How much actual work do you do?

[cyclone101]

It would be amazing if we could compress our schedules into Monday and then have 6 days off. It's a shame to waste away in an office doing nothing work related as opposed to being at home or elsewhere doing productive, but non-work-related things.

Totally agree. Especially when it's sunny and 75 and you're gazing out the window thinking of all the great things you could be doing. It gets boring too.
Continuous, worthwhile, rewarding work makes a day go by really fast. It sucks when there's nothing to do. I can only empty my trashcan a couple times a week.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Let's see. I was in the office from 11:00pm - 1pm Saturday-Sunday babysitting a project because we can't depend on operations to be able to handle something out of the ordinary.

I'm salaried so I don't get paid any extra for those 14 hours so when I have days when I am less than productive I figure I'm due. Plus I am usually thinking about stuff. I'm working with Broadcom helping them Beta test and develop a brand new product. Some times you just have to sit and think.

It's also why I never feel guilty if I leave an hour early once in a great while.

 

[cowgirl836]

View attachment 65180

Here’s my answer.

Guess I shouldn't post mine.........

Couple people have posted my exact thoughts already. Stretches of super busy, stretches of little. In my previous role, there was more task-oriented work so I was busier. Now it's more strategy and thinking which honestly I think I do better with that when it's in the background as I try to pick the best pictures to print for my kid's birthday party.
Try to make use of work time to lessen all the **** that needs to be done at home. Like meal plan or list making. I think most of the modern world is past due for a 4 day work week or even less. Often if I had a list Monday morning of what was going to come up that week to do (minus meetings), I could be off the rest of the week.

 

[isufbcurt]

I had to quit my last job because the boredom was so bad. This was a 6 figure, company car, bonus program, engineering job. I literally had nothing to do for weeks on end. I went to my boss repeatedly for more to do but he had nothing. My job was never at risk, I was basically told to enjoy the freedom and ease of the job. I trained for my first half marathon at that job. I'd go for 10 mile runs, shower, and then eat on my lunch break. I frequently took 2 hour lunch breaks.

It finally got so bad I went into my boss's office and said "Look, I come in here, surf the internet for 8 hours a day and then go home. I need more to do." After a couple months of nothing, I finally left for the job I'm in now. Which is more interesting when I have things to do, but only slightly less boring.

sounds like you needed this




And even though I would be bored with what you described I'd milk it and find other stuff to do at work (maybe even have a side gig to work on while at work).

 

[throwittoblythe]

Totally agree. Especially when it's sunny and 75 and you're gazing out the window thinking of all the great things you could be doing. It gets boring too.
Continuous, worthwhile, rewarding work makes a day go by really fast. It sucks when there's nothing to do. I can only empty my trashcan a couple times a week.

I've had this philosophical thought about salaried positions for a while now...

If we're paid based upon a 40 hour week, but we don't get paid for working over 40 when it's required, why do we need to work a minimum of 40 hours? Why don't we work the hours that are needed each week and as long as it averages out to around 40, we're good? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

 

[throwittoblythe]

And even though I would be bored with what you described I'd milk it and find other stuff to do at work (maybe even have a side gig to work on while at work).

Yeah, this is effectively what I do. I dream up woodworking projects and do the design work from my office. The killer is when I have a day like today where I could get so much done in the shop at home, but I'm sitting in my office burning the hours. Those are the ones I'd like to have the flexibility to be at home and not feel guilty about building things in my shop.

 

[SpokaneCY]

A couple of weeks ago, I read an article on "imposter syndrome". It’s the feeling that you are undeserving of all your accomplishments; that somehow all your success is a fluke and soon you’ll be exposed.

Every win that I've had in my career, every pat on the back I've gotten, I know it is because of my skill and intellect. I don’t think I’m lazy. I don’t neglect my work, take unnecessarily long breaks, or give less than my best effort at my job. But when I sit there for hours on end trying to figure out what the hell I’m supposed to be doing when I’m just waiting for a client to call back or my boss to get back to me, the thoughts creep into my mind.

Do others have this much time? What are they doing right now? Should I be doing something else? Why don’t I have work to do? Is my boss not giving me more work because she doesn’t trust me?

I can recall nights where I've stayed late at the office, and I'm not against it at all if necessary.

