And More Overtime

Posted on 2007/05/27 09:44:56 (May 2007).

[Friday 25th May]
...and another similar day to the previous two. Actually Chie went out in the evening with some people from her new job. So I just stayed even later than usual at the office. Whilst people often seem to work long hours at my place, Friday night is a notable exception. We have a kind of beer and pizza event every Friday at 5, with a round-up of what happened during the week, and then basically it seems like most people bugger off home. I was there until getting on for 9, and it felt like a ghost town.

Did a little bit more work when I got back home, but eventually I did decide to hang up my hat for the week. I thought I'd even go so far as to give myself the weekend off, having worked a number of hours in Wednesday to Friday alone which would have been illegal in France.

Naturally over the past few days I started to wonder if I am becoming a bit of a workaholic. Whilst it definitely feels satisfying to be making progress, and the work is quite interesting at the moment, I'm not sure I love working in itself so much that I want to devote every waking hour to it. I wonder what normally drives workaholics to be workaholics. Do they just really enjoy their jobs? Are they busting a gut for the sake of their bonus? I think in my case the underpinning thing is probably just recognition - I'm in a company with lots of really smart and hard working people, and it feels really important to prove to those people that I can also do a good job.

...but of course it is important to put these things in perspective - doing well at work isn't the be all and end all of a happy and fulfilling life!

Good point, john! I kind of get the impression that your employer is recognising the hard-work and long hours with the Friday beer and pizza. Or maybe it's just an American thing. Whatever, I'm sure you are "earning your crust" and then some... It's actually good to read you are enjoying the work, in comparison with the last company!

Posted by Nigel at 2007/05/27 11:16:26.

WOW an upbeat comment about ZANGHYOU (or did you forget the meaning?)!! It doesn't matte what you do and why, but the important is that the hours that you put into work are profitable and moreover a self made choice, not a "society" made choice as it is here in Japan... Today I have a LOOOOOONNNGGG day ahead of me....

Posted by Lox at 2007/05/28 23:23:30.

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