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WTF? ...is this really a National holiday ..TODAY?
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Gino
Premium Subscriber
When I started, I too worked from 5:30am til 7:30am at my own business.... be at the shop where I worked from 8am til 5pm.... go home for a little supper and say hi to my wife and be back to work in my own shop by 6:30 again until about midnight. That's a lota hours and it's also stupid planning, but I was young and couldn't say 'NO' to anyone or anything.
If you really think being at work 100 hours a week is important and the only way you can land jobs, I would invite you to attend some seminars on how to schedule and maintain a business. If you don't stop to smell the roses, you will most likely live a short life. Everyone needs to stop and re-charge their batteries and if you think by working through holidays or entire weekends is what will do it.... believe me.... no one in any business respects another business-minded person that can't schedule and maintain a life.
As for the working four 10 hour days as being lazy, try this on for size...... rather think of all the gasoline saved, electric saved, heat saved and so much in the way of overhead by only using it for four days instead of five days. How about how much some people save in child care facilities ?? There are so many pros for a 10 hour day. You get more work done in a 10 hour day than an 8 hour day. Far more production is generated in those 4-10 hours vs. 5-8 hours. If you're talking high production 10 hours is the way to go. Why spread it out over 5 days when you can do it in 4 ?? Besides, better cash flow will follow.
Good going on the $35,000 jobs.
Hope you can make the deadline without killing yourself.
If you really think being at work 100 hours a week is important and the only way you can land jobs, I would invite you to attend some seminars on how to schedule and maintain a business. If you don't stop to smell the roses, you will most likely live a short life. Everyone needs to stop and re-charge their batteries and if you think by working through holidays or entire weekends is what will do it.... believe me.... no one in any business respects another business-minded person that can't schedule and maintain a life.
As for the working four 10 hour days as being lazy, try this on for size...... rather think of all the gasoline saved, electric saved, heat saved and so much in the way of overhead by only using it for four days instead of five days. How about how much some people save in child care facilities ?? There are so many pros for a 10 hour day. You get more work done in a 10 hour day than an 8 hour day. Far more production is generated in those 4-10 hours vs. 5-8 hours. If you're talking high production 10 hours is the way to go. Why spread it out over 5 days when you can do it in 4 ?? Besides, better cash flow will follow.
Good going on the $35,000 jobs.
Hope you can make the deadlineA good number of cutting edge tech companies are going to 4/8 with total flex time, unlimited sick days, etc. as it leads to more productivity as the employees work when their brains are tuned in to work and optimal.
The "you must work a lot of hours for it to count as work, work is a moral imperative" thing is not only an old concept but often an unhealthy lifestyle that doesn't have many tangible benefits for the company. Mind you this is white collar work not "stamp out x widgets" blue collar work so the productivity measures are different.
The "you must work a lot of hours for it to count as work, work is a moral imperative" thing is not only an old concept but often an unhealthy lifestyle that doesn't have many tangible benefits for the company. Mind you this is white collar work not "stamp out x widgets" blue collar work so the productivity measures are different.
SignManiac
New Member
Circleville Signs
New Member
I honestly do not understand the desire and pride people take in stating that they work 100+ hours/week.
Why in the world would you do that? I work just enough to make the money that I need to make to pay the bills and have the things my family needs. Not 1 second longer.
We weren't put on this earth to work - work is a necessary evil, IMO.
Why in the world would you do that? I work just enough to make the money that I need to make to pay the bills and have the things my family needs. Not 1 second longer.
