How many hours do you work a week?

[OreoRosies86]

Or how many hours did you work at the peak of your career? Were you able to handle your work from home, were you field or office based?

Did you have children at the time/currently? How did you make that work?

 

[redwood66]

I worked 40-56 each week in a stinky hell hole alongside many great people who made it a worthwhile day. The month before our twins were born my DH was laid off (construction). We decided that he would stay home and he did for a year and a half. After that we worked opposite shifts so one of us was always there and we did not send them to daycare. That was important to us.

 

[OreoRosies86]

I worked 40-56 each week in a stinky hell hole alongside many great people who made it a worthwhile day. The month before our twins were born my DH was laid off (construction). We decided that he would stay home and he did for a year and a half. After that we worked opposite shifts so one of us was always there and we did not send them to daycare. That was important to us.

I've worked horrible jobs I stayed at way too long just because the people were so great!

 

[Dee*Jay]

All of them...

 

[redwood66]

I worked 40-56 each week in a stinky hell hole alongside many great people who made it a worthwhile day. The month before our twins were born my DH was laid off (construction). We decided that he would stay home and he did for a year and a half. After that we worked opposite shifts so one of us was always there and we did not send them to daycare. That was important to us.

I've worked horrible jobs I stayed at way too long just because the people were so great!

I know right?! Well in my case the $ and retirement was a huge factor. But actually going to work was made so much easier by the people I worked with. I resigned myself to the fact early on that the job wasn't my life but what happened when I got home was. Work to live not live to work. DH and I never discussed my job and that made it much easier. Although I did have to explain the day I came home early after an incident and had blood all over the front of me. But I was working there before I met him and he stuck around. '

Edit - changed wording as to not offend anyone.

 

[baby monster]

I usually work 45-50hrs/week. If it gets busy, then around 60-65. I really enjoy what I do. It's intellectually stimulating and people are great. Before I had kids, I used to regularly work 60-70hrs/week and sometimes without any days off up to 80-90. I chose to scale back on hours to have children. If I continued to work at the same pace, I would've been a lot further in my career but at the expense of starting a family. Definitely can't have it all at the same time.

 

[ruby59]

I worked as a Secretary in the School System. I mostly worked at the Grammar school my 3 children attended.

I loved that because I started when I brought them into school in the morning and they sat in the outer office for the half hour to maybe an hour until I finished up. So it was 9 to 3 or maybe 9-4 if something had to go out that day.

Now I work as a receptionist in a law office. I job share with another women. I work 7 to 12 or 7 to 1 if she is going to be late.

 

[sonnyjane]

45-50 hours a week and I can't work from home because there are no whales in my living room.

 

[Puppmom]

During peak season - about 60 hours per week. Honestly, it's miserable - not just the hours but the fact that I'm working that much just to keep my head above water and my quality of work suffers. I have two small children (6 and 4). My husband is home with them for now but, when he's working, it's near impossible to keep up. It helps that a.) my commute is under 10 minutes and b.) my manager is extremely flexible and understanding.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I was at an ad agency before I had kids and would consistently bill 50 - 60 hours per week, sometimes more. I didn't really feel overworked--I liked my coworkers and my clients and many had it worse than I did, so I was happy. After I had my oldest, I started working 3 days per week, but my agency couldn't keep me at those hours, so I moved to 4 days per week and very, very rarely billed more than 32 hours per week. I stayed on that schedule after having my second.

As my oldest creeped closer to preshool aged, I started thinking about a job change so that I could be closer to home. After a bit of networking, I was able to start working at a company I love that is very close to my home and my kids' schools. The one drawback was going back to 5 days, but given how much extra time I get with them every day (not having a commute), it was worth it.

So now I work a very consistent 40 hours per week (35 in the summer) and barely have to commute. I can easily do school drop off and pickup and have a pretty flexible schedule if needed. In my IDEAL world, I would keep this job and work 3 days per week (spend 1 day off cleaning and the other day off to run errands, then have my entire weekend free!), but I can't complain. I genuinely like what I do, I love the people I work with and they pay me well, so I'm happy.

