Work... Yeah work...

[Dutch Baka]

I was wondering what people here think about Work... work? Yeah work, a lot of people work in here I think, and a lot of the people who are still going to school, are having a part-time job.

First of all, what do you think that are Normal work hours? As in some jobs, people work just 3-5 hours a day, but on other jobs 12-16 hours a day * A friend of mine is a Chef in a restaurant, and he works 15 hours a day, 7 days a week*. I added a Poll in here, to see how many hours you people work

When to work? Do you want to work from 9-5, or are night shifts, and weekend shifts fine too?

Do you think of your work, in your free time? How much does work influence your life, and the people around you?

What is for you the most important thing of your job? Is it the Money, the people, the free time? Or the free stuff you can get or others...

Do you enjoy your work? and what would be your Dream job

Please tell me your story about work.

[Frank D. White]

I only work part time, about 24 hours a week and play house-husband the rest of the time. After 20 years of working 7 days a week and being on call nights, I enjoy not having all the stress. Most of my patients are lovable grandfather types who are a pleasure to be with. I get up Monday through Friday wondering what kind of fun the day will bring. Right now, an added benifit of work is all my patients have 1 or 2 cats to play with. The pay in this job is horrible(under $10 an hour), but the really nice people I get to help make it all worth while.

Frank

[misa.j]

I work part-time at a movie & game rental store, 35 hours a week and 7 hours a day. I get two weekdays off in a row, which is perfect for me because I get to do a lot of things that are hard to do on Saturdays and Sundays when some businesses are closed. Another nice thing about having weekdays off is that the places I go are not crowded.

I like my job because it's stress-free except when I deal with lame customers. My wage is so low that it's not even funny, but I can't complain. I get free movies and people I work with are really awsome. I think having good co-workers makes a big difference on how much you enjoy your job.

[MeAndroo]

I think having good co-workers makes a big difference on how much you enjoy your job.

I'll toast to that.

I've worked anywhere from 60 hours a week to 16 and I can definitely say if you like your co-workers, it goes by much faster.

I make it a point NOT to think about work during my off time...my work isn't important enough to let it dominate my life.

I get paid a fair amount, a little over 15USD an hour, which isn't bad for what's basically a clerical part time gig.

The most important thing for me right now is the money and the people I work with. I'm actually switching jobs in the near future, though, to explore avenues and determine what I actually WANT to do for a living.

[Takakoo]

I have school, and then I work 13 hours a week around that.

[Kinsao]

I work 37 hours a week over Monday to Friday. I work to get money, and I value my social life over my work, so I wouldn't look for a job which involved working evening/night shifts, or over weekends. If I did that, then I'd have to give up most of my hobbies! I don't (generally) think of work at all in my free time (only occasionally something random pops into my head - usually when I forgot to do something XD).

I like my job because: the pay is reasonable (not really high, but plenty enough for me), the people are nice, we're allowed to work flexitime, it's not too demanding on the overnighters, the appearence/dress code is really relaxed (we can more or less look like we want, unless there's Very Important Meeting coming up, which is unheard of for me anyway!), we get internet access all day, tea and coffee is free, and I'm not forced to work overtime. All good.

Also, because I work for an organisation that promotes lifelong learning, each member of staff gets allocated some money each year that they can use for a 'learning experience'. So my company is actually paying for my beginner Japanese classes!

I second what Misa J said - co-workers are definitely the most important thing about a job for me. I've done some full-time jobs that were technically speaking really crappy (packing, grafting plants, etc.) but which I actually enjoyed because the other people were nice. And my second 'proper' office job with all the perks and 'home comforts' was hell because my boss was a *****. But now, all is nice...

[Kara_Nari]

Ooh I like this one!
Except I want to talk about what I was doing before I came to do nothing... its much more interesting.
Ok, when I was studying Advanced Special Effects (stuff for movies) I would finish at 4.30pm, run up the hill to work in a restaurant from 5-midnight. Luckily because I had been working in a different area of the same company for 4 years I got paid more than all the other staff, and then usually made about $300-$400 tips a week, sometimes less depending on the week.
Then during the weekends I would either A: face paint for kids birthday parties, christmas parties, and other functions, or B: work for a tourism company, which was great, could practice my Korean and Japanese all day, and get cheap lunches, plus great discounts countrywide. The facepainting was from $35 an hour, whereas the other job was only about $13 an hour, but the perks kind of made up for the poor pay.
Also another tourism company I had worked for entitled me to even better experiences, we got free accomodation, free alcohol and got invited to industry only parties.
So while I was in New Zealand I was working 7 days a week and gazillions of hours, and going to school, as well as having a social life, but everything was broken up nicely, so it didnt feel mundane and painful. Also on top of this I still had my clients from my hairdressing days who refused to go anywhere else to get their hair done.