We weren't put on this earth to work - work is a necessary evil, IMO.
artbot
New Member
i've seen some really bad years go by (post divorce, post bankruptcy caused by divorce, post custody battle). so for me and the next decade, i'm going to grow this thing into a fire breathing money maker. i just need about 3000sqft and two or three good employees. and also get out of these final post divorce settlement payments ($21k over the next 14 months!). i won't know what to do if i actually get to make money and keep it at this point.
for the 4/10 week. the employees are already there. just do a 4/12 or a 4/14. how does one finish a days work, leaving 14 hours to spare? what are we supposed to with 14 hours let alone 16 spare hours? we need to prepare for retirement, put kids through college. i can't imagine what an example that would leave on my daughters mind watching her dad sit around for 8 hours then sleep for 8 hours then work for 8 hours.
for the 4/10 week. the employees are already there. just do a 4/12 or a 4/14. how does one finish a days work, leaving 14 hours to spare? what are we supposed to with 14 hours let alone 16 spare hours? we need to prepare for retirement, put kids through college. i can't imagine what an example that would leave on my daughters mind watching her dad sit around for 8 hours then sleep for 8 hours then work for 8 hours.
oldgoatroper
Roper of Goats. Old ones.
the point is not to sit around for 8 hours, but to spend the time being a family. If you spend that time working instead, then it won't be long before you won't know your daughters, they won't know you and then the real fun will begin...
Circleville Signs
New Member
What do we do with those 14 hours? Here's my list..
1. Play with my kids
2. Spend quality time with my wife
3. Read a good book or 6.
4. Play video games (my guilty pleasure)
5. Sleep!!!
6. Take a class on something I'm interested in
7. Cook dinner for my family
8. Do household chores
Repeat as necessary. Money is necessary to live, however anyone can adjust their lifestyle to accommodate any financial situation. I have lived the life where I work 80+ hours/week, travel 10-12 days/month, make $100k+/year.
I hated it. My family hated it. Now, I work anywhere from 25-50 hrs/week (depending on workload). I don't make anywhere near as much money, but I am 5,000,000,000,000,000% happier than I ever was making loads of cash.
1. Play with my kids
2. Spend quality time with my wife
3. Read a good book or 6.
4. Play video games (my guilty pleasure)
5. Sleep!!!
6. Take a class on something I'm interested in
7. Cook dinner for my family
8. Do household chores
Repeat as necessary. Money is necessary to live, however anyone can adjust their lifestyle to accommodate any financial situation. I have lived the life where I work 80+ hours/week, travel 10-12 days/month, make $100k+/year.
I hated it. My family hated it. Now, I work anywhere from 25-50 hrs/week (depending on workload). I don't make anywhere near as much money, but I am 5,000,000,000,000,000% happier than I ever was making loads of cash.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
art...... you have some things very badly prioritized.
Seems you got yourself into a few jams and now you're paying the piper. I know nothing goes the way you plan it, but having to make up for lost or misused..... misguided times, doesn't necessarily dumb down to working like a one-armed-paperhanger and putting 100+ hours in a week.
If you worked the 4/10 hour days, why wouldn't you then on your days off do some shopping for food and make some quality meals for you and the kids, spend some quality time with your kids and do some creative planning so you can get used to being with your family ?? You can take your kids to a movie, a bike path, sledding or just for a walk through a park and smell the flowers. You can play games like name that bird, name that plant and sit on a bench and watch other people walking by..... enjoying life. Life is so short and precious, that doing it your way... you'll miss your kids' entire childhood and won't have any decent memories. She'll one day say...... Daddy, where were you all my life while I grew up and never saw you ?? You don't know me....... and you'll have a possible crisis on your hands.
Take some time off art and enjoy the little things in life.... they become the biggest things when you get older.
You wanna be sitting on a porch when you're 85 saying.... yeah, I remember working my can off 100+ hours a week and what do I have to show for it.... nada.... except my bills got paid off........ ;(
Seems you got yourself into a few jams and now you're paying the piper. I know nothing goes the way you plan it, but having to make up for lost or misused..... misguided times, doesn't necessarily dumb down to working like a one-armed-paperhanger and putting 100+ hours in a week.
If you worked the 4/10 hour days, why wouldn't you then on your days off do some shopping for food and make some quality meals for you and the kids, spend some quality time with your kids and do some creative planning so you can get used to being with your family ?? You can take your kids to a movie, a bike path, sledding or just for a walk through a park and smell the flowers. You can play games like name that bird, name that plant and sit on a bench and watch other people walking by..... enjoying life. Life is so short and precious, that doing it your way... you'll miss your kids' entire childhood and won't have any decent memories. She'll one day say...... Daddy, where were you all my life while I grew up and never saw you ?? You don't know me....... and you'll have a possible crisis on your hands.