My husband, however, gets the short end of the stick. He consistently works 70-hour weeks and would LOVE to spend more time with the kids (he says he fears that in 10 years, he's going to regret having to work so much right now), but I feel like the people above him don't value work/life balance for men. He knows that if it does not improve, he will have no choice but to leave, but that's not easy to do when you don't want to let down those around you at work.

 

[Arcadian]

70 hours/week the last 6 months. There's not a day I don't work. I need a vacation.

 

[Queenie60]

I just re-entered the job force in October after 24 years of being a homemaker and mom. Now that both children are out of our home, I found that I had too much time on my hands. I work in the mornings, part time (4 to 5 hours per day) for a local Real Estate Agent and love my job! I'll continue this for a few years, until my husband slows down with his work load.

 

[telephone89]

I work on average probably 50h a week. 3 weeks/month its 35-40, but the last week of the month is closer to 70.

I value my work/life balance and rarely stay late during my 3 weeks because I know how crazy the last week is. DH works opposite hours most days, so I also try to plan when I'm working late around when he's working late and my leaving early when he's off. I'm lucky that I have a pretty flexible schedule. I *can* work from home, I just don't get as much done lol. But when there's a blizzard, that is my FAVOURITE because spending 2h on the road just to work for a few hours and go home is miserable.

 

[jordyonbass]

40 hours per week now
With the Geotechnical job I was working before here it would be anywhere between 25-60+
The pubs were the worst; the last pub I ran I was working 40-80 hour weeks, the pub before that I was living above the actual bar in a converted apartment so it was basically 24/7. Even when I was closed I was having to deal with stuff like drunks throwing rocks at my windows at 3am as they want a box of beer, people trying to break into the building to rob the business, the cleaners screaming at snakes in the main bar area etc.

 

[OreoRosies86]

40 hours per week now
With the Geotechnical job I was working before here it would be anywhere between 25-60+
The pubs were the worst; the last pub I ran I was working 40-80 hour weeks, the pub before that I was living above the actual bar in a converted apartment so it was basically 24/7. Even when I was closed I was having to deal with stuff like drunks throwing rocks at my windows at 3am as they want a box of beer, people trying to break into the building to rob the business, the cleaners screaming at snakes in the main bar area etc.

I used to run a bar too. It's insane. Well, my sanity took a hit.

 

[jordyonbass]

40 hours per week now
With the Geotechnical job I was working before here it would be anywhere between 25-60+
The pubs were the worst; the last pub I ran I was working 40-80 hour weeks, the pub before that I was living above the actual bar in a converted apartment so it was basically 24/7. Even when I was closed I was having to deal with stuff like drunks throwing rocks at my windows at 3am as they want a box of beer, people trying to break into the building to rob the business, the cleaners screaming at snakes in the main bar area etc.

I used to run a bar too. It's insane. Well, my sanity took a hit.

Agree, working behind the bar is actually quite fun but taking the step up to running the business is where the fun ends. I got completely put off alcohol by the end of 2010 and still struggle to drink an entire beer.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I'm a teacher, I work technically from 8:10-3:00 but I get to work and start prepping at 7:10. I pretty much actively work all day. I do not take work home but once or twice a month I will stay until 6 or so for major planning and to work on my room with no kids in it. I used to do home based behavior consulting and ABA/VB work with children but I stopped that when I got pregnant. I'm very happy to still have a good amount of time to spend with my son.

My husband works similar hours, 7-4 with the occasional overtime shift. We have a lot of family time which was a priority for us.

 

[Ally T]

Before children I worked in Gaming & would do around 45 hours a week. I was responsible for the team & facilities though, so often got an evening call or had to do stuff at weekends. I stopped working when my eldest was born, who is 8 on Monday

I went back to work just over a year ago at a local High School & I do 10 hours a week, give or take a bit of sickness cover. I work in the kitchen department, ordering stock, doing the staff rota & 'Duty' during the lunch break itself, making sure none of th children get out of hand. I love this job. It allows me to take my girls to school, go for a long run, supermarket shop or whatever, then get some adult company, use my brain & have 2 hours of fun, then back to collect my girls & off we go. Perfect balance for me at this point in my life.