Els Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Frankly, the last time I worked 8.30-5.30, I had no time for ANYthing. I woke up at 6.30, took an hour to fix breakfast, eat, and get ready, took an hour to get to work. After work, I reached home at 6.30, took an hour to get dinner, at 7.30 I bathed, took care of various errands such as throwing my trash, getting my stuff ready for the next day... voila 8.30. I only had TWO hours a day to myself, in which I was too tired to do anything interesting and basically only surfed the net or talked to my boyfriend, before I had to crash. Yet this is what most people DO. Isn't it a horrible life to live??? Two hours a weekday to yourself, the rest of the time to work and requisite routine. And even then I'm too tired to take the initiative to do anything fun or try anything new or learn anything. How is it that everyone's so content with it, and why can't I be? Link to post Share on other sites
Sazerac Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Throw a spouse and a kid or two into the mix and you've effectively cut yourself down to less than 5 hours private time per week--if you're lucky. I honestly believe this is why so many people are discontent nowadays. They're going stir crazy. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 Kid - hell no. I'm currently of the opinion that if a spouse of mine ever wants to have a kid with me, he'd better be prepared to either stay home to take care of it, or support us singlehandedly while I stay home to take care of it. What's the point of having a kid when you're gonna go bonkers juggling it and work, and someone else ends up taking care of it most of the time anyway? Link to post Share on other sites
Crusoe Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Work is not man's punishment. It is his reward and his strength, his glory and his pleasure. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 .... That's helpful. Not. Link to post Share on other sites
Crusoe Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Does it not explain why so many are content with it? Link to post Share on other sites
RobM Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 First of all it only takes me 15 minutes to get up, shower, grab a quick breakfast and get on the road, and when I get home dinner usually takes no more than 15 minutes to make which leaves me the rest of the night to play. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 Hm, I suppose that could be it. I could be spending more time than necessary on certain things, although I really like to be able to sit down for a good breakfast instead of grabbing a granola bar on the run. So that takes half an hour to make and eat, and 15 minutes to clean up, brush my teeth, and do my toiletries, and 10 to dress and do my hair, 5 to get my stuff and get down to the carpark (live in an apartment). I'd swear that the majority of women take far longer than 10 minutes to dress and do their hair, though. Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 How is it that everyone's so content with it, and why can't I be? i don't think its fair to say that everyone is content with it but i see what you're saying.. what is it that other people that are content with this are getting that im not? right? well, first off, it can take years and years to find a career that you enjoy.. and its well worth the time.. it makes all the difference in the world! when you're at a job that you enjoy, you're still you.. you're life is not on hold! I woke up at 6.30, took an hour to fix breakfast, eat, and get ready, took an hour to get to work. After work, I reached home at 6.30, took an hour to get dinner, at 7.30 I bathed, took care of various errands such as throwing my trash, getting my stuff ready for the next day... voila 8.30. I only had TWO hours a day to myself, in which I was too tired to do anything interesting and basically only surfed the net or talked to my boyfriend, before I had to crash. bathing, eating, breathing, etc... is all time to yourself! i think that both enjoying and being grateful for those activities is something you should work on. if its just impossible because in your mind youre already at work.. then again, new job, better job.. yeah, its hard.. but worth it! Yet this is what most people DO. Isn't it a horrible life to live??? Two hours a weekday to yourself, the rest of the time to work and requisite routine. And even then I'm too tired to take the initiative to do anything fun or try anything new or learn anything. it can be.. but it all depends on your perspective. hear me out.. are you doing this on your way to something better, or are you stuck like this. unable to effect change, using your free will to convince yourself that nothing can be done? also, you left out weekends! a job you believe in, wild weekends, and peaceful recuperation after work enjoying the little things makes for a pretty good life.. but you know, lots of people are out there that would agree with you.. if that's what you want. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 Weekends didn't matter to me because on weekends I have to go visit my parents and join them for church and stuff - sorta worth it when I see how happy it makes them after all they've given to me... but yeah, there goes all the self-time. I hear you about the 'job you enjoy' though. What I'm really wondering is if it truly is possible for me to enjoy doing ANYthing 9 straight hours a day. My passion is gaming and if I had to go to a designated place at a designated time to do that 9 hours a day, 5 days a week without fail, I think I'd grow to hate it within a few months. Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Kid - hell no. I'm currently of the opinion that if a spouse of mine ever wants to have a kid with me, he'd better be prepared to either stay home to take care of it, or support us singlehandedly while I stay home to take care of it. What's the point of having a kid when you're gonna go bonkers juggling it and work, and someone else ends up taking care of it most of the time anyway? with that attitude.. thanks for not having kids! just kidding! i disagree with you! stop being so defeated Elswyth, or you'll just get really reallly reeeaalllly good at being defeated! Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 I hear you about the 'job you enjoy' though. What I'm really wondering is if it truly is possible for me to enjoy doing ANYthing 9 straight hours a day. My passion is gaming and if I had to go to a designated place at a designated time to do that 9 hours a day, 5 days a week without fail, I think I'd grow to hate it within a few months. nah, you'de get into it! also, not ALL jobs are 9 hours a day. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 with that attitude.. thanks for not having kids! just kidding! i disagree with you! stop being so defeated Elswyth, or you'll just get really reallly reeeaalllly good at being defeated! Eh, I must disagree with you there. I prefer to call it making smart choices. I've seen enough of my relatives with kids, especially the women, to be pretty sure I don't want to live their life. Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 My passion is gaming.. what do you care about besides that? whose you're imaginary hero? can you take steps to be that person? Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 Probably Einstein. But first I'd have to drop out of high school and I'm already past that phase. Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Eh, I must disagree with you there. I prefer to call it making smart choices. I've seen enough of my relatives with kids, especially the women, to be pretty sure I don't want to live their life. clearly, you're not your relatives.. Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Probably Einstein. But first I'd have to drop out of high school and I'm already past that phase. ever thought about working in an animal hospital??? Link to post Share on other sites
Author Els Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 Naw. If I ever change my major, it's gonna be one that allows me flexible hours, and preferably most of it at home. I'm REALLY curious about what an animal hospital has to do with Einstein though. Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 I'm REALLY curious about what an animal hospital has to do with Einstein though. if you're intelligent and you don't get satisfaction from traditional work than something challenging on a more immediate level might be more for you. i guess i assumed that you didn't care about your job because you didn't think it was important. i ALSO assumed that you didn't think it was important because you considered time spent to and from and during work as a waste. which would make sense, if you were intelligent but had you're priorities in a different place. and i assumed you care about animals because you're passion is gaming. does that make more or less sense now? :laugh: Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 okay, guessing at what will make you happy aside.. that's what you need to do.. figure out what would make you feel at peace, what do you think is important? that's a good job! Link to post Share on other sites
Enema Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 I think you need to just work on your schedule. This is what I do: 5:50am - Wakeup, get dressed 6:00am - Leave for work 6:30am - Arrive at work, have a bowl of cereal at my desk 3:40pm - Leave work 4:10pm - Get home, free time 6:10pm - Spend 5-10 minutes making dinner, eat it. 6:30pm - Free time 9:30pm - Bed. That's 5 hours a day right there. Get more on Fridays and of course, all weekend. Kids are a mistake, but everyone knows that. I assume as I get older I'll work less days and bam, freetime goes through the roof. Also helps that I'm indespensible at work, so I can take an hour during the day to go out for a run, exercise mid-morning is such an awesome energy/mood boost. Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyDude Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 I wake up at 7am and leave work no later than 7pm and my free time is from 8pm to 2am and the weekends are all mine Link to post Share on other sites
dazzle22 Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 I personally agree with you that working 5 days/wk is for the birds and feels like a treadmill. I work 4 tens, and that kills me too. There are types of people - high energy and low energy, and then morning larks and night owls. I am a low energy night owl trapped in a work world of high energy morning larks, and have always hated that. I'm not as cheery about work as some of the other posters. I do satisfying work but it is draining, and frankly I'd rather be sitting by the pool, reading, surfing the net, posting here, lunching with friends, sleeping, drinking... And no I'd never get bored of that. But I don't have enough to retire yet... Europeans have a much better balance of work and leisure. Our country was settled by so many type A Calvinists, the ridiculous work load we are expected to do is dyed into the fabric of our country. Gee, that was exhausting writing all that. Haha:laugh: Link to post Share on other sites
spookie Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 i was prepared to HATE the working world, but after two years I still think it's a blast. My job presents a good balance of mental challenges, social challenges, busy-work, and time to goof off with my friends. I genuinely like almost everyone that I work with, and I don't think I laugh as hard anywhere else as I do at work. Find a job that you like, so work-time IS your time! And as someone else said, start liking the chore-time and getting-ready time, too. Personally, I've learned to enjoy my 1.5 hour commute each way. It's my time to decompress, singing at the top of my lungs as im sitting in traffic. Link to post Share on other sites
Peaceful Guy Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 ..singing at the top of my lungs as im sitting in traffic. that was YOU! Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts