Another great comment

Tired

One of my most popular posts is still the one about The Cult of Overwork and it just got another great comment from Dee:

I work in retail, and it’s true, some enjoy spending all their time at work, and that’s fine. If you want to spend 60 hours at work, that’s your prerogative. What I don’t like is the judgmental attitudes surrounding work hours– the unsaid expectation that if you don’t work 9-9, you’re a failure, or letting your team down.

No, working 12 hours, five days in a row makes me miserable AND a failure– a failure at my job. I work to live, I don’t live to work, as the old saying goes and, when I first started and was eager to fit in, I bent over backwards keeping a similar schedule. I felt ashamed that my ‘meager’ 12 hour day contribution wasn’t enough, and I felt in ‘awe’ of the woman that habitually came in at 6am and leaving at 9pm. Then one day, about a year into the job, I remember wondering why I had gotten the flu yet AGAIN, (the fourth time in two months!) when it hit me. I was working way too much and almost killing myself. Life is going to get me in the end. I don’t need my job to speed up that process.

Now I work less, work better, and win more accolades, get more sales, and get sick less, all because I don’t conform to the cult of overwork. I’m in the minority, but I’m happy. And that lady? Well, she still works her heart out, and complains the whole way.

That’s the way to do it, Dee! Read the rest of the comment here.

5 thoughts on “Another great comment”

  1. This is so true. When I interview for a new job, I always ask about culture and life/work (I sensibly frame the questions of course), but it is actually more important than money. When I start that job, I set the tone right up front – in on time, out on time (unless I truly ‘need’ to be at work late, at which I am happy to do so). Older colleagues balk – “Hey it’s after 5….why are YOU still here?” and other childish comments. While they are BSing and slacking off during the day I am cramming all my work into a nice 8 hour slot so I can go home, follow my passions and relax with my wife.

  2. I usually get noticed by my other co workers because they see me as somewhat relaxing. The truth I am. I’m a fast and efficient worker. I do my job really well. The thing is that other people sees it as not doing anything.

  3. I’ve always been a big fan of working smart…not working hard. If you are working 16 hour days but spending a quarter of that goofing off, then that is not the best use of your time. I try to keep myself down to no more than 12 hours on a given day (in service professions it is especially hard, but for me personally, it is a necessity so I am not a complete vegetable at the end of my work day), and make sure everything that needs to be completed is done — and done very well!

    We all have a life; it deserves to be lived (and not just exist)!

    Karen, The Resume Chick (on Google or Twitter if you have questions, comments or violent reactions)

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