Reply to: I'm Burnt Out!

[CoolCat]

There are ways of making it slightly better, many already mentioned.

I tend to not bother coming home every weekend. Half the time I will book into a hotel nearer the client site and chill there, and make the wife travel to me for the weekend. Can be OK especially if you can get good deal on hotel with pool etc, places near that you’ve wanted to visit maybe, etc. Indeed when working abroad often its too far to come home anyways, so you just have to treat every weekend as a mini holiday (if youre not working them).

Although I have been through the maxed out worn out scenario I avoid it nowadays, when it got really bad I took a year off and did a past grad, these days I walk away from gigs and take time off and have had lots of time off recently.

Good luck!

[Mich the Tester]

Clumsy oaf.

[d000hg]

Clumsy oaf.

[Mich the Tester]

Pants fair enough, but 5 pairs of socks sounds ridiculous. His feet must niff something chronic

It's 4 pairs plus a spare pair in case I step in a puddle, for example. I like to wear clean socks every day.

[suityou01]

WHS - family, friends, punctuation and rep.

Oooh and grammar. Don't forget grammar.

[aardvark]

...there are more important things to worry about than work

WHS - family, friends, punctuation and rep.

[suityou01]

Pants fair enough, but 5 pairs of socks sounds ridiculous. His feet must niff something chronic

They did turn his shoes green.

[DirtyDog]

Blimey. What else did you have to change about your lifestyle? Just interested like - that is YOUNG

More medication, gave up alcohol.

Now I just generally don't give a tulip about many, many things - there are more important things to worry about than work

[OwlHoot]

And why does he need a spare pare of pants on such a regular basis?

Pants fair enough, but 5 pairs of socks sounds ridiculous. His feet must niff something chronic

[Ruprect]

Done it before, and when I had a stroke at 35, I decided to change how I worked.

Blimey. What else did you have to change about your lifestyle? Just interested like - that is YOUNG

[sirja]

if it was me (and it was once) i'd:
option 1 "cram 5 into 4": change from sunday travel to monday. i'd work longer hours monday to wednesday and leave earlyish on thursday and not work on friday. your weekend expands. you regain composure and charge your batteries. yes, monday is a killer.

option 2 "wfh": change from sunday travel to tuesday (work from home office on monday). slightly longer hours to catch up any tuesday/friday shortfall and leave earlyish on friday.

others: variations on above that equate to only working 4 or less days a week thus no need to cram hours or work from home.

there are loads of options but the key thing is to remember that your business should drive these decisions.

I've slight variations of both options in the past and had no problem with it. As others have said it's best to manage expectations at the start. In my experience clients who are not prepared to be a bit flexible are clients not worth working with.

[Ticktock]

You ever tried yelling for help with a sock in your mouth?

I'm guessing that's a mistype.

[MaryPoppins]

You ever tried yelling for help with a sock in your mouth?

Course he has.

[Bunk]

If there's no mention of the 5 pairs including a spare pair, what's the fifth pair for, or don't I want to know

You ever tried yelling for help with a sock in your mouth?

[original PM]

I personally don't think a 5am wake up is too bad. Perhaps that's what having kids does to you.

I agree!

Used to hate getting up early - had kids and now as long as I am in bed before 11 and not completely legless then 5 or 6 in the morning is really not a problem