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Whenever I hear stories about people regularly putting in 80+ hour weeks it just blows my mind. I could never do that, and the mere thought of it is almost enou

Whenever I hear stories about people regularly putting in 80+ hour weeks it just blows my mind. I could never do that, and the mere thought of it is almost enough to send me into a spiral of depression. For anyone who currently finds themselves in that situation: if you are in love with your work and happy with your lifestyle, then good for you. The world needs smart, dedicated people. But if you're feeling burnt out or otherwise unhappy with the hours: know that there tons of interesting and well paying jobs out there that don't demand such crazy hours. - SF Bay Area Software Engineer working 40 hrs a week... often less.

lobotryas 10y ago
Not all people work long hours because that's the role they ended up with or they feel they "have to". I work more than 40 hours a week as an escape from other tasks and problems in life (similar to how people use alcohol, food or gaming for that purpose).
- Sharlin 10y ago
  That's not... extremely healthy either.
- cgriswald 10y ago
  My ex-wife worked long hours because she always wanted the acceptance of everyone. It cost her a marriage, a job, and ultimately, I think it will cost her the respect of our child. Anyone who is motivated to work long hours for the wrong reasons is doomed to pay a heavy cost.
  - chronic81 10y ago
    She sounds like my kind of woman. Where can I find her? I have a disdain for average 40 hour/week workers. (to 9-5 workers about to comment: there are plenty of people on earth, I can easily skip you and move onto the next one)
- freetime2 10y ago
  Honestly in comparison to other options - working too hard is probably a much better form escapism than most. Earning money, producing things that other people need, developing relationships with coworkers are all positive things. And to be fair - there are plenty of people who attack their leisure pursuits with the same level of unhealthy obsession that workaholics bring to their job. Ultra-marathon runners for example. (Apologies to any actual ultra-marathon runners who might read this... I don't actually presume to know whether your level of commitment to your hobby is healthy or not, and would be interested to hear any opinions on matter).
  - cgriswald 10y ago
    Mathew Inman (the Oatmeal guy) wrote a book about his experience with running and why he runs [0], the crux of which is to escape. Like many things, it is clearly a coping mechanism. Not all coping mechanisms are created equal. What works for some may not work for others. But I'd encourage anyone to seek real help to solve the problems even if their coping mechanisms are beneficial in some way - they might not be beneficial overall. [0] - https://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Wonderful-Reasons-Distances-Oatmeal/dp/1449459951/ https://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Wonderful-Reasons-Distances-...
    - dmos62 10y ago
      When I was a kid, going home from school, when passing through a calm couple of blocks, I'd let off into a full out sprint, and I'd smile from ear to ear, because it felt great. I still smile when I think about. By the way, Forrest Gump anyone? Anyway, the word coping is the innocent version of escapism. Similar actions are denial and projection. The point is to find a comfortable posture for refusal of reality. The opposite is acceptance of course. Generally, when we talk about escapism, we mean compulsive escapism. Substance abuse is the worst, because, coupled with compulsiveness, it slowly erodes your ability to function and recover. More constructive escapism, like physical exercise, is probably best, because it has the opposite effect over time. Workaholics are somewhere in between, they get their superegos stroked, because of achievements, but they usually develop poor family environments, so, even though, they survive ok, they have poor life quality in general. Not that the compulsive joggers have great life quality, just that they are probably more emotionally stable. Glandular balance is main reason for that. As I mentioned, the answer, universally, is acceptance, but how to get that is a journey in of itself.
asimuvPR 10y ago
Where are these tons of jobs? People often mention them but they never point to any real examples. Just curious...

lobotryas 10y ago

Not all people work long hours because that's the role they ended up with or they feel they "have to". I work more than 40 hours a week as an escape from other tasks and problems in life (similar to how people use alcohol, food or gaming for that purpose).

Sharlin 10y ago
That's not... extremely healthy either.
cgriswald 10y ago
My ex-wife worked long hours because she always wanted the acceptance of everyone. It cost her a marriage, a job, and ultimately, I think it will cost her the respect of our child. Anyone who is motivated to work long hours for the wrong reasons is doomed to pay a heavy cost.
- chronic81 10y ago
  She sounds like my kind of woman. Where can I find her? I have a disdain for average 40 hour/week workers. (to 9-5 workers about to comment: there are plenty of people on earth, I can easily skip you and move onto the next one)
freetime2 10y ago
Honestly in comparison to other options - working too hard is probably a much better form escapism than most. Earning money, producing things that other people need, developing relationships with coworkers are all positive things. And to be fair - there are plenty of people who attack their leisure pursuits with the same level of unhealthy obsession that workaholics bring to their job. Ultra-marathon runners for example. (Apologies to any actual ultra-marathon runners who might read this... I don't actually presume to know whether your level of commitment to your hobby is healthy or not, and would be interested to hear any opinions on matter).
- cgriswald 10y ago
  Mathew Inman (the Oatmeal guy) wrote a book about his experience with running and why he runs [0], the crux of which is to escape. Like many things, it is clearly a coping mechanism. Not all coping mechanisms are created equal. What works for some may not work for others. But I'd encourage anyone to seek real help to solve the problems even if their coping mechanisms are beneficial in some way - they might not be beneficial overall. [0] - https://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Wonderful-Reasons-Distances-Oatmeal/dp/1449459951/ https://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Wonderful-Reasons-Distances-...
  - dmos62 10y ago
    When I was a kid, going home from school, when passing through a calm couple of blocks, I'd let off into a full out sprint, and I'd smile from ear to ear, because it felt great. I still smile when I think about. By the way, Forrest Gump anyone? Anyway, the word coping is the innocent version of escapism. Similar actions are denial and projection. The point is to find a comfortable posture for refusal of reality. The opposite is acceptance of course. Generally, when we talk about escapism, we mean compulsive escapism. Substance abuse is the worst, because, coupled with compulsiveness, it slowly erodes your ability to function and recover. More constructive escapism, like physical exercise, is probably best, because it has the opposite effect over time. Workaholics are somewhere in between, they get their superegos stroked, because of achievements, but they usually develop poor family environments, so, even though, they survive ok, they have poor life quality in general. Not that the compulsive joggers have great life quality, just that they are probably more emotionally stable. Glandular balance is main reason for that. As I mentioned, the answer, universally, is acceptance, but how to get that is a journey in of itself.

asimuvPR 10y ago

Where are these tons of jobs? People often mention them but they never point to any real examples. Just curious...