To think working 64 hours in a week is too much?

[happinessisabutterfly]

Concerned about a good friend who is doing this.

Are there laws against it?

Aibu to think it is too much and worry she'll make herself poorly?

This thread has reminded me of an ex boss who moaned that she was fed up of working 32 hours a week as she had no time to herself, I didn't point out that as her nanny I was working 60 hours a week and that since she only worked 4 days she had a whole day to herself when she went to the hairdressers, had her nails done and met friends for lunch and shopping, she also had evenings to herself as I put the children to bed before leaving

She was actually a very good boss and I stayed for 3 years but it amused me every time she moaned about her work/life balance.

Just added it up & DH will work 78hrs this week including nights. Standard for his industry. I believe the Working Time Directive is 48hrs a week averaged out over a 13 week period.

I work about 8 hrs a week. Suits me.

I work around 50hrs a week and think it's pretty chilled - i think of it as my work life balance job

But then I get paid well and can outsource around my hours so I am mega relaxed. Imagine it's different if I had to do all the housework etc.

65hrs a week is 12hrs per day + a couple of hours at the weekend - it's not an easy life but it's perfectly sustainable.

Don't think it's inevitable to do crazy hours if you want promotion. I did plenty of crazy hours in my youth. But I got promoted to a management role after coming back from mat leave and going down to 3 days a week (which was 3 normal length 8 hour days, I didn't stay late. It took some adjustment for me, but it works.)

I don't earn a 6 figure salary, but am well paid for industry/role. I think that whilst some roles due to circumstances may need longer hours, an awful lot of them really really don't. The worst manager I've ever worked with did 60+ hour weeks. He was shit because he was a micromanaging fuckwit who didn't know how to delegate and tried to control peers as well. (He spent most of his late nights at the office chatting to mates on the phone).

Corporate lawyer here - once worked a "day" that was longer than 64 hours! Pretty standard hours for a professional job but if your friend is on MW that is different.

Agree with Kerala - my DSis (who has never worked!) used to moan about having no family support with her newborn when I hadn't seen daylight for months.

Gosh, I'm surprised this is standard for so many of you. When do you get time to see your DCs??

In my last job I met a lawyer who would work 2-3 days straight with naps in between. She didn't have children but still that's an awful lot. The most I've done in a week was 55 hours and vowed to never again do that! I'm contracted to 28h pw and that's plenty for me . My dbro often does over 60 pw

I think the people saying 60/70+ hour weeks are fine are either trying to show off, or trying to convince themselves that it's okay and they aren't being taken advantage of. Unless your job is all that matters in your life, or unless you are paid hourly and want all the money you can get, you shouldn't have to do it.

We have one bloke who arrives before 7am and leaves after 7pm every night. He lives for his job and wouldn't have it any other way.

I worked 79 hour weeks on an hourly wage, but it was only ever going to be for six weeks. That was sustainable, because there was an end in sight. But for your average person, that pace is not sustainable.

It is hourly paid work; it isn't that she has set hours she is choosing to work outside of.

A 12 hour day in the office is pretty standard for dh, tbh. Add in late night conference calls and the checking of urgent emails in the evenings (US company so a certain amount of evening work is necessary due to time differences) and he would easily clock up 65-70 hours on an average week.

This is one of the reasons why I'm a sahm: it means I can manage things at home so that when he is at home, it's leisure and family time.

That said though, DH loves his job and I think it's one of those things that you just get used to. I worked a similar kind of week when I worked full time. And at the level DH works at I would expect those kind of working hours (senior director, six figure basic salary plus bonuses and share options on top etc etc) in all honesty. I think if you're getting that kind of package then you need to expect to work pretty hard for it. Not saying it's necessarily right, just the way it is these days .

Depends if she is doing 64 hours and being paid for 37hrs, which would not be good, and seeing as shes a woman? shes probably getting less anyway than her male counterparts.

If the financial award is there and you have no other needs, kids etc then just go for it.

As other have mentioned some professions can opt out of it, though if there was a screw up based on tiredness and someone got injured/hurt/killed etc then the company directors would still get it in the neck.

It is hourly paid work; it isn't that she has set hours she is choosing to work outside of.

Is she like the man I described, where she thrives from work? Is she trying to save for something and has a goal to work towards? If either of those are the case, the motivation keeps you going. Otherwise she's on the fast track to a burn out.

for me it would really all depend if I liked the job/it was something I wanted or if I was doing it under duress/because I had to in some way. Doing something you like when your dc are being adequately cared for my someone else is ok although if it's constant with no reprieve that's hard to have long run stamina for.

My DS1 works in tv (as we both used to) and works horrendous long hours. min 12 hour days, 6 day week with what can be very long travel to and from depending on where that day's base is TV has opted out of working hours directive and he is freelance. There is no choice if that is the career you want. He loves it but is young and keen.

I think people who work these shifts (and who don't get paid overtime) are nuts, to be honest. I work 32 hours and DP works 40 and we're not in particularly high-paid jobs (retail and factory work). I wouldn't do it. I would rather enjoy my 20's and 30's, not exhaust myself and work myself into an early grave.

I don't think it IS "normal" or "acceptable" at all. Companies have us thinking that, though, because it means they get more work out of us and pay out less money! If a job needs 60+ hours a week to get done, then it should be split between two people. But, why would a company pay out two (say, 20k) salaries if they can get one sucker to do the same hours on one salary?

Companies only get away with it because people are stupid enough to agree to it.

Obviously if you get paid for all your hours work and travel time it's a bit different, but still not sustainable long-term, especially with small children.

Of course those hours are not standard for 'most' people. Well paid, senior roles and certain vocational roles like doctors, nurses, then yes. Middle management and admin level jobs that would be the exception, not the rule.

I got up and left when I found out at a job interview the core hours were 60 per week including every Saturday.

It was a shame because at the time I really fancied the job and thought I'd be perfect for it, other than the hours.

I think if you work that many hours you've got your priorities wrong. Get a new job.

I think it's just cost of living, really. The job is only minimum wage and I suppose I just feel a bit sad and cross for her that she is in a position where she has to work so much - very early mornings and not finishing until 11 and only one day off a week.

happiness. DH is a farrier and we have a large farm which he runs. I'm Senior Management in Social Work (which I'm giving up soon) and have a horse livery yard. We've never been used to working less tbh. We're just starting lambing season right now and some days my DH is lucky to have 4-5 hours sleep. It's part and parcel of the lifestyle really.

MyDh works 60 hour weeks minimum sometimes more, I think people nowadays have to work long hours to pay the bills.

I suppose it depends on your friend. As others have said in certain industries that would be the norm. My partner is a chef so 70 hours a week is the norm with more over busy periods like Christmas and when I used to work in the industry my hours were the same. When I had one job that I was told by senior management I couldn't work more than my 48 hours I physically couldn't do the job- neither could the other 4 people within the year who held the position either. I now have a role that is '9 to 5' and I don't know what to do with my time and I am strongly considering returning to hospitality.

I'm a teacher and would love to cut my hours down to 64 hours per week.

For minimum wage? Would you really? I'm also a teacher by the way. If you are spending more than 12 hours a day in school that's through choice. Difference between marking books on the sofa in front of corrie and standing at work in the tipping rain at 11 at night.

The company is national and they always need new workers so let me know if you fancy it.