Take some time off art and enjoy the little things in life.... they become the biggest things when you get older.
You wanna be sitting on a porch when you're 85 saying.... yeah, I remember working my can off 100+ hours a week and what do I have to show for it.... nada.... except my bills got paid off........ ;(
artbot
New Member
my daughter is 13, the smartest girl in the school. right now she's looking at youtube videos because she wants to upgrade her dslr and this year she's starting voice lessons and guitar lessons. at 12 i started out my professional career, literally. she's across the hall, in my presence all day. we went to dallas on a two day trip just a week ago to pick up a giant rotisserie table from a vietnam war decommissioned fighter jet factory.
for me, quality time is doing something. not sports, tv, bbq, hanging with friends. to each their own. i hope my daughter "does something". she's finally bored with childhood and wants to get more involved and she really only needs my support for that. she's my best friend and vice versa. what i see most people calling "quality time" i call wasting time. i know the world doesn't work that way. but i just can't kick back. it's not in my nature.
for me, quality time is doing something. not sports, tv, bbq, hanging with friends. to each their own. i hope my daughter "does something". she's finally bored with childhood and wants to get more involved and she really only needs my support for that. she's my best friend and vice versa. what i see most people calling "quality time" i call wasting time. i know the world doesn't work that way. but i just can't kick back. it's not in my nature.
Dice
New Member
I just wanted to remind everyone that did not want to relax this holiday season to work on your business, not for your business.
If you are working 100+ hours a week that is fine, but with the slowness of the holidays you can take some time and plan out for the new year.
What are you going to do to grow your business? Do you have a marketing plan for '12?
What are you doing to do to reduce the amount of time you work for your business instead of on your business? Do you have enough business to hire an additional employee?
Work Smarter, not harder.
If you are working 100+ hours a week that is fine, but with the slowness of the holidays you can take some time and plan out for the new year.
What are you going to do to grow your business? Do you have a marketing plan for '12?
What are you doing to do to reduce the amount of time you work for your business instead of on your business? Do you have enough business to hire an additional employee?
Work Smarter, not harder.
weaselboogie
New Member
Agreed.
artbot - It's good that this situation seems to work for you, but don't make broad sweeping generalizations about everyone's work ethic. Working for yourself and working for someone else is a compeltely different mindset. I bust my *** when needed, but being successful to me means providing for my family , but most importantly BEING there for my family. I'm sure my wife would divorce my *** if I was never there.
TheSnowman
New Member
I'm with Gary. I'm the only guy in my shop, so I work a lot when there's a lot of work, and I work a little when there's a little work, but my family is number one priority. My number one job is being a daddy every second I get, so if my jobs are caught up, I'm with my family loving every minute of it, not wishing I could work 100+ hours a week and never see them.
Over the past 7 years I have become so efficient w/ my equipment, and my subs that I use, I rarely work a 40 hour week. Life is great as long as I'm keeping up with the bills. It's different for everyone. If they love the 80+ hour work weeks, have at it if it defines who you are. Also, long as you pay your own bills and the gov't isn't doing it, work as little as you need to to support your lifestyle. It's America, do what you want, when you want to do it if you can.
artbot
New Member
dice is right. i generally spend four or five hours a week only reading studying designing new equipment/technologies/expansion etc.
sorry if i ruffled a few feathers. my lifestyle would not suit 99% if america. but it isn't dissimilar to some of the harder working countries out there. and my wife...(girlfriend) works with me. we are joined at the hip.
the ugly truth is, this country is going to tank in the next decades. we just don't have a good hand to play this round. anyone with long term survival on their minds (mid 40's) should not be depending on the gov't for squat in the future and even have an exit strategy if necessary. this is not gloom and doom. these are basic historical cycles that empires experience that have now come to this country's doorstep.
sorry if i ruffled a few feathers. my lifestyle would not suit 99% if america. but it isn't dissimilar to some of the harder working countries out there. and my wife...(girlfriend) works with me. we are joined at the hip.
the ugly truth is, this country is going to tank in the next decades. we just don't have a good hand to play this round. anyone with long term survival on their minds (mid 40's) should not be depending on the gov't for squat in the future and even have an exit strategy if necessary. this is not gloom and doom. these are basic historical cycles that empires experience that have now come to this country's doorstep.
