How is your work:life balance?

This is in contrast to my previous role at the same company where there was basically a bottomless pit of work and i had a boss who said that the "secret of getting on in a company is to work long hours" (well, she would, wouldn't she?) and there was a temptation sometimes to stay late, fortuately I didn't succumb that often.

However, since I bought my flat earlier this year I have needed additional cash to pay the mortgage and bills and so have taken a Saturday job 9-6 at a bookshop. The work is not at all arduous in itself (answering phones and a bit of database stuff, plus odd jobs like pricing books) but the extra hours I am putting on are taking their toll insofar as I am much more tired and grouchy than before. Last night I was watching dvds round a mate's house and found that I just had to get a taxi home at midnight to stop myself falling asleep on his sofa. I find myself prone to mood swings and sudden bouts of extreme frustration which I am sure are due to going from a 36 hour week to a 42 one. It was good to take Saturdays off to go to the Rhythms of the World and Truck festivals, but I only get four off per year.

I always said that I would either get a second job or a lodger but not both. I have enjoyed living alone far more than I thought I would so have not pursued the lodger option.

As for social life, you're looking at it. I'm not happy about that, but it's The Big Compromise.

life? at work.

The bad part is that I spend an additional 8 hours or so per week in commute. Argh.

that, combined with a few other factors, pretty much killed my enthusiasm for what I was doing. and I've found it quite easy to cut back on all that unpaid overtime (and indeed leave early and turn up late on occasion), waste time on ilx during the day, really bluntly fob off stuff that I would've happily done for other people in the past, etc. it's not really very satisfying, but until I get more $ and more interesting work, they'll get the "autopilot" version of me instead of the real thing because it's definitely less stressful.

I've seen that happen so many times, and indeed it's once happened to me.

It's like senior management couldn't possibly give it to you after the hired guy leaves because it would be admitting that they made a mistake.

That situation kills any enthusiasm for the job stone dead.

Now, in my new job, it's pretty much perfect. Straightforward 9-6 with a lot of breathing space during the day (as my recent posting count proves). My midweek social life's improved hugely and, weirdly, they're paying me more money.

This is the first job I've had where I haven't socialised with my co-workers at all. Several of the people from my first job are an integral part of my social life. As for my second job, I didn't go more than 24hrs without seeing a couple of them for the whole of January. The people in my current office are nice enough but we have nothing in common and I can't ever imagine phoning them up to go to the pub, let along raving on a roof at 5am with them.

Since I started my new job, I've been happier, more energetic, and feeling much more enthusiastic about persuing some of the music projects that I had shelved for the past year. So I think my balance is pretty darn good.

But now I'm starting to get bored...

That sounds like my husband's life. A magazine, right?

Currently musing over taking advantage of a w/l balance that would allow me a block of unpaid leave next year (thinking taking all October for instance) with the cost spread over the whole year, and would only work out at a fortnight loss if takehome once tax efficiencies etc

Just working out what I'd do with the time. Retirement trial run.