Without my OK I was scheduled for 10 hour days & Saturdays, but my contract states that after 8 hours I can leave without penalty although it's “frowned upon”
I value my time and unless there's a strict deadline or a mountain of work to catch up on I don't bother staying after my 8 hours just to sweep the floors and look busy. I'm not scrounging for pennies. More money is always nice, but time with my family is irreplaceable.
This doesn't mean that every time I clock out after 8 hours I don't get a feeling of impending doom for not taking easy overtime money.
The ideas always “one day you might be broke or have a much harder job and you'll wish you took this easy money” Is this even a legitimate worry or am I so sucked into this “hustle” culture that I can't even enjoy time off the clock because I “could be making money right now”?
This feeling sucks. Sure I can be working 10 hour days, 6 says a week and all that overtime will add up to another 12k by the end of the year, but I'll have no life. If I have no life what's the point of the money? To buy a house I'll never be in other than to sleep? To buy a fancy car I'll never have the time off to enjoy? Does it make sense to work 60 hour weeks in the hopes that I might be able to take a vacation once every couple years? All the older guys I work with keep saying “Take it while you're young. Bust your ass now so you can relax when you're older” really? Because you're almost 70 and still working every minute of overtime. You'll relax when you're dead I guess.
This idea of work hard young and relax later just doesn't seem realistic. People in their 60's are working just as many hours as they did when they were in their 20's. After they “retire” they end up taking side work or a part time job to make ends meet. So what were all of those holidays, birthdays and special events missed for? All of those late night dinners and having to decide wether you should get some extra sleep, eat or shower that night because you only have time to pick 1?
Even those that stash money into 401k's and brag how they have 600k don't realize that money doesn't last forever. If you're lucky enough to even live 10+ years after retirement there's a good chance you'll end up broke, having to sell all your belongings and move into a government provided nursing home.
Am I just lazy? Or do I see through all the bullshit and decide I want to enjoy any non-mandatory time hiking, going to the movies or simply hanging out with my family? (This doesn't mean I'm not saving for my retirement, to be clear)