Retired under 50 5 years ago and don't miss it one bit.
A friend said to me over thirty years ago...you can replace lost money but you can't replace lost time.
And therefore i took his advice.
Definitely a loser in the work life balance.
Self employed but working anything up to 16 hours a day. Before Christmas only had 2 days off in 3 months. Used to need the overtime but not now as it is a relatively good income. Looking to retire at 60 or sooner as only 50 at present but definitely trying to have more life this year than work.
My average working week is about 45 hours. I'm self-employed, and start early in the morning so I can finish at 4.30pm
I really enjoy work though, and as I'm one of those people who can't sit still for a minute I don't mind the hours.
If I hated my job, I couldn't do the hours I'm dong.
A week of doing nothing would send me daft. Over the Christmas break I painted a bedroom, for example.
I make sure to spend weekends with friends and I think I have the balance about right (for me)
Nope. 1.15pm on a Saturday and I'm heading in to the office. Same tomorrow.
Grrrrrrrr
I'd like to think I'm at least slightly winning:
Work at a University, 35 hours per week (flexible: start between 8 and 9 finish between 4 and 5 with an hour or so for lunch).
Just over 10 miles each way so 25 mins in the car or 30-35 mins by bicycle (depending on wind direction/speed)
Sports facilities onsite mean that lunchtime is often taken up by badminton or squash. We have cafes, shops and eateries onsite for when I don't fancy sandwiches.
Swimming pool is 10 mins drive or cycle away so I can be out, do 1000m and be back in a lunchtime.
Usually home before 5pm
Plus- I enjoy what I do and like who I work with (and for)
Oh yes - the pension is pretty good too :-)
Cheers,
Mark C
37 hours a week.
Mon to Thurs 8 to 4.45
Fri 8 to 12
Don't work weekends
Commute is 25 miles so 1 hour each way unless someone decides to crash on the m6.
Winning!
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Congratulations - Just as well you aren't working in an inner city secondary school or you might be singing from a different hymnsheet!Originally Posted by markc
Hours-wise - far too many at the moment.
Commute-wise; I recently moved to within a mile of the office, and having been doing a 70 mile round trip previously, I wouldn't swap it for the world.
Worth every penny in my opinion. The only 'downfall' is that I don't get my music intake any more, but waking up 10 minutes before you want to get to the office is invaluable.
I genuinely can't explain the difference it makes. I actually feel healthier; mentally and emotionally.
Seems daft but to those hitting 50+ miles a day, you will understand.
Greenman
Feel like i'm winning.
Alarm goes off at 8:30, in work for 9:30, that's after scrambled eggs on toast and a 10 minute commute.
Home by around 6pm latest. Work from home once a week.
Feels like a fairly stress free life with no commute to speak of, and plenty of time in the evenings for a social life, plus energy to enjoy it with due to not a particularly early start.
Winning!
37-hour week, flexi-time, with any additional hours accumulated as flexi-leave or ToiL (can carry up to 3-days on to next 4-week period. Holiday is 32 days A/L, given length-of-service over 20-years, plus 10 Public-holidays. Best part though is one of the remaining (and best) Defined Benefits pension schemes in the country. Recently changed from Final-salary to CARE, but still up there as one of the best - 100% guaranteed by Government in the event of catastrophic financial failure. Salary isn't all that competitive, unfortunately, but the rest of the package more than compensates, especially for the freedom & flexibility in working-pattern. Absolutely no commute (I live 10mins walk away) AND I get to wear my favourite watch - a full-size Ti Omega SMP 'electric blue' - to work every day, so not too shabby & life is pretty sweet really. ..😊👍
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I've made my own choices, so I can't complain too much. Normally I try to keep a 8-16 format for work as that's also the kids schedules at preschool/school. As I'm a part owner of the company, there is a lot to do and on many evenings I write emails and plan for coming days. I also travel quite a bit, I'm just now booking flight and it seems I will be traveling at least three long distance (taking more than week) trips this spring. Taipei, Tokyo, Shanghai, Chicago... This makes my total workload quite a bit higher as I just have to catch up when I'm back. Pay is fine, I don't think my family is missing anything and we can choose what we want (within limits) for holidays. Winner, looser... hard to say?-)
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