Comments on: Working Hard or Hardly Working: Which would you prefer to do?

By: mike

mike — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:42:17 +0000

i liked this post. it reminds me fo my 20s i loved every minute of it. then i got into ownership of my own resturant busted my tail for 8 years. i curently own 2 locations working on number 3 and work that happy 40 to 50 hours a week with time for my kids and wife and family. what dose this mean for every one else, i think they should have goals and keep working for those goals. work hard and long while you can and reallize when family is more important. hopfully by then you will have set yourself up for success. above all else be smart with the money you are making. save save save then save some more that is one thing most gen y people no nothing about and we need to start teaching.

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:28:48 +0000

I definitely have been in this position before
It is hard between being torn between wanting to give your best shot to your work, and being exhausted. I think that the best way to stay balanced is to recognize the value in everything.. but try to still eek out some time for yourself. It’s really hard to do, I am a victim of that challenge myself, but it is still an issue.

Great post!

By: Bruce Flannigan

Bruce Flannigan — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:55:26 +0000

I can relate, I knew a guy who had three jobs once. The first was to carry a 75 pound rucksack through the Da Nang jungle. The second was to find and kill Charlie. The third was to figure out how to do the first two with one arm and a ruptured spleen. Yep, having three jobs sure isn’t easy.

By: tj

tj — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:30:41 +0000

Thanks for sharing all.

I am completely intrigued by the “no cars island resort.”

By: blaez

blaez — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:47:28 +0000

In 2006 after my divorce influenced move to Chicago I worked 2 fulltime jobs. Over 80 hours a week. Thank gods the 2nd job was double shift weekends and a few hours during the evening during really busy times. The most horrible of it all was driving over an hour north from my house to the “professional” job and then driving back south for a 2 hour commute on the days needed at the “non professional” job. My only time for rest was the days during the week I didn’t work both jobs and that was mainly Monday Tues and Wednesday. It was extremely exhausting. I did that for over a year. Needless to day when the professional day job company took a hit financially and they had to lay off people and I was one of them I was relieved because there was no way I’d have been able to quit either one no matter what. I was scared to quit and be late on any payments again. Having that 2nd job was a blessing in disquise because I then went and started seeking other hourly opportunities with that company in different departments which landed me my promotion I got over a year ago and working a full 40 hours give or take a few with the flow of the season AND it paid more than the professional job I was laid off from.

If I had to do it again I would work a 2nd job but since I met someone new and they work a full job making more money than both of my other ones combined –I’d say that as long as me and him are together and he gets to keep his job all I need is my one!!

I’ve learned that if your swimming in debt and new to an area it can be good. It can be bad requesting off work from multiple places to try and go on vacation!!

Working 2 jobs definatly helped put into perspective what my father went through working 3-4 jobs (4 in the summer) to keep me and him going when I was a kid him being a single father.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:50:48 +0000

I remember working 3 jobs at once–hotel maid, antique shop clerk, and pizza joint–plus some banquet waitressing in my ’spare’ time at this ‘no cars island resort’. (Any guesses where this was?)!

I had fun at each of the jobs because of the people and the shared craziness, and I banked a lot of cash that summer. It also taught me that once was enough, and I find myself juggling lots of balls and interests these days–they’re just not all employment-related!

By: Makenzie Kelly

Makenzie Kelly — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:32:28 +0000

Hey TJ… Wow! I’m exhausted from reading this. Although I’m the infamous Gen Xer…I can totally relate to the working, working, working hard, and thinking “where am I going with this?” I think when you’re in your 20’s you think that’s what you’re supposed to do. Until you break. But not break in a bad way (well, okay some people probably break in a bad way).
I was there, up until very recently. Started an amazing company. Worked my ass off for 5 years, then realized I was missing out on life. So now I’m “retired” from that and I’m working on using my talents and skills for other things. I just wrote a post about retiring actually. It’s really cool to have a new perspective on life like this.
Good luck!