Reply to: Working to Live, or Living to Work

[Spacecadet]

I guess we can only see it from our own experiences.
Mine is of my dad and his work buddies, all old school engineering types who started in the 50's and 60's. Now they're all happily retired, nice pensions, plenty of holidays etc... and clearly enjoying themselves and post retirement life but you still get the feeling occasionally that a key part of their life has been taken away from them.

[SueEllen]

I think lots of people hate having to work, and still up hating being retired. Their lives are centred around work. Very few people just decide to give up work and pursue their hobbies as soon as they save enough to make this achievable. Whether its addiction to pursuing money or ego I don't know.

If you think about it work is social i.e. allows you adult conversation other than your family and gives you something to moan about. If you have been around in the day the only people until recently about have been the old and ill looking, parents with brats and chavs.

That's why lots of retired people I know work whether it's voluntary work or part-time/one-off work for money so they can go aboard.

[d000hg]

I think lots of people hate having to work, and still up hating being retired. Their lives are centred around work. Very few people just decide to give up work and pursue their hobbies as soon as they save enough to make this achievable. Whether its addiction to pursuing money or ego I don't know.

Not saying there's anything terribly wrong in a fairly work-centred life, but people would be better admitting this than pretending they're only working for the money.

[Spacecadet]

"I work to live not live to work" is the sort of idiot statement that you would expect from someone who's just asked you if you want fries with that.

Just accept that work is part of life and try to enjoy life in and out of work.

Not really. Company CEOs and traders giving themselves ulcers and heart attacks working 80 hour weeks, when they earn £1million a year and could retire to a life of comfort... but would find their lives empty without work.

Think how many retired people feel aimless without work. I wonder if contractors are different in that regard.

CEO's and traders working 80 hour weeks is the other end of the extreme, but as for the rest, you're just proving my point. Many people are happy and get a strong sense of satisfaction from their jobs so when they haven't got that job taking up 8 hours a day 5 days a week of course their going to feel like there is a gaping hole in their life. Doesn't mean they don't also enjoy their life outside of work.

[gingerjedi]

Ulcers are caused by bacteria.

And stress weakens the immune system.

[minestrone]

Not really. Company CEOs and traders giving themselves ulcers and heart attacks working 80 hour weeks, when they earn £1million a year and could retire to a life of comfort... but would find their lives empty without work.

Think how many retired people feel aimless without work. I wonder if contractors are different in that regard.

Ulcers are caused by bacteria.

[d000hg]

"I work to live not live to work" is the sort of idiot statement that you would expect from someone who's just asked you if you want fries with that.

Not really. Company CEOs and traders giving themselves ulcers and heart attacks working 80 hour weeks, when they earn £1million a year and could retire to a life of comfort... but would find their lives empty without work.

Think how many retired people feel aimless without work. I wonder if contractors are different in that regard.

[Ruprect]

I never got beyond filling the fry racks when I worked at MacD's. I certainly didn't get any stars on my badge.

But did you get any badges on your star?

[Spacecadet]

I think the thing is most of us have done the live to work bit. I certainly did when I was in my 20's and early 30's doing stupid hours trying to climb the corporate ladder and to be honest I am glad I did as I can now switch over and relax a little. I naturally found the limit where I crossed over. Some guys still live to work and are still climbing to the top. Me? Done that, time to reap the rewards.

When you're young and single you've got the time and energy to do the whole work hard play hard thing, no wife/husband asking when you'll be finishing and coming home.
I used to work stupid hours as a permie but then I also benefited there and then. I managed a full month without once having to buy my own drinks thanks to a couple of company credit card holding directors.

[Gibbon]

Don't mind what I do, been good to me in that it helped paying off ex-wife etc and build up a nice cushion. Plan to finish in 4 -5 Years and then to Uni to do a Masters. After that don't care, hopefully get a bit of research or lecturing.

[ChimpMaster]

I think the thing is most of us have done the live to work bit. I certainly did when I was in my 20's and early 30's doing stupid hours trying to climb the corporate ladder and to be honest I am glad I did as I can now switch over and relax a little. I naturally found the limit where I crossed over. Some guys still live to work and are still climbing to the top. Me? Done that, time to reap the rewards.

Did that too but not quite at the relax/reward stage yet. All that hard work was great whilst single but since having a wife and, moreso, kids, I've found that it's harder to let go of work/money and hence found myself stretching out even more on the work front.

When single I was aiming to be in the "choose to work" stage by age 35, and could have been. Now it's more like 55, assuming I'm still alive by then given that I feel that I could keel over day!

[Gibbon]

I never got beyond filling my belly when I worked at MacD's. I certainly didn't get any stars on my badge.

FTFY

[Mich the Tester]

I think the thing is most of us have done the live to work bit. I certainly did when I was in my 20's and early 30's doing stupid hours trying to climb the corporate ladder and to be honest I am glad I did as I can now switch over and relax a little. I naturally found the limit where I crossed over. Some guys still live to work and are still climbing to the top. Me? Done that, time to reap the rewards.

whs

[northernladuk]

I think the thing is most of us have done the live to work bit. I certainly did when I was in my 20's and early 30's doing stupid hours trying to climb the corporate ladder and to be honest I am glad I did as I can now switch over and relax a little. I naturally found the limit where I crossed over. Some guys still live to work and are still climbing to the top. Me? Done that, time to reap the rewards.

[norrahe]

I do my work in the allocated time, any extra you pay me for it.

I certainly don't see the point in spending my life in the office, I have a long enough commute, but negotiate my hours and working from home to allow myself the chance to have a life.

Ideally I'd take a hit on my rate just to have less of a commute, but I'll hopefully only be stuck in the smoke for another year.