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Do you live to work or work to live?

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zoebartlett

zoebartlett

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
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My husband and I were talking about this the other night. He would quit working tomorrow if he won the lottery. He works because he has to. I don''t think I''d quit working if we won the lottery though. Sure, I work because I have to, but I can''t see quitting my job either. I think it''s part of who I am.

What about you?
 
I live to work. I am in love with my career, but my reasoning is more to the fact that my personal life is a little messy right now, so I''d rather just be a workaholic than deal with it. I hope to revert back to an attitude of working to live at some point.
 
We work to live, definitely.

DH and I both love our careers. If we became independently wealthy, I would probably teach one or two classes a year. I know that DH would continue seeing his favorite clients because he really does love his job.

HOWEVER, we both love the things we do outside of work just as much, and in many cases more, than our work so we would definitely spend our time doing those things.

Neither one of us works a traditional full time job, though. I think DH usually works 30 hours per week. I work 20. We're very happy.

ETA: I was thinking about it, and the way we currently live our lives is pretty much evidence that we work to live. DH could take more clients if he wanted to, but he doesn't, and I could teach more classes if I wanted to, but I don't. (I did apply for a FT teaching job, and I'd love to get it, but only because it's the right place for me.) We're already working fewer hours than most people because we'd rather live than work, and because we can.
I could quit altogether and we'd be fine financially, but I do enjoy teaching, so that's why I still do it.
 
I work because I have to. If I didn''t have to work to help support us financially, I would quit in a heartbeat to pursue other goals and volunteer activities. I wouldn''t quit and then sit at home and do nothing. If I didn''t have to work, it would really open the avenue for me to pursue my long term goals.
 
I really love my current job, though in a magical scenario where I because a gajillionaire, I''d take time off to travel. I''ve never been across an ocean, or taken a cruise, or climbed a mountain.

Right now we work to pay the bills. In an ideal world, I''d work to fulfill my intellectual curiosity, and to contribute to my field. Someday!
 
I definitely work to live. If I didn''t have to work I would pursue one of my hobbies that I can''t currently pursue because I have to work and I would also get involved in a non-profit organization part-time.
 
I definitely work to live. If I somehow become wealthy and had the option not to work, DH and I would travel. a lot. It''s something we love to do, and our "extra" money is usually saved for a yearly trip. I would continue to work part-time though; I would lose my mind sitting at home w/o a child, etc.
 
We work to live definitely. If we were to become rich overnight I would most likely quit my job and volunteer with homeless animals as working with animals and finding them loving homes is my true passion. I love my job but my heart is with the animals who need love and hope.

I also don''t work a full week- about 25 hours and my husband can work from home if he wants to and he does some days so we have a lot of flexibility to do the things we love and I feel very fortunate about that.

It would be so great to take money worries off the table. I know money doesn''t buy happiness but if you have lots of it life gets a lot easier IMO.
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I currently work to live, but usually it''s the other way around. I just don''t like my job. LOL.
 
DH and I definitely work to live.
 
I would not quit my work if I won the lottery, but I would definitely do private practice rather than working for an agency (I''m a therapist) so I would have more flexibility and would only work part-time at most

I''m pretty sure my husband would quit his job :)
 
I absolutely work to live. If we were to win the lottery I would love to be able to spend time with my family whenever I wanted, and for as long as I wanted. I would also love to travel with BF to all of the places that we want to go(mostly driving.)
I really wouldn''t need anything more in my life than spending time with my family, money is the only way I''m able to do that.

BF I''m not so sure about. He definitely needs things going on in his life, but I''m not sure that work is what''s necessary. If he could do all of his "fun" stuff I''m sure he''d be happy with that, but he''s also the kind of person who always has their ball rolling, so to speak.
 
I have to work my current job. It is full time with benefits. I wish my husband would get off his butt, work a full time job for a change and allow me to resume carrying mail on a part time basis. I loved that job.
 
I used to enjoy my job until I got too sick to work. Now, I''m home on a disability retirement at 47.

Lori
 
Date: 3/27/2010 3:26:44 AM
Author: loriken214
I used to enjoy my job until I got too sick to work. Now, I''m home on a disability retirement at 47.


Lori
Click to expand...

I''m so sorry Lori.
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I hope that you feel better soon and that you can resume whatever activities you love. I know that Pricescope certainly benefits from having your expertise and time and how appreciated that is for sure. Not to mention your sweet kitty Coco. Love your AV of Coco!!


Hugs,
Missy
 
I work to support the King of Prussia Mall. If I won the lottery, I would still work, just to pi$S off my co-workers
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We work to live. I wish I could win the lottery... Peace out, job!

MB... I LOVE the KOP mall. I haven''t been there in a while. But I''m getting my income tax return soon
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I work to live. I work hard and get things done, but I've never been one to be 110% devoted to my job, working to climb the ladder, etc. I do a good job, then go home to live my real life.

If I won the lottery, I would quit my job and devote myself to my hobbies (horses and other animals mostly). Unfortunately my horse hobby is expensive, so I need to work to be able to participate in it. That's why I need to win the lottery!
 
I wouldn''t say my work was ever a huge part of my identity, since I''ve done some fairly varied jobs and now I''m changing career completely, but I have learned the hard way that if I don''t have a job and some career goals to work towards, I become depressed.

I also feel that it''s too much pressure on DH to be the sole earner (he is at the moment while I''m at school, but I have a small scholarship and savings, so I''m still making a contribution). Being responsible for the financial and material welfare of three people isn''t something I''d like to do by myself, so I won''t ask it of him in the long term either.

