It has struck me this morning, while sat at my desk completely lacking inspiration that I am either in the wrong career or that "normal office hours" completely suck. I work in local government (I do actually love my job) but the whole 9-5 culture is doing my head in. Do you think it's possible that some people (ie me) just don't function well during the day- I find I can work far better later in the day and my brain works far better in the evening. I mean obviously working in the evening would mess with my training plans, but I could work round that. I used to work in catering, I hated the hours but mainly because i hated the work. I can work more flexibly but there's kind of a "get in as early as possible and finish early" culture in the council, and even if I make it in for 8.30 my mind just won't get going until around lunchtime. Does anyone esle find they just don't "fit" into normal working life?
I like my job too (well, apart from the odd bit of BS caused by someone else messing their job up and leaving me to pick up the pieces). I find that once I'm at work I'm ok, it's just getting out of bed at such an ungodly hour that I dislike.
My brain just doesn't kick in, even after porridge and drinking loads of water. I prefer sitting working at my desk in the dark with my lamp on, my brain seems to work better then.
I'm off to work in the next half hour. 9-5 was a long term idea so that future governments will have the ability to charge for congestion.
Yeah, I think there should be some legislation to make the whole work hours thing more flexible for the individual, then again, if your business is to work with countries in other time zones, then there is not much to be done. Sucks for me France has a nice work hours thing going, max 35 hours per week, which basically means if you work 8 hours 45 mins a day for 4 days, you can have a 3 day weekend. Got a few friends doing this and I'm damn jealous. 4 days on and 3 days off is a great idea!
I do a 36 1/4 hour week so meant to work 7.15 hours a day,which really isn't bad at all. With flexi time though you are limited to 1 flexi day a month, if you want to you can apply for V time which I think means you can do your hours in less days. I was seriously considering doing this so I could do freelance work but in my contract I'm not allowed to take extra work. It would end up as an extra training day though In theory I can come in between 8am and 7pm but I can't really stay late as training starts at 7pm and it takes 45 mins to get home.
I have had to all but give up caffeine as it was making my migraines worse, not had one since I cut right down. Plus I find it makes me unable to think clearly, oddly.
Lol Luckily I work in an interesting part of local government and don't really count myself as "one of them" ! Oooooh just seen you can apply for "flexibe working". Do we think that "Wanting an extra day off a week to go fighting" is good enough reason?
After years of sitting behind the confines of a desk after retiring from the military, I decided to get out from behind that cage and freelance a little.. I worked security which pretty much meant that I was on a rotating shift until I got picked up in the field I work now.. Still rotating shifts, but not confined behind the desk and outside enjoying the retired life yet keeping my fingers in the security field.. I am pretty much my own boss when I am on duty, but others come to me for guidance and leadership, but it isn't done in a 4 walled cell known as an office.. This job allows me to get out and enjoy the weather of the south pacific island where I currently reside, go on vacation when I need a break and travel abroad for training.. It is a heck of a lot better than going and stamping a time clock..
I prefer to work 8-4, although usually more like 7:30 - after 4. I get more done in the morning without constant interruption, and in my role I pickup on any issues and resolve before they hit everyone who comes in after 9. Part of the 8-4 thing was so I could be back in time for training/teaching, but now it is so I can be home in time to see my daughter before she goes to sleep! Bonuses of it is I miss most of the traffic (now that I drive mostly), and also I function fairly well in the morning once I have had breakfast! (usually I wake up very hungry)
Thank the industrial revolution. Before that we'd work when the sun was up, then go home, eat and then sleep. Then factories came about and we carried on doing the same, then Henry Ford came along with the automated assembly line and clocks became important. Ironically, without Fordism etc we wouldn't have the concept of leisure time (work and leisure wouldn't be differentiated. Like I said, we'd just go to work and go to sleep after), so we wouldn't be moaning about the 9-5! Which, incidentally, is why I'm still an academic!
Lol My aim is to somehow get back into academia. I came out of it after my Masters and wishing I hadn't as I am now struggling to get into lecturing and can't afford to do a Phd (even with a bursary ,unless I made my job part time). I'm not necessarily moaning about the 9-5, I just don't think it suits everybody,nor am I ungrateful for having a job, I know how lucky I am. I actually dread to think of the hours I would work doing freelance though!
Definitely. 9-5 would kill my soul, I'm sure. And I guess that's the risk you take with freelance. You have to have mountains of self motivation to make it work, and you'll sometimes end up workig umpteen hour days. Although some other days you can have off for 'religious holidays'
After I retired from my previous job of 21 yrs, I also went back into academia and pursued a degree in marketing with a minor in business.. It turned out that this was not my forte as I had gained more experience doing it on a daily basis than sitting in a class room environment arguing with the professor about the difference between theory and practicality in the business world.. My past occupation was in the contracting field and although I made good money, but as I said, got tired of working in a padded cell also known as an office.. I went freelance consultant for a couple of companies when they moved from off shore to the island where I live now.. Good Money was made, but after doing it for more than half my working life, the thrill of a challenge was gone.. That is why I walked away totally from the former employment field, it wasn't the need for money or challenges needing to be conquered.. It was for my own sanity and people who thought they knew more than I did with a 4 yr degree versus a 30 yr working experience on a daily basis.. I refocused my career on the security and security training field, that is what I am doing now and I have less headaches while enjoying the life after retirement.. I can take a vacation when I want and enjoy the work field now, a lot of bright eyed kids are in this field and they come to the more experienced war horses for advice and training.. This is what makes life and the job more entertaining instead of punching a silly @ssed time clock and the chance for career advancement is wide open..
