How many hours a week do you work?

[stompinlines]

Time for some early evening catharsis. I thought I'd take a break from work and post my current state of affairs. I am curious what you guys and gals consider an average workweek?
I am fresh outta college. I spent the summer shaking the 'pregame-real-world jitters' surfing in Costa Rica. I was blessed to secure a job within the Orthopedic Sales sector. I have been working for this company since last October. I have been averaging 65-70 hours a week. I figure what the hell? I don't have a family and my lady friend understands the hours I am logging. I love what I am doing, and I feel these long hours are the only way I am going to get ahead in this field. The Alpha in me wants to destroy all of the other sales reps. But I am starting to feel emotionally malnourished as soon as I step out these doors at 9:00 p.m. every night.
What is it that you do to break up the monotony of your work schedule? Side note… I spent the latter part of the summer/early Fall in rehab, after getting mangled up in a car wreck. I love to run but my Orthopod told me to take a few months off because my knees are not at 100% yet. I’ve been running most my life. It’s convenient and it has kept me sane for as long as I can remember. I just picked up a membership to the local gym but I have been lacking the motivation (shaking the sand outta my vagina) to get up early to hit the pool. What do you do to keep yourself balanced during the week?….flame away...

[funkendrenchman]

Get on a bike and go ride... way easier on the knees than running and way more fun IMO.

[50kLeg]

When I'm working its about 55-65 hours a week in the winters at Mammoth and then a night job at a shop in town. Its a lot of work but the perks are worth it, free pass and sweet deals and cheap housing. Its nice cause there's plenty of ski breaks to break up the otherwise already awesome days of my life. In the summer I'm the cable guy for the local cable company, where they let me make my own schedule, so I get my cable TV and internet perks from them and I only really work about 20-30 hours a week in the summer and spend the rest of it biking and climbing and drinking. I'm currently in that waiting for the leg to heal stage that you went through so it really sucks cause I can't work till June, but I'd much rather be working. But to break up the monatomy of real life work (which I used to do) I found crocheting helped, a lil here and there throughout the day for 5-10 mins. I also used to like to take walks on my breaks and lunches at work when I had an office job. It was nice to get out and get some exercise, helps a ton to keep you from gettin the yawns. I'd also keep like a hand squeezer at work to squeeze while I was reading through my work to double check it. Hope some of those help.

[Nate Dogg]

I'm not in your position yet, but since I will once again be entering the working force for a few months, I figured I'd chime in. I am somewhat dreading going back to work full time after living a college lifestyle for the past 8 months, but it isn't optional. I will work from May through the end of August for a local moving company, working 45-50 hours a week. I realize this may not match the hours of some others, but the job is so demanding I can't imagine working many more hours -- we move one to two customers a day (as in load and unload a 26,000lb box truck absolutely packed to the walls, sometimes having to strap loads to the power tailgate), and we are expected to jog at a moderate pace to and from the truck when we aren't carrying items. The money gets me through the other eight months of college however, so I suppose I should limit my complaints

Anyhow, in order to break it up, I pretty much do nothing at all...after all, it is the summer. I go to the gym as often as I can (currently go 4x a week, but that tends to dwindle to 2 or 3x due to the physically demanding work). Other than that, I spend time hanging out with friends, hanging out with my dog, enjoying the outdoors, and drinking on the weekends. Doesn't sound too spectacular, but I love my summers despite my contempt for work.

[natty dread]

53 hours a week on average, although at times much more and at times much less. I keep balanced by getting out of town every now and again...Living in an awesome place helps too.

[bigtrubs]

Last summer I was working approx 65hrs/wk at two jobs, but had three days off a week... so it was a bit of a tradeoff. Probably doing the same-ish thing this summer.

[SherpaStyle]

I'm back in the swing of the 40 hr work week for now. That'll probably bump up to 90-110hrs mid summer. In the winter I only work 15-30hrs/wk. There isn't really much monotony in my jobs, so I have no advice for you...except that exercise is key. If I don't exercise in the morning and have to sit still all day I get depressed start to go kinda crazy.

[acostiga]

in my previous existence, as a cubicle placeholder, i'd entertain myself now and then by shooting rubber bands. rubber bands are a great way to entertain yourself, many times at the expense of others. you can sneak up on folks and sting them on the back of their neck. you can dismantle a pen and create a mid-range cannon using the correct type of rubber band. those things are awesome.

finding the correct angle and tension that would shoot a rubber band over my cubicle wall was always an adventure. the goal was to land the thing gently on the large bosom of the woman in the next cube over... which took skill. after a few minutes of my flinging them in her direction, she'd bound into my cube with a few rubber bands resting precariously on the huge shelf created by her boobies. once and a while i'd get lucky and make a deathstar shot... directly into the shirt through the gaping cleavage. obviously, your coworker has to be supercool and have mammoth mammaries for this kind of tom-foolery to happen.

but i only ever worked 40-45 hours per week. working the kind of hours you described would be tough. i'd need to constantly be reordering rubber bands.

you really should do something to keep yourself active and balanced, because it'd suck if other aspects of your life (relationship with ladyfriend) were influenced by job stress. my roomate loves his new road bike....

[meatdrink9]

I usually keep myself to 45 per week at my job, but when I get home and I'm the boss I often put in another 5 per night on things I want to work on. But I'm working for profit not wage. If the weekends aren't spent skiing I'm usually working for me again. I have some sort of hyper sensitive guilt/awareness of my mortality (limited time) and end-up feeling bad if I haven't done something wise with my time. We don't get much of it. Which is why if you're salaried and giving all those hours to the man I'd start re-evaluating some things.