In an ideal world, we''d both work 2.5 days a week so neither of us missed out on either aspect of a work / life balance and still have the equivalent of a full time professional salary. In the past, when I''ve hit a certain salary level, I''ve dropped my hours. On that basis, I''d say that although I have always enjoyed my work and found it very fulfilling, I don''t live to work.
 
DH and I both live to work. We also have a rich social life and fit in many great people and experiences. My work is truly my most passionate hobby, if that is possible. I am totally that person who takes work on vacation, is responding to e-mails from the time I wake to the time I go to bed, and often falls asleep reading something work related--and loves every minute of it. I wouldn''t even entertain quitting for a second if I won the lottery.
 
It''s interesting to read other people''s responses.

We would love to travel, and if money were no object, that''s probably what we''d do. I would try to take up a hobby or two also (I''m not crafty at all, but I could try a few classes and see what I''d like to pursue). I''d need to learn to have patience though). I still don''t think I''d give up working altogther, and part-time positions aren''t easily found for elementary teachers. I''m lucky in that I don''t work during the summers anyway, well, at least for the month of July, so I could travel then and still work during the year.

I wonder if things have changed over time. I wonder if people used to feel more passionately about their jobs/careers than they do now. It seems that way.

My sister is one of those people who feels lucky that she gets paid for doing what she loves, and she doesn''t really think of it as *work*. I can''t see her leaving her career (writing, acting, and dog training -- yes, an odd combination!). I think her hobbies became her work. Same thing with her husband, who is in a very similar field, minus the dog training bit.


Wow Katamari -- that''s dedication! I know others who do the same thing, and to them, they have a great work/life balance. As for me, well, my brain shuts off aroud 5 every day.
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I would quit (not immediately, but once I had someone trained in my place) but I would then probably find a less stressful, more creative job or think about volunteering almost full time. I''m someone who *needs* to be busy, needs to have some sort of routine, and needs to feel like I''m using my brain or I get cranky and bored. So, I guess the answer isn''t quite as simple as posed--I currently work to live because of various stressful factors with my job, but I''d ideally find something where I could honestly answer: "I live to work."
 
Truth be told - its a ballance between the two.

I do not yet have enough $$$ from my side business to be able to choose what I do.

Yes, I have found a generally satisfying job - but, truth be told I have other things to do if I had the $$$.


What I would do if I did not have to slave away at the plant: Due to the stress levels I do not see me staying there long term - so I''d move on. I''d volunteer more. I''d at least double the number of kayak races I judge a year.

I would set up my own product R&D shop for several ideas I have; one of which involves explosive welding and metal forming (and playing with explosives can be so much fun...). Note I have done this sort of work in the past.

I would move to a climate more suitable for my allergies. I would travel more.


Perry
 
Date: 3/27/2010 8:07:08 AM
Author: missy

Date: 3/27/2010 3:26:44 AM
Author: loriken214
I used to enjoy my job until I got too sick to work. Now, I''m home on a disability retirement at 47.


Lori
Click to expand...

I''m so sorry Lori.
7.gif

I hope that you feel better soon and that you can resume whatever activities you love. I know that Pricescope certainly benefits from having your expertise and time and how appreciated that is for sure. Not to mention your sweet kitty Coco. Love your AV of Coco!!


Hugs,
Missy
Click to expand...
So sorry for you. You know, I was diagnosed with a very serious and potentially debilitating illness at 33, when I was just starting my career in this country, and everything sounded so promising. I slowly crawled out of it, although it had a major effect on my life and personality, and I am totally dependent on the medication, can not even miss a single dose. What I mean is, hopefully, slowly, you''ll find a new way in life for you. It is not a stop, you just switched tracks. I shall pray for you.
 
DH works to live - while he does enjoy law school for the most part money was definitely the number one motivating factor for that decision.

I am definitely in the live to work camp- I love my job but I make very little money since it''s in the non-proft sector. Eventually I would love to stop working a traditional 9-5 job altogether and open my own small business. My current dilemna though is whether or not I should leave the job I love to find something that pays more for the next fews so we''ll be better able to save for my business goals.
 
Date: 3/27/2010 8:07:08 AM
Author: missy

Date: 3/27/2010 3:26:44 AM
Author: loriken214
I used to enjoy my job until I got too sick to work. Now, I''m home on a disability retirement at 47.


Lori
Click to expand...

I''m so sorry Lori.
7.gif

I hope that you feel better soon and that you can resume whatever activities you love. I know that Pricescope certainly benefits from having your expertise and time and how appreciated that is for sure. Not to mention your sweet kitty Coco. Love your AV of Coco!!


Hugs,
Missy
Click to expand...
big ditto, **HUGS**
 
I would say FI and I work to live. However, I believe we would both want to keep doing some type of "work", even if we won the lottery, or else we''d be rrreally bored.
 
I work to live... but I live to eat. Lottery is a different story though. I'd continue working but maybe something low-key that I would enjoy doing like become a librarian.

And working supplies my eating addiction
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If I won the lottery, I would quit my job but give them enough notice to replace me quickly if they needed to. And then I would devote all my time to photography and my kiddos
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when i was in the jewelry trade i lived to work.I didnt make a ton of money ,but loved what i did and thats all that mattered.Now that im out of the trade its work to live.When you work in retail you are always replace-able and so ive learned that your job can be gone tomarrow and so your personal life should be the focus of your life.
 
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