I guess my question is: how much work do people actually get done in a given day or week? Are you also spending many of your days finding yourself with hours to kill, or are most of your days filled with actual work to be doing?

Let’s try to beat imposter syndrome by revealing just how much our jobs actually demand on a day to day basis. Or you can all reveal that yes, I am a lazy sack of **** and a time thief because I don’t have those full days.

I'm an imposter and have struggled with those feelings for a long time with my shrink.

I'm also a guy who's never experienced failure. I HAVE been presented numerous opportunities to self-reflect and consider new and different windows of opportunity but I honestly don't recognize "failure".

I also have a roller-coaster work style in that daily routine chores rarely get done and if they DO it's with zero passion or pride. I'm capable of hours of non-productive work followed by brief moments of creativity and production on whatever the task.



I'm a RAGING ADD and wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Mr Janny]

It depends on the day. Sometimes it's busy as hell. Sometimes it isn't. I feel like it all balances out. I've spent many long nights working to finish projects that had strict timelines, and so when it's slow, I don't sweat it. I know what I have to do and what is expected of me. If that takes me 60+ hours to do in a particular week, so be it. It might only take 35 the next week. I like the work I do and the people I work with, so it's not a big deal.

 

[isufbcurt]

I've had this philosophical thought about salaried positions for a while now...

If we're paid based upon a 40 hour week, but we don't get paid for working over 40 when it's required, why do we need to work a minimum of 40 hours? Why don't we work the hours that are needed each week and as long as it averages out to around 40, we're good? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

I've had that discussion with past employers many times. If I'm expected to work extra during tax season and not get paid extra then why during the non-busy time can't I leave early or not show up some days. Hypocritical. One of the main reasons why I decided to do my own thing.

 

[isufbcurt]

Yeah, this is effectively what I do. I dream up woodworking projects and do the design work from my office. The killer is when I have a day like today where I could get so much done in the shop at home, but I'm sitting in my office burning the hours. Those are the ones I'd like to have the flexibility to be at home and not feel guilty about building things in my shop.

There have been many days at a previous job where I was "working at home" but was really out working on the racecar.

Hell last Thursday and Friday I was supposed to be working on a tax return a client needed today, but I had racecar issues that needed immediate attention. I delivered his tax return last night at 10 PM so he got it before he needed it anyways.

 

[throwittoblythe]

There have been many days at a previous job where I was "working at home" but was really out working on the racecar.

Hell last Thursday and Friday I was supposed to be working on a tax return a client needed today, but I had racecar issues that needed immediate attention. I delivered his tax return last night at 10 PM so he got it before he needed it anyways.

Yeah, it's really a "me" thing. I could easily have gotten my work done by noon and been home working in my shop until dinner time. I can't get over the guilt, though. And I know what the answer will be if I ask my boss "hey can I work at home in my wood shop without using vacation if I have nothing to do in the office?" It will be "we need to find more things for you to do" but in reality I don't know that there is much more for me to do.

 

[oldman]

I've been a life-long procrastinator. Example, when I was at ISU and had homework due, I would actually clean my room before doing the project. So my job fits me perfectly. I'm a construction estimator. I always have bids due on a deadline. But I still take a lot of breaks. There are times when I need to come in on a weekend, and there are others when I might watch you-tube videos for half an hour.

Bottom line is I get my work done on time, and (most of) the jobs I land make the company money. And that's why they hired me.

 

[SCyclone]

Americans work longer and harder than any other country in the world. Most Europeans think we're crazy - we have less vacation time, more overtime, etc.

In my business, it's somewhat seasonal. During the winter there can be long stretches of not much to do. In those times I try to read and absorb what's new in the construction industry, and safety issues.

When spring comes, all hell breaks loose. There are days my desk looks like an explosion in a paper factory. I have post-it notes stuck everywhere, sometimes sequentially numbered so I can prioritize them. The phone rings incessantly (not always for me, thank heaven) and I get interrupted constantly by walk-in traffic.

So yeah, like many others here, it's sporadic. But when I look at my numbers at the end of the year, I know I've earned my pay. (That's one thing our retired president promised me when I started here: "You'll never outwork your pay at ******* ******". And he was right.

 

[NATEizKING]

Depends how much I drank the night before.

