Am I working too much?...

[-ryan-]

I finished college a little over a month ago, and I have been working a lot to stash away money and make sure that I have cash flow for the house that I am buying (moving in around March/April!), but I am starting to think that maybe I am working too much. It's not that I feel like I am working too much, but rather people around me seem to be telling me they are concerned that I'm not giving myself a break or time to relax. Here's my weekly schedule:

-Monday: Work from 8:30-3:30, then teach drum/percussion lessons 4:00-7:30 (and get home around 8:15).
-Tuesday: Work from 8:30-5:00, then teach from 5:30 to 7:00 (home around 7:30).
-Wednesday: Work from 8:30-3:30, then teach from 4:00-7:00 (home around 7:30).
-Thursday: Work from 8:30-5:30, then I have my weekly gig with a group. I get there at 9:00 and leave around 1:30-2:00am.
-Friday: Work from 8:30-5:30, then I usually have some sort of gig lined up for the night.
-Saturday: Work from 8:30-5:30, same as Friday.
-Sunday: Teach lessons from 10:00am-1:00 or 2:00pm

On top of that, I also play in about four bands at the moment, so I still need to find time to rehearse with them, and of course I have all of my animals, which take about 10-12 hours a week to care for, dig up nests, etc.

The thing is, I am not sure if I do need to be working quite that much. I have toyed with quitting my Monday evening job for the time being and just staying at work until 5:30 (and getting home before 6). I don't know that that would really make much of a difference. I have been operating under the assumption that I need to work so much to afford the house, but mathematically I don't think I do, and my fiancee will also be working more come May when she graduates.

Not sure what to do. I do understand that my predicament is the opposite of what most people are facing in this economy.

 

[Edna]

When I read your thread title my immediate response was YES! you're working too much. However, when it comes time to buy a house there are so many hidden and surprise expenses that there is no such thing as having too much money. My advice would be to keep up your work schedule for now, with a plan for when you are going to cut back. Nobody on their death bed ever said, "If only I had spent more time working." Life is too short to not have some down time. Like lots of down time. It's a good thing.

 

[Cfr200]

It is up to you to decide whether you are working too much. Does it interfere with the life you want to have? If it does than maybe it is too much. Is it just for a short period of time if so go for it. I spent a long time in the military and had to go to sea for about 210 days a year. I enjoyed it, my girlfriend(s) and other friends did not. It made it hard but, I liked what I was doing, in the end it cost me a lot of little things that add up. I missed birthdays, holidays and just hanging out with my family and friends. Only you can decide if it is worth the money to miss out on things that you might find out later are worth more than all the money that you made.
Now I am older I would say yes that I would have liked to have been home more often, but hindsight is 20/20.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

Only you know if you are working too much. It sounds like you are doing something that you chose. That is really great! I don't work now because I am a stay at home mom. I often day dream about working and talking to adults all day!!

 

[Candy]

The first thing that I did after reading your title was to click on your name to see how old you are. Of course you didn't post that so I've figuring after reading your whole thread that you are in your 20's still, am I correct? When you're young you can usually burn the candle at both ends and get away with it. I think what you need to look at is the amount of days that you're working. Everyone needs some down time even if it's just to do nothing at all. You don't have any in that schedule that you've posted. I also figured by reading your thread that you must not have a girlfriend (because when do you find time), but I was wrong about that one. Maybe once you get into the house and figure out your finances you'll be better equipped to say whether or not you're working too much. My husband is a teacher and after school he teaches adult school on Mondays and Wednesdays and on Tuesdays and Thursdays he teaches Mock Trials, on Fridays he takes the boys after work to Boy Scouts and he doesn't usually get home until 8:00 or 8:30 p.m., and on the weekends it's either camping or recycling with the Boy Scouts or baseball and he is 55 years old, and he still has time to help around the house. So I guess you'll have to decide that one.

 

[Tom]

Your schedual seems pretty light to me. Before, during and for ten years after college, a 12 hour day was a light day for me. I say work your a$$ off while you can and make a name for your self. There will come a day when you HAVE to slow down and change your priorities, so make the money while you can.

Different people have wildly different work ethics. You ended up with a good one. Don't waste it. Don't forget that you are also doing something you love. That matters. That's the reason I didn't become a lawyer, like my mother wanted me to. I didn't want to wear a suit and tie. Well, maybe a BITE suit... When I worked those long days, it wasn't "work". I was just training animals, setting up reptile and fish tanks, digging holes and having fun.

 

[GBtortoises]

In my opinion the definition of "am I working too much" is can only be determined by the person doing it.

I work a lot myself, but I enjoy working and I'm still able to spend time doing the other things that I love like quality time with my family and my hobbies. I'm not one for "idle time", I'm not one to just sit and relax (drives my wife nuts)!
Ask yourself these questions: "Do I enjoy my work or am I just doing it to make money?"; Am I able to spend the time that I want to with loved ones and friends or does work always get in the way of it?"; "What am I gaining by working this much?"; And the most important one of all: "Am I happy?"
There are also times in life, especially when you're younger and trying to get a good start in life that work might be the most important thing in your life for a while to get yourself off to a good start in life. I've never been a fan of waiting for something to come to me. I'd rather go out, find it and figure out what I have to do to get it.

