Whose Bright Idea?

[Mockingbird]

I want to know whose bright idea it was that people should work 40 hours a week? I am sure there are people that work more, or even less but on average many people work Monday to Friday for about 40 hours.

It has always struck me as odd that people would think spending more then 2/3 of your time devoted to working for someone else would be a good idea. I know we do it for pay but seriously it is not enough pay to get other people to do the things we are not doing. Maybe I am the only ninny that works like this- Do You work 40 hours a week?

 

[blueeyes]

I no longer work outside the home but when I did, I worked 50 hours a week. Mind you I was doing a job that I really enjoyed and the money was good. Still, I did spend more time at my job than at home, which wasn't a good thing!

 

[elles-belles]

I actually also just saw this whole working 40 hours a week as such a drag! I think it could possibly just be some for of slavery really because you work so hard, only to get peanuts and make the next person loaded!
I prefer working for myself, that way you are highly motivated and know exactly what you want!

 

[Lushlala]

Yes I agree elles-belles, it's a form modern day slavery! I used to work a 35 hour week, got a 35 minute lunch break and I thought it was tight. Yet you hear of people doing a 60 hour week for a paltry wage! I much prefer to work for myself, put in all those hours knowing I'll be laughing all the way to the bank at the end of the month. Even working long hours online and getting a fraction of what I used to make working a regular job, is more appealing to me. Now if only I could increase my online earnings to about $500 a month I'd be all made up. I'm not very greedy

 

[AUFred]

Most jobs I have had the last 37 years I wish I had only worked 40 hours a week. Being self-employed and wishing to provide for my family I rarely work less than 40 hours if work is available. The last year construction being down has meant less real hours of work but that seems to be changing.

 

[Mockingbird]

I am not the type of person that does not want to work, I have no problem doing the jobs I am given. I just get a bit turned off when you find that all your time is spent working and you have very little to show for your efforts. I don't need a plaque or a gold star, I just want recognition that I did the job right. It seems sad that people can work full time and still have to struggle to make ends meet. I try to think out of the box for other ways to bring home cash and short of armed robbery I come up with nothing. Last thing I want is to work a second job and still be broke and tired.

 

[Gemma]

I work from home now so I don't deal with that kind of thing but I think, originally, 40 hours was probably considered pretty restful. In my grandparents' generation, if you had a family farm, you started working (physical labor caring for animals and plants and the home) pretty early in the morning and other than a brief break in the afternoon for lunch, kept going until after dinner. Those were long days of physical labor fairly recently. Before that, those long days of farming or hunting/gathering were more common. They worked for pretty much everything that we take for granted. I stop at the store to pick up butter and they milked cows and physically worked the churn. It's a huge difference. I think it matters though that they could see what they were working for and the work was necessary. Working for money to buy stuff is a lot more abstract and is harder, I think. The labor is easier but the mental tone is different.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

Working 40 hours per week at a job you hate can make you feel like all you do is work.

 

[Peachdejour]

I want to know whose bright idea it was that people should work 40 hours a week? I am sure there are people that work more, or even less but on average many people work Monday to Friday for about 40 hours.

It has always struck me as odd that people would think spending more then 2/3 of your time devoted to working for someone else would be a good idea. I know we do it for pay but seriously it is not enough pay to get other people to do the things we are not doing. Maybe I am the only ninny that works like this- Do You work 40 hours a week?

We are one of the few industrialized countries that works this many hours. We are a bunch of workaholics. We are fatter, unhealthier, and take more medication than the rest of the industrialized world and have more social problems. We are a hot mess. I work 40 hours a week. I should work less, but I'm sick and I really need my good health insurance and I have a beautiful daughter to provide for everyday. It is what it is, I suppose.

 

[Lushlala]

Working 40 hours per week at a job you hate can make you feel like all you do is work.

I totally agree because I was once in this situation! It made me hate Sundays. From the time I woke up on Sundays, I'd start doing the count down, and it pretty much felt as if all I did was eat, sleep, work and then it would start all over again! I absolutely hated it with a passion. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. The weekend felt like I blinked and it was gone.

 

[Joe the meek]

I am not the type of person that does not want to work, I have no problem doing the jobs I am given. I just get a bit turned off when you find that all your time is spent working and you have very little to show for your efforts. I don't need a plaque or a gold star, I just want recognition that I did the job right. It seems sad that people can work full time and still have to struggle to make ends meet. I try to think out of the box for other ways to bring home cash and short of armed robbery I come up with nothing. Last thing I want is to work a second job and still be broke and tired.

If you love what you do, the hours don't matter.

I'm lucky, I love what I do.

When I was hourly I once worked 135 hours in one week. After that paycheck, I found out I wanted to go salary LOL

 

[Springtime]

I think about 15-20 years ago, we were required to work about 45 hours a week, that is 9-5 on Monday to Friday and 9-1:00pm for Saturdays. In my location, most people who are employed work 40 hours a week. However, some company are starting to offer employees working four days a week which means 32 hours a week.

 

[Stardom22]

Yes I agree elles-belles, it's a form modern day slavery! I used to work a 35 hour week, got a 35 minute lunch break and I thought it was tight. Yet you hear of people doing a 60 hour week for a paltry wage! I much prefer to work for myself, put in all those hours knowing I'll be laughing all the way to the bank at the end of the month. Even working long hours online and getting a fraction of what I used to make working a regular job, is more appealing to me. Now if only I could increase my online earnings to about $500 a month I'd be all made up. I'm not very greedy

My online earnings are below $100 per month. It's seems you got some high paying online jobs online. Do you consider sharing with me so that I can boost mine too?

 

[theearner]

It is not a big problem for me working 40 hours for someone else. It is both benefits whether financial or social .