How do you do it? the 9-5 thing for 40+ years?

[fs5]

So you graduate college, you get a job. You know your salary, you know your career path and the salary of each promotion. You can practically plan out your entire life from there. Buy a house at age XX, have kids at age YY (when you can support them), and retire at age ZZ...

You have a fixed income for the next 50+ years if you live in the corporate world. I don't see how you expect to break the mold unless you win the lottery, start your own business, or be in the right place at the right time (IPOs).

I love being a developer, which is more a 9-9 job, but it's just kinda funny when you think about it.

 

[K1052]

That would be exactly the reason I left my state government job.

Another avenue was opened to me and I took it.

 

[zimu]

work sucks. 9-5 doesn't exist, anywhere. i do 9-7 mon-Fri, and 9-2 sat. my colleagues probably push 30% more hours than me. but i don't give a crap.

 

[Jzero]

That's why personal satisfaction is more important than money.

 

[olds]

Slow but steady wins the race. Just ask the tortoise.

 

[Gibson486]

I have being doing this 9-5 deal for 6 months so far....I can't wait to go back to school.

 

[SuRgEoN]

Originally posted by: Jzero
That's why personal satisfaction is more important than money.

I second that

 

[Juno]

I do a 7-7 job every summer.

Getting up early in the morning=pain in the ass.

 

[jemcam]

I don't know how it's done 40 years. I'm getting really burned out after 20 years in the workforce.

Edit, my hours for the past 15 years have been 8-4:30.

 

[fs5]

Originally posted by: Jzero
That's why personal satisfaction is more important than money.

yes that's true, but even though you love your job you've got to be able to afford that house, or that car, or even money to put kids through college. Where ever your personal satisfaction lies, you'll probably need at least some money to get there.

 

[nakedfrog]

Life has whatever meaning you attach to it.

 

[Digobick]

People still work 9-5?? It's 8-5 for everyone at my company.

 

[radioouman]

I've done it for 2.5 years and the only way I've kept my sanity is by taking classes in the evenings.
I don't know how I will survive for the next 40 or so.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: K1052
That would be exactly the reason I left my state government job.

Another avenue was opened to me and I took it.

Thats the reason I am keeping my state job. I view it as base pay. When I leave at 3:30 I've got a good part of the day to do other stuff and try our different money making opportunities. If one takes off then I quit.

The key I think is to not focus on the work but the home life. Work sucks. I should have went in to business for myself long ago, but now I have other obligations and can't do that. But I do okay, I hardly give work a second of brain time after 3:30.

 

[purbeast0]

i work 9-5:30, but if i eat at work i leave by 5. really laid back here and chill, i nef half of the time here. but then again i've only been doing the 9-5 thing for about 3 months and i am just starting to get into some real work soon.

but yea, getting up early blows. when i go to the gym after work i don't get to chill at home really until like 7:30 or 8, then i usually watch a movie or play some xbox live.

 

[TallBill]

Well so far after high school, I went to school for a year, 8-5 job for a year, school for another year, Army Reserves + waiter for a year, then Active duty for half a year now. I have no clue when or how I'll settle into an actual rythem. After 3 years of Army, its at least 3 more years of school, then what? EEK?

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: rudder

Originally posted by: K1052
That would be exactly the reason I left my state government job.

Another avenue was opened to me and I took it.

Thats the reason I am keeping my state job. I view it as base pay. When I leave at 3:30 I've got a good part of the day to do other stuff and try our different money making opportunities. If one takes off then I quit.

The key I think is to not focus on the work but the home life. Work sucks. I should have went in to business for myself long ago, but now I have other obligations and can't do that. But I do okay, I hardly give work a second of brain time after 3:30.

That is a good point.

When I left the state had just done an ERI (Early Retirement Initiative) and was discussing another one. I saw the older workers just dying to finish their time and get out. It was just depressing to me that people spend 30+ years counting the days to retirement in jobs they hate.

I'd much rather work harder and longer in something I at least have a little interest in and wouldn't mind doing for many years.

Edit: I should add that I am young and have no children to consider. That, of course, makes my choices have much less inherent risk as the only damage I can do is to me.

 

[ATLien247]

I do it because it is required of me. I have a wife and children to support.

I don't find enjoyment in any kind of job. Even if you work for yourself, a job is a job. So unless I become independently wealthy by some act beyond my control, I'm pretty sure I'll be working until I'm of retirement age... or longer.

I guess the term "satisfied" would be a better indicator of my willingness to hold a given job. To me, enjoyment and satisfaction are two very different things...

 

[johnjbruin]

Dont live to work, work to live.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

yeah, its gonna be a long 40 yrs.

its good to have a stable job, and even if i dont enjoy showing up everyday i would happily do it to live a comfortable life outside of work. i am definitely going to keep my mind, eyes, and ears open for good opportunities to go into business or invest. the goal would be to make sooo much money i wouldnt need to work anymore. or, i just find a wife that makes a lot of money and be a house-husband. that would be great.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: rudder

Originally posted by: K1052
That would be exactly the reason I left my state government job.

Another avenue was opened to me and I took it.

Thats the reason I am keeping my state job. I view it as base pay. When I leave at 3:30 I've got a good part of the day to do other stuff and try our different money making opportunities. If one takes off then I quit.

The key I think is to not focus on the work but the home life. Work sucks. I should have went in to business for myself long ago, but now I have other obligations and can't do that. But I do okay, I hardly give work a second of brain time after 3:30.

That is a good point.

When I left the state had just done an ERI (Early Retirement Initiative) and was discussing another one. I saw the older workers just dying to finish their time and get out. It was just depressing to me that people spend 30+ years counting the days to retirement in jobs they hate.

I'd much rather work harder and longer in something I at least have a little interest in and wouldn't mind doing for many years.

Edit: I should add that I am young and have no children to consider. That, of course, makes my choices have much less inherent risk as the only damage I can do is to me.

Luckily I am in IT and I am being sent to class all the time as well. I am in a track that offers plenty of advancement opportunity. But yes State government can be a depressing place, watching people in the same position for 10,20, 30, or even some who have been here over 40 years.

 

[TeeJay1952]

I was 50 when I retired from auto assembly. 30 and out. Didn't think about anything in particular just everything in general. Wasn't cool while I was doing it but now......

 

[jagec]

I don't think TOO many people do it for 40 years anymore. Maybe 10-20 year stints.

 

[WhiteKnight]

I'm sort of looking forward to 9-5. Some of you older folks maby think I'm crazy, and I probably am, but I feel like 9-5 has to be better than the 8 am - 11 pm that grad school requires of me now.

 

[Descartes]

I couldn't do it any longer, so after 6 years (yeah, I couldn't hold out long) I decided I'd rather be self-employed. I won't go back.