what would you do when your job becomes a burden?

[daywane]

I lost my cool today.
I knew it was coming soon. I had just plain had enough!
Boss smart mouth, mandatory over time since (over 6 month)10 to 12 hrs a day and Saturdays.

I was working, and up came my boss and he started in on me. SNAP!
I lost it. I just plainly told him in a very calm voice.
just eather shoot me like the piece of  I am.
write my  up
give me 3 days on the street
or Fire me
or get the  away from me. And leave me the  alone.
he did the last one.
ever get to where you just do not care any more?

[daywane]

in my mind.... It is just a job. Not my life

[fatfingers]

Well, the good thing is he definitely knows how you feel about it now.  Not really sure what else to say.

[daywane]

I am at a advantage.
I am dept free.
not rich by any means. but house and cars paid off.
no credit cards. ( no credit history eather (that sucks))
bit it hit me. I am only working for Insurance really.

I could go with V.A. benifits for that.
Daughter... I could put on K-Chip! (School insurance) she is 14 years old

[daywane]

thinking about pulling 401k and just start my own business.
been doing it on the side for some time now.

each year more and more people want more wood from me. (fire wood)
getting imposable to keep up with all the over time.

my wood sells faster than others because I work 1 year in advance.
seasoned wood. Other sellers go cut a tree and sell it the same day. Mine sits a minimum of 9 months in a barn before it is sold.

also we seem to have a garbage service problem here in my county.
I helped a man in my teens start a garbage rout. in 10 years he sold it to BFI for over $100,000,000

I see the same opportunity here

[polaris]

thinking about pulling 401k and just start my own business.
been doing it on the side for some time now.

each year more and more people want more wood from me. (fire wood)
getting imposable to keep up with all the over time.

my wood sells faster than others because I work 1 year in advance.
seasoned wood. Other sellers go cut a tree and sell it the same day. Mine sits a minimum of 9 months in a barn before it is sold.

also we seem to have a garbage service problem here in my county.
I helped a man in my teens start a garbage rout. in 10 years he sold it to BFI for over $100,000,000

I see the same opportunity here

well get on it then, and stop smoking too

[daywane]

very very tempting.

[DaOld Man]

Ive been working in factories for over 30 years now, and I know exactly where you are coming from.
I can retire from my company sometime this year, but not old enough to get SS yet, so probably couldnt make it on the small pension check I would get.
I would like to start a business too, just cant figure what to do.

[RobbyMac]

I was self employed for 9 years. It was ok, but I was a one man band (freelance artist) and it got difficult during busy seasons. About 50% of my annual sales were in the 1st quarter of the year. This made for a relaxing summer and fall, but was a constant burden between cash flow and killing myself for that big payoff first quarter.
Eventually I gave it up and went to work for someone else...

Typically you start doing it on the side, until it gets too much of a demand that you cannot juggle your part time business and daytime job both. Its at that point that you are forced to make a decision on whether you keep the full time gig, or quit and do your side job full time. Having the wood cutting gives you an idea of what sort of revenue and workload you have. Bonus is, you probably don't have to worry about competing with some online retailer, or 3rd world country!

[Fordman]

thinking about pulling 401k and just start my own business.

BAD IDEA!!!!!   10 percent penalty right off the top to the feds. Then you are taxed at a 27% tax rate or more depending on the amount in the 401K. So, if the 401K had $100,000 in it, you automatically give up $37,000 That isnt a wise investment! If you dont want to keep the 401K that is offered by your present employer, transfer it to another. Its yours and you can keep it where its at for the rest of your life or if move to another company, transfer it there. Also, you should consider putting $5000 into a ROTH IRA for both you and your wife each year. It is after tax dollars and any interest or investment gains are TAX FREE!!!!

BTW, did you happen to add some zero's onto the dollar figure BFI paid for that garbage route?  $100,000,000 is a ton of money for single garbage route. I dont think they could possibly make that back in a 1000 years!

Fordman

[Gorotsuki]

I say way to go daywane.
World needs more people like you
who will stop taking crap.

[CheffoJeffo]

FWIW, I typically hate hearing about folks bitching about their jobs because, from where I sit, working for someone else is a choice and people never seem to take responsibility for their choices. Sure, it may be the best choice or even seem like the only choice, but people invariably forget that it was a choice and that they made it.

Just after Y2K, the company I was working for (owned by a man I had worked for in various other roles for most of my adult life) ended up going under due to what was a totally understandable business decision by our major client. Pissed me off as an employee and I lost a ton of accumulated bonus as a result. From that point, I promised myself that I would never again work for somebody else.

It is 10 years later and I am the boss. I work much harder than I did then (and was typically 50-70 hours a week) and have way more stress because my employees count on me for their living.

Would I ever go back to working for somebody else ?

Not on your life.

The extra degree of control you have makes the hardships much more tolerable and, since you are ultimately responsible, you spend far less time bitching and far more time actually doing (which seems to result in fewer things to ---smurfette--- about)

So, I'm all for folks taking control of their destinies.

[danny_galaga]

<---------- Practically an institution in my line of work  

[pinballwizard79]

2nd time Ive given this advice today....weird.

Ok, just take a picture of yourself surrounded by assault rifles & whiskey. Then print it out real big & hang up that photo in your work area.

You will get a raise, young mistress & people ALWAYS make a new pot of coffee after taking the last cup 

Word

[shmokes]

 working for someone else is a choice

It is 10 years later and I am the boss.

Not everybody has any skills suitable for this, or the intelligence or wherewithal to run a business even if they did have a skill that could be exploited that way.  Have a little empathy.  You do the best with what you got.  You can't just get tired one day of not being a billionaire and up and go out and do what Bill Gates did.  Different people have different capabilities, opportunities, and lucky breaks.

[CheffoJeffo]

working for someone else is a choice

It is 10 years later and I am the boss.

Not everybody has any skills suitable for this, or the intelligence or wherewithal to run a business even if they did have a skill that could be exploited that way.  Have a little empathy.  You do the best with what you got.  You can't just get tired one day of not being a billionaire and up and go out and do what Bill Gates did.  Different people have different capabilities, opportunities, and lucky breaks.

I completely disagree -- virtually anything that you do working for somebody else, you can do working for yourself (I'm not going to go all Tony Robbins on you, but read some Tom Peters). Working for someone else is always a choice. You could choose not to work at all. Once you get beyond the "yah, that's not a real choice" and see that it is, in fact, a choice, albeit unpalatable, then you can start to see the actual choices you make in your life and start taking a more active role in them.

Working for yourself doesn't have to be framed or look like a typical business, large or small. Hell, if you are working on contract, you pretty much are working for yourself, you just need to reframe your thinking to recognize that and capitalize on it (are there changes that you can make in your contract that would make it easier for you without costing the client anything ?).

I do have empathy, otherwise I would just say "quit 'yer whining ... you made your bed". I am not some whiny elitist -- I make less money now than I did a decade ago.

Have a little faith.

Have a little imagination.

And, yeah, do the best with what you got ... just *do* something.

Take some stock in yourself and realize what you actually have got and think about what you want to do. Then, do something about making things happen.

Don't just let life happen to you ... get busy making those other plans.

People are capable of so much more than they realize -- I know of this one excon who was in a band for a while and was going nowhere in life. Last year he took most of the year off, except for starting up a new hobby business, and still made more than I did. Now, he would go all Tony Robbins on you, but it seemed to work out fine for him.

Lucky breaks are just opportunities that people positioned themselves to capitalize on.

[Vanguard]

While I agree with some of this, I have to argue that working as a contractor isn't working for yourself.   You're a rented employee.   Your employment still is tied to the whims of some corporate entity.   In my industry contractors are the people they hire to try to fill the gaps when work outpaces salaried employees.   Contractors are look at as a easy resource to exploit.

Also, there are many jobs that you do for an employer that you couldn't do on your own.   I design graphics processors.   There are only a handful of companies I can work for.   Starting my own company doing this is just not possible.  #1 all the talent to do so exists at those handful of companies.   I couldn't pool the people to start a company.   Assuming I could, it would take hundreds of millions of dollars to even make an attempt.   There are a number of enterprises where the cost of entry is just too high to even consider.   Venture capital won't even touch you because of the cost to play and the competition you'll be facing off against.

[CheffoJeffo]

While I agree with some of this, I have to argue that working as a contractor isn't working for yourself.   You're a rented employee.   Your employment still is tied to the whims of some corporate entity.   In my industry contractors are the people they hire to try to fill the gaps when work outpaces salaried employees.   Contractors are look at as a easy resource to exploit.

Also, there are many jobs that you do for an employer that you couldn't do on your own.   I design graphics processors.   There are only a handful of companies I can work for.   Starting my own company doing this is just not possible.  #1 all the talent to do so exists at those handful of companies.   I couldn't pool the people to start a company.   Assuming I could, it would take hundreds of millions of dollars to even make an attempt.   There are a number of enterprises where the cost of entry is just too high to even consider.   Venture capital won't even touch you because of the cost to play and the competition you'll be facing off against.

I get what you are saying, BUT the difference is that, as a contractor, you don't need to sign on as an indentured servant. You can restructure the arrangement so that it works for both parties and even improves things for both parties. People just don't.

