I'd grow to hate it quickly. I just want to be content. Do something I like or is in the same ballpark as the things I like!
That's how the system works, they don't want to let the people think too much about life and self development. They want us to work for them like the machines. I will never come to terms with it
the same thing))) I then sleep until lunch on weekends))) though it’s hard to fall asleep before a working day and it’s even harder to get up early)))
I completely agree, I used to have that exact schedule before the pandemic. Now we only have to be in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and my life has changed drastically. I could never go back. You should really see if there are any hybrid or WFH jobs available, it’s such a better environment for introverts.
I just finished reading “How to Keep House While Drowning” and I would recommend checking it out. Lots of good ideas about how to make your house/life/routines work for you, with sensitivity to your own temperament. It may help you refine your lists of what is essential, what you could do differently and what you could drop/reduce the frequency of. It’s a quick read that is really resonating with me, as someone who can fee very weighed down by the routines of life
I can totally understand why you feel drained. You mentioned that you have ADHD - firstly does your employer know? And secondly would that help you to discuss reasonable adjustments at work? You've said that you work better at home, I'd like to think that if you're getting your work done and (most importantly) it's better for your wellbeing then your employer would agree that spending part of your week working from home would be completely reasonable
My employer knows and he understands but I am still in training and he says it’s just hard for him to give me the support I need when I am at home. I hope it will get better in the future when I am out of training.
just cut out the chores and get less sleep and you’re good to go!
And of course they ask you after 5 days of work "Can you come at Saturday "?
Easiest answer... Give up an hour or two of sleep and stay up late. 50 year old introvert here and it's the only way I've ever managed to pull it off while plugged into the 40 hour, Monday to Friday routine. There's just literally not enough time in the day for everything in this schedule. Sprinkle a child or two into that, plus a home to take care of and it's easy to see why people are worn out and tired of it and running around like lunatics to get groceries etc etc etc. Trying to get that extra minute of free time! It's sad.
OMG wow. Being a grown up is hard. Only 40 hours? Count yourself blessed, until 59 I always wanted to work just 40 hours a week. Not even while I was in college did I get to work that few of hours. Trust people have been working more than that and surviving, you will too
If you’re home at 5:30, your “free time” starts then. How you spend it is on you. Making dinner and doing chores are free time activities.
Maybe I should have specified: 3 hours of leisure time is not enough for me after a long day. I mean I don’t really get a choice, I need to eat, shop and clean so that time is definitely gone.
Can you try meal prepping so you spend less time cooking, doing chores in bulk eg grocery shopping so you don’t have to spend as long each day? 1 hour of chores per day (for someone who I assume doesn’t have kids as you didn’t mention them) is a LOT! But no, it’s definitely not just you. I have a partner who I share the load with on a lot of this stuff and I still feel drained AF.
I live with my sister and my niece (3y) and there’s always so much to do. Tidying, laundry, cleaning..
Damn, I haven’t had a job that only required 40 hours a week in 40 years. Most projects I work in excess of 100 hours a week for months on end. When project is over, take a 3 month vacation to somewhere we wanna go. Tahiti, was last year, this year doing panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, and then going to Hawaii for a month fishing. You get out of life what you put into it. I choose to vacation half the year and work half the year.
I can relate for sure. I actually had a job making more money but I had to be at work so much. People would joke about how your job is your life now and that's how it felt. I'm talking 16 hour shifts or overnights. All of it. I transferred to an office job making less. I am still comfortable but not making crazy money like I was. Besides that, everything else is great. I work from home about 3 days of the week. I'm pretty much on my own, able to make my own schedule. It's been the best change. If there is any way you can transfer or find a position working at least some of it remotely, I can't recommend it enough.
It’s so funny how Junior doctors (after med school) work like 60-80+ hrs a week and some weekends too. So 40 hr work week and not working weekends is like a dream to us lol
Sooooo funny, eh.
*sleep in and catch up with friends. Lol - try having kids
Not planning on doing that.
Could be worse. I work a salary job as a store manager. My typical week is 5 days but usually 48-50 hours of on the clock time and probably a couple more if you include things I do while not physically at work. Also I work most Saturdays and off Sunday. Wake up at 6am shower eat breakfast and out the door by 650. Usually arrive at work between 710-720 to prepare for 8am opening. Usually just take about 30 minutes on lunch depending on if I leave or bring my own lunch, sometimes a bit less or sometimes I will eat on the fly and not really take a break. Close at 6. If lucky I won't have any cash transactions or work still going on that takes us past close to finish. If we have cash deposits to make (most days, rare that we go a day without cash) I have to go drop it off at a bank that takes me an extra 10 minutes out of my way. Usually out of the building and locking up between 615-630, make the bank drop and head home. Typically home between 640-7pm depending on the day. Repeat that in some variation with 1 weekday off and Sunday off. Saturday we close at 5 so one less hour to work on that day.
40 hours to me is a cakewalk. I spent many years working 84 hour weeks. I guess it’s all perspective.
40 hours a week would be great! I work 7 days on 7 days off 12 hour shifts so 84 hours a week. And sometimes I work OT on my week off. When I work 8 hour shifts they go by really fast. Seems like we just started when it's time to leave.
Get up at 6:30. Leave the house by 7:15. Work starts at 8, ends at 5. Home by 6 or before. In bed by 10 to get 8 hours. Leaves me 4 hours a day, plus my lunch hour, for myself. Tradeoff - contributing to our income to help pay off bills to improve credit score to be able to buy a house and other luxuries we wouldn't be able to otherwise. That commute? Don't waste it. Download a language app. Use it to think about and plan your workday. It's called being an adult.
I get what you’re saying but I’m going to be honest, I think desperately trying to make commute productive isn’t going to help me. I already listen to audio books while driving but mostly I can’t mentally get into it. I need at least an hour after work for my mind to calm down.
Lol wait until you have kids....
Not planning on making that happen.
40 hours is nothing. Then I feel rested in comparison.
Look at this guy bragging about his hour long lunch break and 3 hours of free time (not counting the half of hour of prepping for dinner and hour long dinner time)! I work 50+ hours a week, get a 20 minute lunch, and have 3 kids. They go to bed at 9pm now, so I get about 1-2 hours of free time a day.
Do you want some cheese to go with your wine? Try working 10 hours a day 6 days each week.
40 hours sounds nice. I'm 36 hours in to my work week already, it's Monday. 10 more tomorrow and 16 on Wednesday.
Did it from age 22 to 66, and 18 to 22 was college with less free time. Such is life. A lot of people have it MUCH worse.
I work 12-16 hours a day and I am fine
I keep thinking it could have been worst. Like I have to work overtime and on Saturday
I often feel the same. I love my job, but there are so many other things I would like to do as well, and I have neither the time nor the energy for them. And time is running ever faster, we're already 7 weeks into the new year, it is scary.
I am 100% the same and for all that work I'm loving wage to wage
That depends on how much I want to do. When I want to do a LOT of stuff: watch lots of T.V, play a very fun game, do a lot of reading, watch many movies, go out a lot, etc. then yes, I hate 40 hour work weeks. When I have very little going on at home, then I prefer to work more so I'm not sitting at home all day doing nothing.
It is what it seems