work life balance

[davy_G]

Hi all,

I used to work 10-12 hrs a day, 7 days a week for months on end.
Now Im down to a 5 day week and home at a sensible time in the evenings and weekends off.
My earnings havnt went down too much but im enjoying tiling more, before it was a rush to get the job finished & onto the next person id promised id get their job done. I dont think i ever compromised on quality but now ive got alot more quality of life.

Only worry is if things keep going the way they are, i could be down to a 3 day week in 6 months!

[GirlRacerRed]

A man after my own heart Dave! As a personnel / human resources manager, I have the onerous task at work of making sure that quality work gets done in a timely fashion but without people being under pressure to work long hours.

I'm a huge advocate of work-life balance, 1) because we work to live, not live to work and 2) I have health issues that will affect me for the rest of my life, so I work my hours, do a little bit extra when I can and then just go home and leave it all behind me.

So good on ya!

[CJ]

Work to live.

Not live to work.

Just got to get a life now

[GirlRacerRed]

Isn't that why you're on this lovely forum CJ?

[CJ]

Isn't that why you're on this lovely forum CJ?

Early finish today..........industrial unit shuts up at 4pm on Fridays

[Fred]

Isn't that why you're on this lovely forum CJ?

No GRR, cj got kicked off the last forum we were both on, oh....me as well..................doh

[doug boardley]

deffo work to live,with a couple of toddlers though you have to strike the balance right.Don't want to miss out on these growing up years.
Did anyone ever on their deathbed think "I wish I'd spent more time at work and not with my family!"

[david campbell]

deffo work to live,with a couple of toddlers though you have to strike the balance right.Don't want to miss out on these growing up years.
Did anyone ever on their deathbed think "I wish I'd spent more time at work and not with my family!"

if you were part of frank from shameless family you might lol!

[mikethetile]

im finding the same thing

im making less but not a lot less as my costs have gone done in proportion

im enjoying work more than i have done for a long time

im thinking of raising my rates and taking longer on each job and doing less jobs

i may even take up a hobby

[FreeD]

what life...starting out in business is freaking hard...24/7 i've been working for the last year and a half...can't see that changing anytime soon.

[brian c]

as long as i get to take the football on Sundays then i dont mind working a Saturday morning and love having a day off during the week.

[Leatherface]

Same as Davy G, went through a phase of working 7 days a week, long hours, evenings, nights, going in early, finishing late, starting one job to keep customer happy whilst other job not finished, ran myself ragged. No thanks at all off anyone, grief off my wife, made myself poorly.
No more, if they won't wait they can find someone else. Only work silly hours now if it is very worth my while £££££

[doug boardley]

can't see the point of working to dropping point, get cranky, growl at wife and kids, start making mistakes at work. Is that living??

[CJ]

can't see the point of working to dropping point, get cranky, growl at wife and kids, start making mistakes at work. Is that living??

Don't suppose she would notice any difference then?

[doug boardley]

don't suppose she would notice any difference then?

[hillhead]

I usually don't start to 8.30am, come 5pm i'm gettin ready for the road again,life too short without play.

[david campbell]

totally stopped working weekends unless i'm playing golf during the week and have to make up the 1/2 shift on a saturday morn,stopped working after 5.30,unless just before a holiday or xmas!

also enjoying work more due to this!

[faithhealer]

in my other life (employed) did a 60/70 hr week for 10 yrs. Now i am really trying to have weekends off. Do the odd quote perhaps but thats all

[doug boardley]

totally stopped working weekends unless i'm playing golf during the week and have to make up the 1/2 shift on a saturday morn,stopped working after 5.30,unless just before a holiday or xmas!

also enjoying work more due to this!

I remember when I used to play 3 or 4 times a week, happy days!

[bigandy]

had a little health scare a few years ago so now only work 5 days and reasonable hours, if i have to work weekends i take time off during week to accomodate.

[cornish_crofter]

Did anyone ever on their deathbed think "I wish I'd spent more time at work and not with my family!"

Probably some chap who got electrocuted on a day off helping his wife change a light bulb! LOL

[timeless john]

Self employed is being your own boss!
The customer expects you to be there from 8-5 but thats it. If you put in a good days work you reap the rewards. If you price it right, and create a job your proud of i.e you would have in your own home, then its the best job out there. I get paid by the metre or job NOT by the number of hours I work.

[mikethetile]

i have to agree with john on this

work to a price

if you agree to a dayrate you end up working for the client not yourself with them watching you to ensure your not wasting their money

agreed price for an agreed amount of work................it doesnt matter how quick or slow you are they are still happy

people soon forget how long a job took or the cost

but they wont forget a good job well done

[theyomper]

I use to live to work but nowadays I try to plan my work so that I get a long weekend every week. I still only work from 8 till 5 and despite the C/C I find that my average earnings have not dropped. I feel more relaxed, enjoy my free time and look forward to the next job rather than rushing fom one to another.

[P'boro tiler]

i generally work 8- 4 or 8.30 - 4.30 or 9 - 5
depends if im taking my kid to school. im trying really hard to leave work at work.
its a pain in the arse when the customer phones up on a sat or sunday night because then i get my business head on again and stop enjoying family life etc

[doug boardley]

tbh that doesn't bother me, people have to phone sometime, and i always thank them for their call. Straight after that, back to play fighting with my lads!