The majority of our senior staff are all contractors. The only two members of the senior staff who are full time are me and my business partner (who, not coincidentally, is the same boss from my prior jobs). They are all free, and encouraged, to contract out to other parties, especially clients. It makes our offering more valuable, decreases our costs, increases their incomes and makes things better for our clients.

Stop thinking of working for yourself as "starting my own company". You don't need to replicate your employer to work for yourself ... in fact, you probably wouldn't even want to.

[ark_ader]

I lost my cool today.
I knew it was coming soon. I had just plain had enough!
Boss smart mouth, mandatory over time since (over 6 month)10 to 12 hrs a day and Saturdays.

I was working, and up came my boss and he started in on me. SNAP!
I lost it. I just plainly told him in a very calm voice.
just eather shoot me like the piece of  I am.
write my  up
give me 3 days on the street
or Fire me
or get the  away from me. And leave me the  alone.
he did the last one.
ever get to where you just do not care any more?

You are an idiot.

And the worse part is, you already know that. 

[daywane]

why do you say that?
I have had nothing but good feelings since then.
Boss know knows I really am fed up.

Yes I did chose to work there. ( 9 years ago)
since then we have gone through 4 presidents ,  each time it goes from bad to worse.
When I took the job , over time was voluntary. now I am mandatory 10 to 12 hrs a day Monday - Friday 8 hours Sat and Sun

This has been going on for many months

It was Management bad decision to get rid of 3rd shift , I now realise there thinking.

stretch............... the other 2 shift into over time and not have the the benefits and tax burden.

same amount of parts if not more at the worker's expense.

I have to much time and effort involved to just up and quit with out a fight.
My Factory is Japanese Comp. The new set of bosses think there still in Japan.

I have no problem with a 40 hr work week or some over time. but 56 to 64 hrs every week for months on end ?
we can not use our sick time any more, that counts against our attendance.
if you get  above 1.3 % you get a verbal, 2% right up

not fair when most of the factory is still at 40hrs a week.

It is not fair to my family or my self .
short term I can deal with. This is well past short term and there is no plans on fixing it,

I was in the back of my head wishing to be fired.

also vacation time must be put 1 month in advance and if eather of the 3 other guys has it planed then to bad.
Chris and my self on 1st shift
Steve and Mike on 2ND shift

[ark_ader]

why do you say that?
I have had nothing but good feelings since then.
Boss know knows I really am fed up.

Yes I did chose to work there. ( 9 years ago)
since then we have gone through 4 presidents ,  each time it goes from bad to worse.
When I took the job , over time was voluntary. now I am mandatory 10 to 12 hrs a day Monday - Friday 8 hours Sat and Sun

This has been going on for many months

It was Management bad decision to get rid of 3rd shift , I now realise there thinking.

stretch............... the other 2 shift into over time and not have the the benefits and tax burden.

same amount of parts if not more at the worker's expense.

I have to much time and effort involved to just up and quit with out a fight.
My Factory is Japanese Comp. The new set of bosses think there still in Japan.

I have no problem with a 40 hr work week or some over time. but 56 to 64 hrs every week for months on end ?
we can not use our sick time any more, that counts against our attendance.
if you get  above 1.3 % you get a verbal, 2% right up

not fair when most of the factory is still at 40hrs a week.

It is not fair to my family or my self .
short term I can deal with. This is well past short term and there is no plans on fixing it,

I was in the back of my head wishing to be fired.

also vacation time must be put 1 month in advance and if either of the 3 other guys has it planned then to bad.
Chris and my self on 1st shift
Steve and Mike on 2ND shift

Please....
You are an adult. 
You have worked at that place for 9 years.
You are thinking about yourself and not others.
You chose to abuse your boss instead of working your problems out like an adult.

That tells me you are an idiot.
That also tells me you are an idiot for throwing away a very good reference for the next employer.
But you know that already.

I am not impressed with your resolve, and I'm sure your bad decision will follow you for some years to come. 

[daywane]

So your home life is for sale?
That tells me you are an idiot 
like I have stated this has been going on for many months.
you do not think I have not tried to talk it out first?
we had a group meeting. 1st and 2nd shift.
we had hopes of working this out. we were told by management  before we could say jack!
" you people are grade 7. the highest paid. we expect more from you"
end of meeting.

[hypernova]

ark, take the branch out of your ass, and show at least a smidgen of compassion.

Or does being a dick like this get you off?