 

[Rabbuk]

I pretty much do just enough to not be the worst person at the office. Seems like doing well is just rewarded with more work.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

I'm retired now so I pretty much don't accomplish anything unless I feel like it.

However, in my working life, my job was agriculturally oriented and therefore highly seasonal. Worked my butt off at work AND taking work home at night during the peaks seasons (spring & fall), then caught up on ignored paperwork & filing and took time off during winter & summer.

 

[stateofmind]

I'm an imposter and have struggled with those feelings for a long time with my shrink.

I'm also a guy who's never experienced failure. I HAVE been presented numerous opportunities to self-reflect and consider new and different windows of opportunity but I honestly don't recognize "failure".

I also have a roller-coaster work style in that daily routine chores rarely get done and if they DO it's with zero passion or pride. I'm capable of hours of non-productive work followed by brief moments of creativity and production on whatever the task.



I'm a RAGING ADD and wouldn't change a thing.

Go on...

I think we are twins. I literally just left my doctor to up my Adderall. This really is a self-help thread for those of us salaried professionals that have ebbs and flows in our jobs. Thankfully my workload has been picking up, but I was so slow for months it's been hard to get it going again. Plus I work from home and my wife and son are home all day.

 

[Cloneon]

A couple of weeks ago, I read an article on "imposter syndrome". It’s the feeling that you are undeserving of all your accomplishments; that somehow all your success is a fluke and soon you’ll be exposed.

Every win that I've had in my career, every pat on the back I've gotten, I know it is because of my skill and intellect. I don’t think I’m lazy. I don’t neglect my work, take unnecessarily long breaks, or give less than my best effort at my job. But when I sit there for hours on end trying to figure out what the hell I’m supposed to be doing when I’m just waiting for a client to call back or my boss to get back to me, the thoughts creep into my mind.

Do others have this much time? What are they doing right now? Should I be doing something else? Why don’t I have work to do? Is my boss not giving me more work because she doesn’t trust me?

I can recall nights where I've stayed late at the office, and I'm not against it at all if necessary.

I guess my question is: how much work do people actually get done in a given day or week? Are you also spending many of your days finding yourself with hours to kill, or are most of your days filled with actual work to be doing?

Let’s try to beat imposter syndrome by revealing just how much our jobs actually demand on a day to day basis. Or you can all reveal that yes, I am a lazy sack of **** and a time thief because I don’t have those full days.

My father bread three things into me: initiative, ingenuity, and value. I, therefore, have the nature to fill my time productively and cost effectively. My only frustration with work is that by the very nature of what I do it's difficult at the end of the day to look back and see concrete accomplishment. That's where 'home' related chores fill the gap.

 

[SpokaneCY]

Go on...

I think we are twins. I literally just left my doctor to up my Adderall. This really is a self-help thread for those of us salaried professionals that have ebbs and flows in our jobs. Thankfully my workload has been picking up, but I was so slow for months it's been hard to get it going again. Plus I work from home and my wife and son are home all day.

I was in finance and accounting - CPA then internal finance, then internal audit - when I had my "breakdown". After reading some tax law or some FAS 10 times in a row and not being able to get through it, I broke down in tears wondering what was wrong with me. Couldn't make myself if my wife's life depended on it.

Saw a doc, had some chats, got some meds and CHANGED jobs to something more conducive to my brain wiring and I've never been happier. I caution everyone I work with that parts of my work style are out of my control but I will ALWAYS deliver - it just might be at the last minute and not until something moves me to act.

We're not lazy - we just really need something to get excited about before we can perform. But once that fuse is lit the magic happens!

ADDers uni.... Squirrel!

 

[Tailg8er]

Americans work longer and harder than any other country in the world. Most Europeans think we're crazy - we have less vacation time, more overtime, etc.

I've seen this, but then I listen to people in this thread & most people I know who talk about how little they actually work on a daily or weekly basis. I don't doubt Americans are AT work for the most hours, but not sure that translates to working harder.

At my current job I'm too busy to get everything done in 40 hours 3 out of 4 weeks every month, all year. About half of those nights/weekends I'll bring the laptop home & hop on for an hour or 2 more. I enjoy the work, am constantly being challenged with new responsibilities, and have been rewarded adequately so far. Overall office culture is fairly relaxed/lenient, so that helps.