Which brings me to now, so BORING working 7 hours a week, but I received some great news today which might bring in a bit more cash... cross your fingers for me everyone!

[Tsuyoiko]

I work part-time at a movie & game rental store, 35 hours a week and 7 hours a day.

It's interesting that for you 35 hours is part time. I would class anything over 30 hours as full time.

I work 24 hours a week - 9:30-5:30 over 3 days. The other two weekdays I keep house and make jewellery, then weekends I mostly chill. My job is very, very boring. The pay is low (GBP7.50 an hour), but most days I only work an hour or two then surf the net the rest of the time. That is because I work in a drop-in learning centre, and if no-one drops in, or they don't need much help, I don't have anything to do. So I can't complain about stress, but boredom can be a problem at times. After 5:30 I don't think about work at all. The last job I had was full time, running a school library. The pay was even worse, and sometimes I had to work evenings. The stress was very high, and I couldn't switch off after work at all - but it was very rewarding at the same time. Even though I get nothing at all out of this job (except for a few quid), I am happier without the stress - and being part time means that I can make and sell jewellery, which is waht I really enjoy.

[misa.j]

It's interesting that for you 35 hours is part time. I would class anything over 30 hours as full time.

Yeah, isn't it? The company I work for had addressed that anyone who works more than 35 hours a week on a consistant basis are considered as full-time.
However, they have a very limited budget, and if a store revenue is not high enough, they wouldn't keep more than one full-time employee. Full-time imployees get salary instead of hourly wages; what keeps from and confuses me about becoming a full-time is that I would not get paid for overtime even if I worked more than 45 hours a week.
My boss is so cool and makes sure that I get enough hours every week, so I would just like to keep my status as it is.

[jovial_jon]

I work part-time 30 hours a week, spread over 3 nights (Tuesday-Thursday) from 9pm-7am. I work at the Office for National Statistics, which is rather posh-sounding, but basically I sit at a computer for 10 hours with my ipod on making birth/death/marriage certificates. It's a cool job; I enjoy it and it's well-payed.

[Mycernius]

I was thinking about doing a thread like this, but Dutch beat me. I'm a driver, my basic hours are 50 over 5 days.This can vary to over 50 to less than 50 depending on the run. I don't work Saturdays or Sundays anymore, and told my boss that when I started working for him. In the past I have done weekends, nights, shift work and have worked everyday of the year except New Years Day. In that job I told the boss that I would be too hung over to start work at 8:00am

[Dutch Baka]

Sorry Myc, for beating you, but you beat me in work hours haha... i was thinking about this thread already a long time, but just did it yesterday lol

I work part-time at a movie & game rental store, 35 hours a week and 7 hours a day.

AAh.. this used to be my favorite job, when i was younger, rent movies all the time, play games.. i still envy you haha... and you have a great view when you go to work.. i need to ride my bike on stupid parks, while you are having this great view..

how many movies does your store have

[Pachipro]

Like Mycernius and MikeCash I also drive big trucks for a living. I have a set run and I drive 9-4:30 am Monday-Friday nights with weekends off. Of course if there is an accident on the highway or I break down I may work more. But those are rare. Since it is all interstate driving, I usually drive 3 straight hours each way with just the cruise control on. With the satellite radio to keep me company with all the talk shows from radio and the news channels from TV, plus hours of commercial free music, I couldn't ask for more.

First of all, what do you think that are Normal work hours?

Normal work hours to me would be about 8 hrs/day and whatever shift suited you best.

When to work? Do you want to work from 9-5, or are night shifts, and weekend shifts fine too?

I've done both, but being a "night owl" by nature I just love working nights and prefer it over working during the day.

Do you think of your work, in your free time? How much does work influence your life, and the people around you?

The only time I think about work on my days off is when I look at the clock at night and say to myself, "Well, right now I would be passing this town, or this exit; right now I would be just leaving Memphis, etc. The only influence it has on my life is that I am happy doing what I am doing and that justs makes my life great.

What is for you the most important thing of your job? Is it the Money, the people, the free time? Or the free stuff you can get or others...

The most important thing is FREEDOM! I don't have anyone breathing down my neck or looking over my shoulder and I answer to no one. No meetings to attend. No budgets or goals to draw up. No one to hire or fire. No office politics. No stress at all except looking out for the other drivers and animals. Also, if we don't want to work because we are tired or the weather is bad we just call in two hours before departure and no one asks any questions.

Do you enjoy your work? and what would be your Dream job

I think my signature says it all. To me, what I do isn't work. It's a dream come true!

