Work/Life Balance

[stonerblue]

fuckin hell Ronnie, you're always on the road.

he's in rep.

No, Madrid :-)

All those airports and hotel rooms and still a sense of humour? I take my hat off to you Ronnie.<br /><br />-- Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:39 pm --<br /><br />

Do you have a good work/life balance?

Most people don't enjoy their work, yet spend so much time working that they miss out on life. Do you sometimes sit and work and think: why am I not scuba diving in Australia? Or just enjoying life more than you currently are by doing different things?

I find it tragic how people work so hard in order to retire with as much money as possible, but by the time they've reached this 'goal' they're too old or too ill to enjoy it properly.

If you're young, surely NOW is the time to do the stuff you've always wanted to do. I understand that you need to do something that you enjoy and that is paid employment, but surely nobody enjoys working in a call centre all day like millions of young people do.

save up 20 grand or sell summat, go to Oz, buy a VW combi, and live around Byron Bay for 6 months, if your meagre you can live on that, stacks of half naked foreign chicks working there, loads of free bands on in the bars, nice surfy beaches, perfect weather.......If I was young and single thats what Id do.

i loved Byron Bay and have to agree with your advice. Also the best fish and chips in the world on the beach. Why wouldn't you go ?

 

[Ducado]

Honestly don't think I'll ever retire, not a money thing, got a final salary pension etc. I just get bored to easy. When work is slack in the summer, I've got loads of time on my hands, and I find it boring (I know it sounds like I'm taking the piss but its the truth), but in winter when I'm run off my feet, the warmer weather can't come fast enough :$

I beleive you and I am similar, I quite enjoy what I do it pays the bills and gives me a comfortable lifestyle, I am still relativity young my daughter has moved out and lives in Birmingham so it's only me and Mrs and the dog

 

[bgblue]

Love my job, and just like you, me the wife and the dog at home, don't need to work myself to death, but really enjoy my job and gives us a good lifestyle. Just that sometimes I've got to work some long hours. I feel lucky everyday for what I've got, but worked hard to get it. Wouldn't change how I did it either.
When I read how people hate their jobs, and/or situation, I feel gutted for them :(

 

[Ducado]

Love my job, and just like you, me the wife and the dog at home, don't need to work myself to death, but really enjoy my job and gives us a good lifestyle. Just that sometimes I've got to work some long hours. I feel lucky everyday for what I've got, but worked hard to get it. Wouldn't change how I did it either.
When I read how people hate their jobs, and/or situation, I feel gutted for them :(

Don't get me wrong I have bad days sometimes bad bloody weeks, don't we all

 

[andyhinch]

Love my job, and just like you, me the wife and the dog at home, don't need to work myself to death, but really enjoy my job and gives us a good lifestyle. Just that sometimes I've got to work some long hours. I feel lucky everyday for what I've got, but worked hard to get it. Wouldn't change how I did it either.
When I read how people hate their jobs, and/or situation, I feel gutted for them :(

Don't get me wrong I have bad days sometimes bad bloody weeks, don't we all

What I miss is the stress/aggravation, sounds odd but it's what makes me tick

 

[bgblue]

Love my job, and just like you, me the wife and the dog at home, don't need to work myself to death, but really enjoy my job and gives us a good lifestyle. Just that sometimes I've got to work some long hours. I feel lucky everyday for what I've got, but worked hard to get it. Wouldn't change how I did it either.
When I read how people hate their jobs, and/or situation, I feel gutted for them :(

Don't get me wrong I have bad days sometimes bad bloody weeks, don't we all

What I miss is the stress/aggravation, sounds odd but it's what makes me tick

That's just it though, it's what makes you tick.
I've been in engineering in one way or another all my working life. My mind is always active, and I don't like it when my hands are idle.

 

[kunaguero10]

great thread

 

[lostmyhouseski]

we moved back to England in 2010, couldn't get work in the north west so ended up driving darn sarf sunday nights, staying in a hotel during the week and then coming back up to our manc house fridays nights. Sure enough by the time you did all your washing and chores, been to watch City/had a small amount of fun etc you would be back on the M6 before you knew it...it nearly killed me.

We eventually rented a flat down there but mrs houseski endured commutes of between 1.5-3 hours each way and I wasn't too far off.
It wasn't until we went on a holiday to India that we took some time out and thought what the fook are we doing with our lives? Within 3 months we rented our house out, packed up all our wordly belongings and moved to Melbourne.

Now we have a 20 miute commute each, on one train. By 6 o'clock each night I am in the dog park having a beer and relaxing. I really feel for people who are genuinely trapped in a situation but if you can do anything about it, I would break the shackles. work to live, not vice versa!

as for those who retire and are bored- each to their own but it shows a lack of imagination to me...there are plenty of ways to keep your mind active and feel like you are making a useful contribution to society

 

[markyboyblue]

Thinking about the balance part. For one of the first times in my life i have a job i love. Its flexible, enjoyable and something i am relatively good at. I get weekends off too. The only problems are that the benefits ie holidays, sick pay are not too good and the money isn't the best. I just think back to when i was earning an extra 5k plus a year with a lot more stress and think nah leave it, this is the best balance for me.

 

[DenisLawBackHeel74]

Bumping this thread to find out what ya’ll are doing now, nearly 5 years on. Some good stuff in here...