How Many Hours Do You Work Each Week On Average? (1 Viewer)

[Otis]

I wonder if in the end it will be worth it.  Take Oat's for example (but he's not the only one), the way he lays it out, he sacrifices almost his entire life to working.  Same with a bunch of others who were 80hrs+.  I'm sure Oat's wife and kids are super happy he's doing it and they can buy whatever they want, plus this must give Oats immense pleasure as well, but do you guys who work so much actually enjoy life enough to make all the cash worth it?  And Oats how do you work that much on that little sleep while boozing a decent amount?  Just insanely good metabolism?

If I never had time each evening to either cook, watch some shows, read, watch a flick, workout, etc I think I'd go insane.

I lately get an hour or two on the couch with my wife many nights to veg out and drink a glass or 9 of wine. It’s good decompressing time.  And yes, I do enjoy the work, and I work a lot but it sure beats digging ditches  

But I’ve been burning the candle at both ends in the last couple years. Like I said, I see daylight coming. I’ve been working on a series of monster cases for a long time, but that will eventually end (it just HAS to). When it does, I’ll be wandering the hallways looking for things to do. The thought of that used to terrify me—I always worry the other shoe will drop and folks will question whether I’m pulling my weight—but now I would welcome a couple months of that. 

 

[The Duff Man]

Based on this thread I have to conclude that I am extremely fortunate. 

Work about 30 hours a week plus 1.5hrs a day total commute, 45min each way. 

 

[Zow]

80+. Attorney of course. Work for law firm with my own stuff on the side. 

In Vegas?

 

[SDJohnny]

In Vegas?

Yes.

 

[The_Great_Dane]

It seems like a lot of businesses not getting much value for what they pay.  No way hour 10 is even close in productivity as hour one.  If you a billing someone it seems unethical.

 

[Otis]

It seems like a lot of businesses not getting much value for what they pay.  No way hour 10 is even close in productivity as hour one.  If you a billing someone it seems unethical.

Should we work that tenth hour for free? 

Turn it around the other way and look at it — if there’s a massive time crunch deadline and a ton needs to get done very quickly, and it’s important that it’s done well, you need that 10th hour — and sometimes the 12th or 15th — every bit as much as the first.  And think about the stress/strain on the person working that 12th hour.  That 12th hour was a lot harder than the first.  I’d say that person earned their keep even more at that point...

 

[urbanhack]

Right now, zero.

Ditto!

my sabbatical is currently at 3 months and counting.  I'm hoping to nail down my next gig in the next 30 days and start working again after the new year.  

 

[the moops]

Put in a grueling 22 hours this week. Gonna follow that up with 6 hours next week. 

 

[St. Louis Bob]

I work constantly.  I'm not even all that important like so many of the people here that I admire so much.  It's the way I was raised.  My Dad, my hero, worked every day too.  The money is an afterthought.  I've been comfortable for decades now and the only reason I like it is to be able to give it away.  I thought after selling the business that it would be easier to walk away but it's almost like an addiction. The thing is I can't be like the rest and just ignore people when they need help.  All of my reps suck.  I don't ask for help much but when I do it will be a day, minimum, before they get back to me and a lot of time without even an adequate answer or solution to my question.  I can't be like that.  I'm better.  Of course now I hear it from my boys, particularity Cal. He likes to make fun of me "oh you're going to stop working to eat dinner with us".  I have a lot of clients coast to coast and it doesn't matter what day, time or what I'm doing, they contact me when they need help, and I'm there.

ETA

I had  surgery a couple of months ago to remove a bone spur on top of my right foot.  Still hurts like ####. I sent an e-mail to all of my clients letting them know I was having it done. Specifically wrote that I'm not looking for sympathy but I'm going to be out  of commission for a while.  Some wrote back TPW's and such but I was answering e-mails from the same people on the way home after the procedure.  "Bob, I know you just had surgery but..."  

 

[AAABatteries]

My current job does not require a work phone. After 8 years of having one, unplugging is pretty awesome. Its nice to take a day off and truly be unplugged.

Sucks to come back to 50 emails the next day but it beats the alternative. 

I wish I only got 50 emails a day.  I get about 200-300 a day.  probably 25% I can mostly ignore, 50% I need to read and react and 25% I need to read and reply.  I've come to hate email.

 

[thecatch]

Should we work that tenth hour for free? 

Turn it around the other way and look at it — if there’s a massive time crunch deadline and a ton needs to get done very quickly, and it’s important that it’s done well, you need that 10th hour — and sometimes the 12th or 15th — every bit as much as the first.  And think about the stress/strain on the person working that 12th hour.  That 12th hour was a lot harder than the first.  I’d say that person earned their keep even more at that point...

For sure. But he has a point - I’ve long had ethical questions about the NYC associates that brag about having billed multiple 2800-3000 hour years in a row. They are either padding their bills, or the quality of services those clients are getting in those last 500 hours or so can’t be very good. 

 

[Steve Tasker]

January - 40-45/week
February thru April - 55-75/week
May and June - 40-45/week
July and August - 35-40/week
Sept thru Oct 15 - 40-45/week
Oct 15 thru end of year - 35-40/week but with a bunch of vacation mixed in

Heavily seasonal job.

 

[In The Zone]

Well my minimum 60 hour work week turned into 84 and my next day off is Thanksgiving. So glad I don't have to cook this year and so glad I'm not going to Asheville as originally planned. 

 

[Otis]

I work constantly.  I'm not even all that important like so many of the people here that I admire so much.  It's the way I was raised.  My Dad, my hero, worked every day too.  The money is an afterthought.  I've been comfortable for decades now and the only reason I like it is to be able to give it away.  I thought after selling the business that it would be easier to walk away but it's almost like an addiction. The thing is I can't be like the rest and just ignore people when they need help.  All of my reps suck.  I don't ask for help much but when I do it will be a day, minimum, before they get back to me and a lot of time without even an adequate answer or solution to my question.  I can't be like that.  I'm better.  Of course now I hear it from my boys, particularity Cal. He likes to make fun of me "oh you're going to stop working to eat dinner with us".  I have a lot of clients coast to coast and it doesn't matter what day, time or what I'm doing, they contact me when they need help, and I'm there.

ETA

I had  surgery a couple of months ago to remove a bone spur on top of my right foot.  Still hurts like ####. I sent an e-mail to all of my clients letting them know I was having it done. Specifically wrote that I'm not looking for sympathy but I'm going to be out  of commission for a while.  Some wrote back TPW's and such but I was answering e-mails from the same people on the way home after the procedure.  "Bob, I know you just had surgery but..."  

Totally agree on the bolded. 

 

[El Floppo]

It seems like a lot of businesses not getting much value for what they pay.  No way hour 10 is even close in productivity as hour one.  If you a billing someone it seems unethical.

When I hit the point of diminishing returns I always stop. But I'm quite often doing better work in the 10th hour and beyond... both grunt and creative work.

 

[kface]

30-35

that's what they pay me for, that's what they get