[Mike Cash]

My workday averages between 12 and 14 hours a day, 6 days a week. I average about 3 to 4 nights a month when there isn't time between one work day and another to even go home.

I often marvel at people who work 8 hours a day and wonder "Just what the hell can you get done in 8 hours?"

[Kinsao]

I often marvel at people who work 8 hours a day and wonder "Just what the hell can you get done in 8 hours?"

A substantial number of posts on the j-ref forum.

[Frank D. White]

My workday averages between 12 and 14 hours a day, 6 days a week. I average about 3 to 4 nights a month when there isn't time between one work day and another to even go home.

I guess working hard for long hours so often could (once in a while) make a guy a little grumpy?

Frank

[Sensuikan San]

My workday averages between 12 and 14 hours a day, 6 days a week. I average about 3 to 4 nights a month when there isn't time between one work day and another to even go home.

I often marvel at people who work 8 hours a day and wonder "Just what the hell can you get done in 8 hours?"

I used to feel that way once - have "bin there, done that".

My numbers were about the same as yours - except that many a time it was seven days a week, not six. (At the time, though, I was somewhat younger than yourself.) I can stll remember not knowing wether it was the Fourth of July, Christmas Day or Wednesday!

In truth, and most seriously, long term .... you're not doing yourself any favours! - it will catch up to you in the end, one way or another - especially if you have family. If you're chasing up a corporate ladder ... let's hope that there's no glass ceiling at the top. If you're just tryng to survive and make a decent, civilized life for yourself and your own ... like me (damned if I will ever beable to retire!) ... then ... you're still well young enough to consider alternatives.

If you enjoy it ... then ... hang on in there, dude!

But, take care ... it can be destructive ...!

Most Sincerely,

�W����

[Brooker]

I work three days a week and go to school every other day. I never have any days off.

[HomicidalMouse]

I dont have a job. But thats not just because my mum lives in spain an leaves me money while she expects me to find a job I just dont want a job. I had one and it drained the life outta me. It wasnt even a bad job. But fear not tax paying workers of the UK, im not getting any money from the government for doing nothing all day.

[Minty]

I think working from 9 to 5 on weekdays with one hour lunch break is the right amount of time I feel I would like to work with.

I don�ft think I can go to Asia to work. My sister who is more diligent than me went to Singapore for 3 months and came back complaining that the working hours there are just too long.

When you live in a comfortable country like Australia for such a long time it is very difficult to go to countries where working hours are so long, and the lifestyles are also very different in Asia. Working conditions in France is similar to Australia's, but I think they seem to have more public holidays.

[PRIZMATIC]

While I without work - would like the studio for work and teaching of students in future(probably).

[breez]

I work at a large drink factory doing a variety of stuff depending on what I'm assigned at the start of the shift. The jobs are simple tasks involving... you guessed it, bottles or cans. Eg. disposal of damaged, old or otherwise unfit stuff, inserting new bottles to bottle cases, pretty much anything...

It is my first job btw. Got it through a friend. A bit ironic since I always complained that as a young person it may be difficult to find a job without any skills (none are needed for this one!), previous experience or relations.

I was wondering what people here think about Work... work? Yeah work, a lot of people work in here I think, and a lot of the people who are still going to school, are having a part-time job.
First of all, what do you think that are Normal work hours? As in some jobs, people work just 3-5 hours a day, but on other jobs 12-16 hours a day

I'm working part-time from 0 to 40 hours a week mostly depending on how much I want to work. There may be some quieter weeks during the year when work is not possible though. All in all, I like the flexibility, but I wouldn't wish to depend on this kind of work and schedule (age 19, haven't moved out yet).

Normal work hours are 8 hours a day I guess (that's what most people, including myself, do).

When to work? Do you want to work from 9-5, or are night shifts, and weekend shifts fine too?

I'd much prefer working 8-16 or 9-17, but unfortunately the morning shift starts at 6 and that is a bit too early for me. Therefore I work the evening shift from 14 to 22. Doesn't leave much time to do anything else during the day (too lazy in the mornings and nights) though.

Do you think of your work, in your free time? How much does work influence your life, and the people around you?

Heh, no reason to think about this job in my free time! I sometimes chatter about it with friends who work there too.

What is for you the most important thing of your job? Is it the Money, the people, the free time? Or the free stuff you can get or others...

Money of course eventhough it isn't much (well, it is nice for a HS graduate ) Free stuff... Well I don't mind the free alcoholic beverages given out maybe a few times a year

Do you enjoy your work? and what would be your Dream job

Not particularily. The job is pretty dull.

Dream job? An engineering job designing stuff (electrical / communications engineering), good pay, good people. I don't really know what I want.