Coping with Full Time Work: Advice from Experienced Workers

[BOAS]

Good evening everyone,

I came home from uni mid June and have been working in a full time summer job since then. I've had lots of jobs in the past, but this is my first full time job and although I'm grateful for the work (I live in the countryside so there's nothing to do anyway) I'm finding it very draining.

How do you guys cope with spending so much of your time at work? I only work 8 hours a day, but it's more like 12 hours between leaving the house and getting home, and it feels like I have no time at all to do the things that I enjoy.

I imagine this is one of the principle reasons people say you need to find a job you enjoy because you do spend so much of your time on it, but I'm interested to hear what those more experienced than myself have to say on the matter. How do you find time to fit in fun, work and sleep?!

My parent's find it quite comical when I come home exhausted, eat dinner and head up to bed at 8:30 but I find I really need the sleep.

 

[phinds]

I've always found my work to be very enjoyable and have never been able to hold myself down to an 8 hour day. In my younger days I probably did 60 or 70 hours a week, but in recent years I've made a conscious effort (not always successful) to keep it down under 50.

If I had a job that I didn't feel that good about, I'd quit. I have done so on one occasion.

 

[ChiralWaltz]

Is your total commute time really ~4 hours per day?

My schedule for 12-14 hour nights was to come home, workout, eat, watch some TV and go to sleep. I would get 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Working out really helps bring up energy levels.

It was typically weekends when I would get stuff done and hang out with friends.

 

[Astronuc]

Good evening everyone,

I came home from uni mid June and have been working in a full time summer job since then. I've had lots of jobs in the past, but this is my first full time job and although I'm grateful for the work (I live in the countryside so there's nothing to do anyway) I'm finding it very draining.

How do you guys cope with spending so much of your time at work? I only work 8 hours a day, but it's more like 12 hours between leaving the house and getting home, and it feels like I have no time at all to do the things that I enjoy.

I imagine this is one of the principle reasons people say you need to find a job you enjoy because you do spend so much of your time on it, but I'm interested to hear what those more experienced than myself have to say on the matter. How do you find time to fit in fun, work and sleep?!

My parent's find it quite comical when I come home exhausted, eat dinner and head up to bed at 8:30 but I find I really need the sleep.

It's called life. One's parents have probably been there and done that, so they are perhaps familiar with grind.

For working folks, they might find time in the evening, e.g., Friday evening, and the weekends, to relax or find other activities that might be enjoyable and relaxing.

I worked for nearly 8 years at an office that was nearly 50 miles from my home. On dry pavement, before 'rush' hour, it could take between 50 to 60 minutes of driving. In rain, it might take 1.5 hrs, and in snow, it could be 2 or more hours to get to the office or home. The longest trip was nearly 4 hours from 5 pm to 9 pm, because of a landslide and flooding.

I've know people with two or three jobs. A current friend works a 40 hour full time job, with a 45 - 60 minute commute, and a second job closer to home, between 12-20 hrs/wk. The weekends are for shopping, yard work, laundry, and all the other chores that people do if they don't have parents (or housekeepers) to do all that.

 

[BOAS]

I've always found my work to be very enjoyable and have never been able to hold myself down to an 8 hour day. In my younger days I probably did 60 or 70 hours a week, but in recent years I've made a conscious effort (not always successful) to keep it down under 50.

If I had a job that I didn't feel that good about, I'd quit. I have done so on one occasion.

That's awesome - I hope that when I get a job relating to my degree I enjoy it as much as you seem to yours.

I realize that at my position, it's not plausible to find a very interesting job, but I've just been feeling like all I do is work, and when work is putting RFID tags in books, it doesn't feel like I do much!

 

[BOAS]

Is your total commute time really ~4 hours per day?

My schedule for 12-14 hour nights was to come home, workout, eat, watch some TV and go to sleep. I would get 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Working out really helps bring up energy levels.

It was typically weekends when I would get stuff done and hang out with friends.

I leave the house with my stepdad when he goes to work, and he drops me off at the park and ride, where I catch a bus to where I work (+ a short walk). This takes ~90 mins. On the way home I do the reverse, but have to wait a little longer for my stepdad to finish work.

You are right about working out... I went to the gym whilst I was at uni, but can't really do that at home. I'll try and start running again - don't need a gym for that.

 

[BOAS]

It's called life. One's parents have probably been there and done that, so they are perhaps familiar with grind.

For working folks, they might find time in the evening, e.g., Friday evening, and the weekends, to relax or find other activities that might be enjoyable and relaxing.

I worked for nearly 8 years at an office that was nearly 50 miles from my home. On dry pavement, before 'rush' hour, it could take between 50 to 60 minutes of driving. In rain, it might take 1.5 hrs, and in snow, it could be 2 or more hours to get to the office or home. The longest trip was nearly 4 hours from 5 pm to 9 pm, because of a landslide and flooding.

I've know people with two or three jobs. A current friend works a 40 hour full time job, with a 45 - 60 minute commute, and a second job closer to home, between 12-20 hrs/wk. The weekends are for shopping, yard work, laundry, and all the other chores that people do if they don't have parents (or housekeepers) to do all that.

I know I don't have it hard, I hope I don't sound too ungrateful.

I suppose I need to find the energy to carve out a piece of time to do things that interest me. If your friend can work up to 60 hours a week, it's definitely possible!

I have been spending my weekends reviewing material from last year in preparation for September. My academic advisor at the beginning of the year said to aim for 8 hours of work, 8 hours of free time and 8 hours of sleep per day, but perhaps that just goes to show how disconnected from real life living on campus is :)

 

[ChiralWaltz]

I leave the house with my stepdad when he goes to work, and he drops me off at the park and ride, where I catch a bus to where I work (+ a short walk). This takes ~90 mins. On the way home I do the reverse, but have to wait a little longer for my stepdad to finish work.

You are right about working out... I went to the gym whilst I was at uni, but can't really do that at home. I'll try and start running again - don't need a gym for that.

Don't forget the push ups and sit ups! It doesn't matter how fast you can run if you can't pick up what you are chasing :)

Whenever I rode busses, I would usually read a book. Find something either relaxing or productive to do in that time. It my not be the personal time you are used to but it is better than nothing.

 

[WWGD]

This may not be a capital S solution, but making a concerted effort to do your job well, even when the job is relatively menial is likely to help you feel better (I'm not saying you don't , but paying special attention to details and trying to improve the way you do things). And, re jogging, maybe you can make more effective use of time by doing the running on campus, right after the end of your shift, and then you may not have to wait for your stepdad ; maybe he can accommodate you if your schedules don't fully match up. Good luck.

 

[Chronos]

I had a job once where I worked 12 hour shifts with a 2 hour commute [each way]. It's not fun, it's called life. No matter how bad it seems, it can always get worse.