I'm pushing the half century old mark and proud to say that I have never been unemployed a single minute since the day I turned 14 years old. So to me, work is important, but so is all the other aspects of my life. I think you have to constantly maintain a good balance to remain happy and content.

 

[ChiKat]

In my opinion the definition of "am I working too much" is can only be determined by the person doing it.

I agree. It sounds like you don't think it's "too much" but other people do.
If you feel like it's too much then cut back. If you're content with how things are, keep making that money

 

[Yvonne G]

I think it would be nice if you had at least one day off each week to do "play" stuff with your finace...hiking, camping, whatever the two of you enjoy doing. You need to get to know someone in a more natural setting before you marry them.

 

[-ryan-]

Well today I had to stay home from work for a little bit, because when I tried to get up in the morning the room started spinning and I decided it was best to wait it out. I am feeling a little bit better now about six hours later, but I still catch myself beginning to lose my balance here and there. I think I am going to try to sneak in a half day anyway. I am guessing that I have an inner ear infection. If it doesn't let up I guess I'll have to go to the doctor.

I think that for now I will keep the schedule I have. A lot of you have made the right guess, which is that I chose to work this much, and I like the work I do, so for the time being I'm going to continue and just try to sock away as much money as I can. Eventually I will whittle the work load down a little at a time, and over time I think that it will naturally become more manageable and conducive to the lifestyle that I would like to live. That's the only thing that's bothering me personally right now. I have an idea of the lifestyle I wish to have, and right now I am a little too busy to make it so.

Oh, and Yvonne, I thought it was funny that you mentioned hiking and camping, because those are two of our favorite hobbies. We also enjoy canoeing and cross country skiing, but as you can imagine we haven't found much time for any of those hobbies recently. Maybe we just need to make it a point to schedule that stuff in when I do have some time to spare.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Laura]

dizziness can be caused by many things.. debri in the ear canal, sinus problems, inner ear... etc....
hope it gets better soon!
maybe its your body telling you to take a break.. but to get ahead.. you have to work hard...

 

[-ryan-]

i think it's an inner ear infection. I play drums/percussion professionally, and for the past few months I haven't been wearing hearing protection (big no-no), and prolonged exposure to loud noise causes wax buildup (which I have to deal with a lot) and overtime it can actually cause a lot of things, like ear infections. I went to work for a couple hours to get some paperwork done, and then came home a little bit ago and canceled my lessons and the rest of my commitments. I'm actually kind of bummed about that. I was looking forward to today because I had a lot of things I wanted to get done, and we're getting hammered with snow tomorrow so I don't even know whether or not I'll be able to get to work.

Dang. Bad timing. Plus, I'm supposed to do one, maybe two recording sessions on Thursday, and if my hearing doesn't improve I may have a problem on my hands.

 

[Shelly]

A good drummer is ALWAYS in demand.

 

[Madortoise]

The fact you are asking this question makes me wonder if you already know the answer but you are conflicted with some pros & cons--and that you are looking for someone to make a decision for you. And, we're all basically throwing it back to you as your dependable TFO consultants. So with love, I say, to me, your schedule seems manage-able especially if you are doing something that you seem to enjoy, but I detect that you are not enjoying this schedule entirely. It also depends on whether you are single or married, in a committed relationship with or without children...and what other obligations and commitments you have in life including taking care of yourself (and sometimes most importantly PETS).
I know for a fact I'm working too much for the past 6 months. The agency I'm with is experiencing financial instability due to the budget cuts and I'm asked to do million other things on top of already chronically full schedule. I had to attend to crises til 11 p.m. last night and I spoke with my director at 7:30 this Sat a.m. I'm making report that is time sensitive this afternoon after I go to spa to relax a bit. I also teach and own my own small but vibrant business. Yes, perhaps I would not work so hard for this agency if it had not been for the mortgage and house maintenance but I do feel passionate about what I do so most of the time, it doesn't bother me. It's when I start to feel like I'm making too much sacrifice, that's when I become resentful and not so effective in my work. You can fool your head but your body cannot lie (especially as you get older.) So, notice if you have burn-out symptoms such as being irritable, snappy w/low morale at work, feeling depressed with diminished sense of pleasure in life, consciously or subconsciously sabotaging your work, calling in sick a lot, and secretly feeling relieved when work (or fun time with friends and family) gets canceled....and etc. Take them as signs from your inner wisdom and do something about taking control of your life if you feel that the life controls you. Oh--BTW--Owning a house is highly over-rated IMO--but again, I do it b/c it's supposedly a financially smart thing to do. Since when I started to listen to people, I don't know. It happened and I usually regret it when I do. sorry for the digression...but you're asking us!?
Anyway, the question is, what's good financially -- can you also make it good mentally and spiritually for you?
Peace out,

 

[-ryan-]

I guess most of you hit the nail on the head. I do choose to work this much, and I do enjoy my work (though of course there are always those times when I just want to be home relaxing). Financially, I could get by on 40 hours a week at my day job with just a little budgeting, but I choose to go to work 6 days a week instead of 5, and sometimes I go in early to get stuff done that's more difficult to accomplish when we are open. I choose to work several part-time jobs (most teaching and playing drums and percussion) because I get satisfaction out of it, as well as extra money.

So I guess for now I will just keep on going until something changes. Thanks for your support!