When You Were Employed, Or Still Are, Number Of Hours Worked?

ClassicRockr

ClassicRockr

Well-known Member
For the couple of years I worked in EMS, I'd work a full 24 hour shift. Yep, sleep right at the office, which was inside of a small rented house. After that job, got OJT for warehouse work and worked an 8-hour day shift with weekends off. IOW, 40 hrs. a week and I loved it. Had Friday and Saturday night to party, if I so desired, and the rest of the weekend to go to a Swap Meet, movie or whatever. My salary was generally $9 to $10 per hour, but I didn't have much or need much. I rented a furnished room in a house and my vehicle was pretty old. I only went out to eat on weekend mornings and would get a full breakfast for $2.99.

Now, there are those that put in many, many hours per week, and sometimes weekends, to pay for the lifestyle their family has. Unfortunately, those long hours can affect a marriage and/or the children's lives. "I hardly ever see my husband" or "I hardly ever see my dad" wives and children will say.

Years ago, I met a gal that was going thru a divorce, in part due to the amount of hours her husband worked for an aerospace company. Basically, he would leave and come home from work when her and her kids were asleep. He'd sometimes work 7 days a week. Of course he'd have a 2-week vacation during the summer and a week off during Christmas, but the rest of the time, the dude was at work. She told me that one time she encountered him about his hours and he told her "do you really think I can afford this house, our motorhome, our ski boat and the jet ski on my hourly salary without any overtime? What it comes down to is, do you want me at home in the evenings and weekends, or want this lifestyle? You can't have both!" They divorced, but she got to keep everything. She did have a low-paying part-time job.

So, what is more important...……..working long hours, sometimes voluntarily, to pay for a lifestyle, or being with family? Wife and I would chose, being together. What about you?
 

I worked many hours
oftentimes two, sometimes three jobs
gwlZdYZ.jpg


my lady worked in the home, making it a home...24/7

We've only been together 50 years, so we'll see how this works out

Now?
We're retired
with each other 24/7
Don't have much
never did
but
we did have happiness...maybe because of mutual goals...eat, clothe, feed little ones

still a bunch of that
actually, we have more happiness these days


the simple life and a good cup of coffee can do that
IntcuaS.jpg


15 grandkids testifies we did take time for the important (wonderful) things
heh heh
tgn50XA.jpg
 
Since I've been married to my wife, I've only had 8 hour a day jobs, with no weekends. Now, I'm the home caretaker and run a few errands during the week. Wife is very glad that I'm the "home caretaker".

There were two jobs my wife had where she had some long hours at one and had to travel three times for another. When she worked for a tv dish company, she was in accounting and at the end of each month they had "month-end close". On the last day of the month, she would have to stay at work for nearly 14 hours. I'd wake up when she'd get home. At another job, she had to fly to Michigan three times for training, but I was able to go with her. Stayed in the hotel room while she was at work, but at least we were together.

Job she has now, pretty much only 8 hours a day and no weekends at all, plus three weeks off paid a year. But, that job will end when we move from here. After the move, we both may look for part-time jobs, but weekdays only.
 

I was pretty much "on call" 24/7 when I worked. Most weeks, I put in about 10 hours overtime...middle of the night, etc., and generally slept in a bit the next day. For about 5 years, I covered the city on weekends, and took off a couple of days during the week. Since my wife was a full time "homemaker", we just did our thing whenever we wanted. My often weird hours didn't impact things with the kids very much...and in many cases, it gave us more time together than a fixed "8 to 5" schedule.
 
I worked in management on salary so I worked until the job was done. Had 2 kids to support on my own so I worked full time and kept books at home as a side job. Worked for great folks though that did not care what hours I worked as long as the job was done. I worked half day on Saturday but during the week I left early to watch one daughter twirl in the band and another cheerlead at the football games. I was the only parent in the stands checking my general ledger print outs waiting for half time to see the kids do their thing. I was at the parent nights and sold my share of candy bars, etc that they were promoting. No time for a date but that was okay. You do what you have to do to support your kids. One is now a pharmacist who makes a ton of money and the other teaches school and loves it. So it was worth it to work constantly for them.
 
lots of long hours, three jobs for awhile, wife made our home...home, retired three times still have a couple part time jobs, couple days a month each. living the American dream.
 
Leave Monday, come home Friday. Paperwork Friday afternoon and/or Saturday morning. No computer or cell phone then.
 
I remember when I held two jobs. One was full-time, days, working in Shipping for a plastics manufacturer. The other, part-time, I applied, and got an interview as a Bouncer at a rock and roll nightclub I knew. The owner liked my attitude of "it's not what you look like, it's how you handle yourself". I was fairly thin and didn't have any of the muscles the other Bouncer's had, but the job worked out for a few weeks. But, the few hours of sleep in-between getting home from the club and getting up for my full-time job got to me. Had to quit the club job. Never again did I have two jobs.
 
I volunteered for 1 yr 1/2 at a local hospital where I finally got my job as a part time pharmacy tech in 1984.
I originally worked 4 days/wk from 8-2:30,after I was there for about 10 yrs,I worked M-W-F from 7-3:30
Unfortunately,I could never get any of the major holidays off e.g Thanksgiving,Xmas because it went by seniority in our dept.There were 3 ladies who always got those holiday weeks off ,which didn't sit well with the rest of us. We even took our complaints to the union,that didn't help.
My family could never understand why I couldn't get off for thanksgiving,after awhile I stopped explaining why
A yr before I knew I was going to retired,I started calling in day after thanksgiving since it was going to be a 'skeleton crew' anyways.At that point I just didn't care,I always got stuck with a sr tech who I disliked.
When I retired March 2011,that Nov I flew to my brother&sister in law's for thanksgiving for the 1st time in 27 yrs, spent couple days reconnecting with my nieces&nephews.It felt strange but in a good way.Every yr since then,weather permitting,that's where I go,making up for lost time. Its one of the main reasons why I took early retirement in 2011. Sue
 
I usually worked a 40 hour workweek, but if overtime was available I would work an extra 8 or 10 hour shift. Once or twice I worked a 7 day week, very rare, did it for the overtime pay. I started saving for early retirement when I was younger, and I didn't have kids so working was not a problem. Both my husband and I worked for the goal of retiring early, now we spend lot of time together, well worth it, wouldn't have changed a thing.
 
For me, after working a few jobs that included more than an 8 hour day and weekends, I was totally ready for..........having weekends off for fun!
 
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I was a single mother of a disabled child.

I worked 40 hours a week with some overtime.

Fortunately, there was a special needs daycare in my city that also took disabled adults.

Because of my son's disability, I planned to retire early at age 55 and I did. When I retired, we both retired. Post-retirement, I was able to be with my son six years 24/7 before he suddenly and unexpectedly died during a seizure [he was 38 years old.] I am so glad we had that time together... otherwise I might have been at work when he died.

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