[Trackhead]

I work three 12 hour shifts per week.

I goof off 100% the other 4 days.

[Dantheman]

I work three 12 hour shifts per week.

I goof off 100% the other 4 days.

That's my dream schedule right there.

[Steezus Christ]

You guys don't even want to begin hearing how many hours a week I work seeing how it is YOUR money paying my salary. But I actually like working so it is not like I try to only work 3 hours a week. There just isn't a damn thing to do.

[kush1]

Summer is coming so I hope to start being able to work anywhere from 60-112 hours a week so I can save some money for next winter. I will hate my life and not see any of my friends for most of the summer, but hey I'll have a lot of money for the winter. (oh i should add probably really skinny and pale by the end too, that sucks )

[powderwhore]

Depending on the week I work either 3 or 4 12hr shifts. Bonus is every 4th week I don't work at all! Nothing beats 14 weeks of vaca a year! Hope the man keeps me on this schedule for a while.

[DJSapp]

I work 70-80 hours per week. I've been running and or playing violent video games to balance things out. When I get a saturday off, I'm skiing for the weekend. It sucks, but in some industries you gotta pay your dues before you make the big $ and only work 30 hours a week.

[Odin]

I work 84 hours a week.

It's awesome.

[ski_faster]

I work three 12 hour shifts per week.

I goof off 100% the other 4 days.

I work the same shift. I wish I was in Utah to join you for all the touring you do.

[Twoplanker]

I have one full time job and two part-time jobs.

I work about 50-60 hours per week in my office and about another 5-10 hours per week at home.

[tuffy109]

if you're salaried and giving all those hours to the man I'd start re-evaluating some things.

this is the only way you earn your full compensation, unless you're receiving commission. my peeps get the news in three weeks.

i'm at 50-60 a week, but what i'm reponsible for these days runs through my head constantly.

i surf before work. that helps.

[ak_powder_monkey]

In the winter 0 in the summer looks like I'll be doing 60-70 hours a week

[FreakofSnow]

I average 42 hours a week, 2 10 hr days and 2 14 hour night shifts, then I get 4 days off. On the vaca side of things I get 14 days of vacation time which basically equates to 48 days (because of the way the schedule shakes out). Stack a possible 10 more days of comp time on it =

[Platinum Pete]

I just had a long conversation about this with myself on my long after work bike ride. I totally understand what you're doing and why you have these questions. I work 50-60 hours every week, and very few of them are the slack-off, mind drifting, web surfing hours. I am in sales too, trying to be the top dog, doing all the extra work I can find, toiling away my young life, trying to get ahead, and really enjoying it most of the time.
By no means have I felt sane or balanced forr the past 9 months on the job, but I have learned some things that help me maintain and wrestle back control. Like everybody says, exercise will break the monotony and quell stress. If you can commute by bike you get two doses of exercise everyday and nice bookends on the day to get your head straight, driving doesn't offer the same peace to me. Keep your home life straight. When I let my house get filthy, dishes pile up, laundry in stinky heaps, I feel stress from those things and I can't make the transition from work to home as easily. If your girl is helping with those things, reward her for it and make sure she understands the value she is providing for you. Spend some of the money you're making. Make sure you make the connection between hard work and rewards. Have goals and reasons behind them, and make sure you take notice of them daily. I am striving toward a damn tough ggoal this year and I have plans to reward myself with small stuff and big stuff. On my list I have dinner at amazing restaurants, a new AT set up, a scuba vacation, a Westfalia camper, and more. All those rewards are tied into escaping the work scene and rejuvenating myself so that I can get back on the job and work harder. Make sure you get recognition and appreciation for your sacrifice. If your boss isn't letting you know how much he appreciates your hard work and contribution, ask him if he's noticed and thinks you're on the right path. Do take advantage of the job, find a cool client you can hang with and expense some lunches with him/her. Make customer visits to your favorite customers who will tell you how much they love your product, service, and you as their salesdude.
Don't work long hours just to feel like you are working - make sure that your time put in equals real progress and rewards. I'm from the midwest and have this work ethic issue that makes it tough for me to go home when there's still work to be done, don't fall prey to that vibe because there is always more work to do in sales.
I hope this helps. Sales can be crazy, sometimes I feel like I need a support group to deal with it.

[Meconium]

Previously showed up for 30-40hr, salary. Now I desperately need a job, had it good but I can’t go back to pushing the mouse. Looks like I’ll need to find something that pays less and do the 60-80hr thing for the summer and hopefully 16hr or so next winter. Stressful times but thank you Mother Nature for helping me realize that I’m not a weekend worrier type of guy.

[LeeLau]

10 hours a week working for myself and doing what i like doing

[Tresckow]

I'm working right now listening to Dub Side of the Moon on the soundsystem blasting through the office. Just finished up my paperwork for the evening and I'm settled in for a mellow 8 hours of playing with the 'puter and watching the snow fall up here.

3 or 4 10hr graveyard shifts a week and every day to ski or fuck around = sleeping at strange times, red eyes, and incessant bitching about be "out of it".

I have enjoyed just about every powder day in the Wasatch for the last 2 seasons, without worrying/begging about "getting the time off", so it all kinda evens out in my mind.