SignManiac
New Member
I was one of those workaholics at one time in my career. And I paid for it in many ways. Luckily, I woke up and figured out that I would rather work smarter, not harder. Working smart you can make twice as much money as you can working hard. 1/3 of my life is work, the other 2/3 is having as much fun as is legally possible! My headstone will simply say, "No Regrets"
gabagoo
New Member
This is the one time of the year that I get a chance to do things in my shop that just cant be done the rest of the year.
I started a few weeks back slowly, converting an area on the main shop floor in the back that was basically an off cut storage waste of space.
I got fed up looking at it and decided that this 9' x 25' area would be perfect for my laminator, which normally sits on the main shop floor and is continually being moved around to allow vehicles in. I was sick and tired of the debris also getting into my laminations.
This new area sits under the mezzanine and is somewhat away from where most of the dust and debris resides.
I threw out so many off cuts of sintra, coro, plywood and every other item I thought might make me extra $$$..... but in reality I could not spend the time to search through it all. I tore apart aluminum frames and cut the plexi into smaller sizes and dumped it all. My dumpster must weight 2 tons!!!
I had one of those metal racking systems and took it all apart and will give it to another shop who could use it. The deal is he picks it up early next week or I sell it on Kajiji.
I spent the weekend cleaning and painted the floor and walls with white concrete paint and actually made a coroplast wall. Put in extra lighting and voila!!! more work space...
I can hardly wait for tomorrow to test it out.....
Oh I almost forgot.... while tossing out all this crap I found a box that was from our Allen Datagraph plotter ( sold it 8 years ago lol) and found 2 48" roller bars with bearings and decided to make a stand to unroll laminate as needed.
Lastly... about 3 weeks ago I bought a 5' x 10' cutting mat and decided working on a 4 x 8 table really sucked. I planned this out so perfectly to make this work on a 3 x 8 table using offcuts of old plywood to make the top larger to hold the the new piece.... but then I unwound it and my planning went to %^%$ they sent me a 12' x 5' piece..... Backto the drawing board. I built the table but I had to insert cores on each corner to support the ends...Not sure this will work in the long run but I will try it out.
I started a few weeks back slowly, converting an area on the main shop floor in the back that was basically an off cut storage waste of space.
I got fed up looking at it and decided that this 9' x 25' area would be perfect for my laminator, which normally sits on the main shop floor and is continually being moved around to allow vehicles in. I was sick and tired of the debris also getting into my laminations.
This new area sits under the mezzanine and is somewhat away from where most of the dust and debris resides.
I threw out so many off cuts of sintra, coro, plywood and every other item I thought might make me extra $$$..... but in reality I could not spend the time to search through it all. I tore apart aluminum frames and cut the plexi into smaller sizes and dumped it all. My dumpster must weight 2 tons!!!
I had one of those metal racking systems and took it all apart and will give it to another shop who could use it. The deal is he picks it up early next week or I sell it on Kajiji.
I spent the weekend cleaning and painted the floor and walls with white concrete paint and actually made a coroplast wall. Put in extra lighting and voila!!! more work space...
I can hardly wait for tomorrow to test it out.....
Oh I almost forgot.... while tossing out all this crap I found a box that was from our Allen Datagraph plotter ( sold it 8 years ago lol) and found 2 48" roller bars with bearings and decided to make a stand to unroll laminate as needed.
Lastly... about 3 weeks ago I bought a 5' x 10' cutting mat and decided working on a 4 x 8 table really sucked. I planned this out so perfectly to make this work on a 3 x 8 table using offcuts of old plywood to make the top larger to hold the the new piece.... but then I unwound it and my planning went to %^%$ they sent me a 12' x 5' piece..... Backto the drawing board. I built the table but I had to insert cores on each corner to support the ends...Not sure this will work in the long run but I will try it out.
