Working a bit too much

[Gavster]

The main symptom I notice is the lack of ability to think clearly or find the words needed in a given situation. I just referred to a theoretical framework as a good device to 'classificate' our data. Oh dear.

ETA: just checked back - I actually used the word 'classicate'

[Beany]

Yup, I've had that sort of thing for about the last year.

Looking forward to being able to form proper sentences verbally soon.

[Gavster]

Hope it all goes well in the new gig, sounds like a great chance to get on the next rung.

Yesterday was the day of typos. I just received a reply to an email I sent yesterday where I wrote "They're budget is up to €..."

[McSwede]

Hope it all goes well in the new gig, sounds like a great chance to get on the next rung.

Yesterday was the day of typos. I just received a reply to an email I sent yesterday where I wrote "They're budget is up to €..."

I really hate that. I always take time to make sure my emails look and read well but occasionally something slips through and you feel like a proper pillock

[duncs500]

You know when you're that busy that you just hope the stuff you're prioritising is right/most important and the shit you're ignoring you're going to get away with, but it feels so out of control you how no real idea how it's going to work out? That's me.

Would love to be able to sit back and think about strategy, but it's just about putting out what appear to be the biggest fires and hoping that everyone else does their job without being pushed/reminded (never happened before, so unlikely).

Fun fun fun.

[Gavster]

Yeah I know that feeling, somehow it usually works out too, whilst being a strangely efficient way to work (even if it’s not very well planned). If you want something done quickly, ask a busy person…

[ZedLeg]

That feeling is my life

I’ve had trouble sticking to my usual hours recently. It’s too easy to just pick up my laptop when I’m busy and work is on my mind.

Took last week off and didn’t pick up my laptop at all though. It was great.

[duncs500]

I refuse to do extra hours, I usually work 0730 to 1730 (unless I'm on the road, in which case I need to leave earlier and will get home later), which is more than enough IMO. I'm tired enough after a full on day of that, and I think you work more efficiently if you get some rest. I used to work with some guys who stayed in until late in the evening (the used to talk about it like a badge of honour), and one day I had to stay as well to get something done, and they weren't really getting much done after everyone else had gone.

Working a regular shift doesn't stop work creeping into my head unfortunately, I can't help my brain drifting back to trying to solve problems at random times (often when I should be sleeping).

[DeskJockey]

You're contracted for 50h/week?

I tell my team to work their hours, no more and no less as a general rule. On occasion there's a need for a bit extra, but it isn't every day, week or month it happens.

If you're working extra every day then that's a failure of management. Any model that relies on goodwill to deliver BaU is putting the company at risk IMO.

[Gavster]

@duncs500 The macho culture around working hours is bs tbh. Even though this thread is about working too much, I also make sure I get lots of sleep and get 80% of my super productive work done between 7.30am and 12pm too. The afternoon is slower and whenever I try to get shit done after dinner between 6-9pm it has to be non-critical thinking such as admin, or sometimes less intensive creative work.

Also, my workload is in the context of building one business, co-supporting another, being a director of a non-profit, as well as building a monetisable social media following (hit my first million likes this weekend!). I'm working well over and above the basic need to provide an income from freelance/contract hours.

Those who I employ on projects are expected to deliver 7.5 hours billable time per day, and are never asked to do any more.

It was this podcast with Matthew Walker which really turned my thinking about the need for rest and sleep

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t ... 0533063379

[ZedLeg]

Yeah since I’ve been on flexible working, I tend to get a lot of work done early then break for a bit through the day and go back to work later.

Works ok except that I have a lot of meetings all over the world, so if I don’t pay attention to my scheduling I can end up working through the whole day.

[jamcg]

One of the joys of being a tradesman working for a company. I work 40 hours, with a bit of overtime would normally be around 44 hours tops.

However if you start doing extra jobs for people on top of that it can easily be 80 hours a week, but then it’s a conscious choice, and a one off rather than it becoming your life

[duncs500]

You're contracted for 50h/week?

I tell my team to work their hours, no more and no less as a general rule. On occasion there's a need for a bit extra, but it isn't every day, week or month it happens.

If you're working extra every day then that's a failure of management. Any model that relies on goodwill to deliver BaU is putting the company at risk IMO.

Those hours are my choice I guess, I don't think anyone would criticise me for doing less. And I think there's an understanding that if people need to take time out for an appointment or just finish early then it's fine.

It's just that working 9 to 5 wouldn't be enough to cover my workload, that's where the criticism comes in I suppose. My main point is that evenings, weekends and holidays I never touch my laptop or work phone, even if it would result in me being behind on something.

[duncs500]

I've actually made some good strides mentally lately, I started there just over a year ago, and it's been 100mph ever since, I think a few months ago I was really starting to feel the strain. Now I've just come to the realisation that I simply can't control everything, so I give it my all in terms of working hard and efficiently, being the best colleague and manager I can be, but if the results still aren't there, I'm not going to let it get to me. Sometimes it doesn't work, but most of the time I'm managing to think like that.

[DeskJockey]

That's good progress. But, think carefully about whether 10 hour days really are your choice or whether it is encouraged implicitly. Being able to switch off at the end of the day, in all senses of the term, is critical to a good balance I think.

[ZedLeg]

I learned that lesson the hard way, during the first wms installation project at one of our places I ended up working 80+ hours a week for six months. Totally unnecessary and due to bad management from above. I was completely burned out by the end of it.

Fortunately I’m in charge of my own project timescales now so that never happens anymore.

[V8Granite]

Surely a 10 hour day is the norm though for most people ?

I come from a factory background where your basic hours were 37 but you were expected to cover overtime and unfavourable hours.

Being hourly paid helps but in this industry (service engineer) you live for the overtime.

Younger days saw me average 106hrs a week for 3 months. Sod doing that now though.

Dave!

[ZedLeg]

I’m on a salary and have to apply for overtime payment, which has to be approved in advance of the hours being worked.

At this point I’d rather add time to a project quote than deliberately schedule myself for more than 40 hours a week.

Thankfully as a society we seem to be moving away from that idea that 37/40 hours is a minimum and if you’re not working long hours you aren’t putting the effort in.