[smalltownguy]

 

[Fordman]

Its easy to say "Way to go man, you stuck it to the man! Let 'em know how you feel!" or "just up and quit, you'll show 'em!" when its not your paycheck! Although you should have the opportunity to speak your peace, but most find the 'open door' policy to be false as the door gets slammed in your face!

Now you know why I'm so pro-Union and have a voice when my labor agreement comes due! I have learned over the years, take the 'At Will' status of employment away from the equation, then your employer listens a little better!

 

Fordman

[ark_ader]

ark, take the branch out of your ass, and show at least a smidgen of compassion.

Or does being a dick like this get you off?

Say that to those who have been laid off and are having their life reduced to rubble.  Losing their homes, cars, respect.

I'm sure that there are hundreds if not thousands that would love to have a job regardless of the hours.

Jacking a job off after nine years and bragging about it, is just another slap in the face for those who are losing everything.  I personally know nine people who would gladly work those hours to keep their necks above water.

What if the job he was doing was for the war effort, making body armor or medical supplies, working flat out to meet each order.  I don't know what job Daywane did, but one thing is certain:  He has increased the workload of his fellow colleagues, and lost out on a future reference.  If that makes me a dick for for not sympathizing Hypernova, so be it.    

So your home life is for sale?
That tells me you are an idiot  
like I have stated this has been going on for many months.
you do not think I have not tried to talk it out first?
we had a group meeting. 1st and 2nd shift.
we had hopes of working this out. we were told by management  before we could say jack!
" you people are grade 7. the highest paid. we expect more from you"
end of meeting.

Well yes if my house and financial existence was on the line - yes it would.  

There have been times when I wished I had a few hours with my parents, but they were working all the time to provide clothes, food to eat and a roof over my head.  They worked 60+ hours a week normally.  To be honest with you (and I do understand the pressure) I used to work 72 hours a week, and I was on call.  I knew how a doctor must have felt like as they pull those kinds of hours.  I should also mention I had night school on top of that.  I can only think that it runs in the family.  My siblings are workaholics too.  But I struggled on and didn't quit with three dependents.  I do not have time for quitters, they irk me.  Enough of the working man hero crap....

That is why I think you are an idiot, and especially so considering, you have had nine years of advanced warning.  Nine years of work and you never made it to management?  I wonder why?  

If that makes me a dick for for not sympathizing Hypernova, so be it.    

C'mon now ark, we all know that you are a dick, whether you sympathize or not.

 

Gee thanks Cheffo.  

arc.
the only thing I need this job for is insurance.
my house is mine.
my cars are mine.
I have no credit debt.
I have no crdit report eather though, that one sucks
I can provide for my family just fine.

I, I, I, My, My.

Yep. 

[CheffoJeffo]

If that makes me a dick for for not sympathizing Hypernova, so be it.   

C'mon now ark, we all know that you are a dick, whether you sympathize or not.

 

[hypernova]

There have been times when I wished I had a few hours with my parents, but they were working all the time to provide clothes, food to eat and a roof over my head.  They worked 60+ hours a week normally.  To be honest with you (and I do understand the pressure) I used to work 72 hours a week, and I was on call.  I knew how a doctor must have felt like as they pull those kinds of hours.  I should also mention I had night school on top of that.  I can only think that it runs in the family.  My siblings are workaholics too.  But I struggled on and didn't quit with three dependents.  I do not have time for quitters, they irk me.  Enough of the working man hero crap....

All work and no play made ark a ---meecrob---.

Cheffo, I don't think sympathy or empathy are in his dictionary.

[daywane]

arc.
the only thing I need this job for is insurance.
my house is mine.
my cars are mine.
I have no credit debt.
I have no crdit report eather though, that one sucks
I can provide for my family just fine.

[DaOld Man]

arc.
the only thing I need this job for is insurance.
my house is mine.
my cars are mine.
I have no credit debt.
I have no crdit report eather though, that one sucks
I can provide for my family just fine.

Well, with the new health care reform, working for insurance may no longer be an option. (Please refrain from political comments, I do not wish to send this to P&R hell).

[shmokes]

Well, with the new health care reform, working for insurance may no longer be an option. (Please refrain from political comments, I do not wish to send this to P&R hell).

Ice cream is really good.  (Please refrain from commenting about ice cream.  It's against the rules)

 

[DaOld Man]

Well, with the new health care reform, working for insurance may no longer be an option. (Please refrain from political comments, I do not wish to send this to P&R hell).

Ice cream is really good.  (Please refrain from commenting about ice cream.  It's against the rules)

 

But ice cream is really really good..

[daywane]

sorry no time at the moment!
Lets Go Wild Cats! Lets Go Wild Cats! Lets Go wild Cats!
Battel for final 4 with Cals Kids! VS W.VA!