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How much free time do you have in a full time work schedule and is it enough?

do you think that you have enough free time after your work is done? what are some ways that you can improve work/life balance. #time-management #work-life-balance #work

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Francisco’s Answer

Hi Ramiro,

This is a very important question. Personally, I am an engineer and work the day shift which usually starts at 8am and can leave work any time between 4 and 5pm. This is a very typical shift, being 8 hrs the normal office or professional work shift. Depending on your career path this might change, so depends on what you do for a living if you will have a set schedule or you will have something else.

Personally, I feel like I have plenty of time outside of work. Although at times I have to work weekends or later hours, overall I at least get a full day of rest a week and enough time after work to relax, have extracurricular activities, and go out with friends. What you do with your time after work is up to you, and many times, the time of overtime or extra work you put in beyond your regular hours is also up to you.

Ways to keep work/life balance is to make sure you disconnect from work once you are home. That means not opening the work computer, or reading emails in your phone, and avoiding any non-urgent calls. For example, if I get a call after 5PM from work I don't answer, if they call again I will answer, but anything not urgent can wait until tomorrow. Another way to balance is to make sure you take enough vacation days or find different ways in which you can truly relax with friends, family, or on your own.

Hope this answers your question. Best of luck!
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Clayton’s Answer

Generally, there is a law concerning time off usually governed by OSHA. You are required to receive two fifteen minute breaks if you work more than 7 hours (i think) and at least a half an hour lunch. I work for Ricoh and they give me weekends off and some holidays. We can take up to an hour lunch.
There are some companies that give you one day off a week and some that give you an entire weekend. When looking for a job, make sure you read everything about the position in which you are interested. The job description usually explains the hours they require you to work and decide if you are willing to work on the specific days (i.e. they may require you to work on weekends or really late in the day).
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Hannah’s Answer

Honestly, no. I think that the studies done on the four day work week are very insightful and is something we should be striving toward as a country, and individually as companies.
Seeing as most positions don't have that as an option, I would say that taking time for you is very important. Sometimes you won't have the time or energy to do the dishes. Sometimes you won't have time to fold the laundry. Take a deep breath and go for a walk. Play a video game. Make yourself a really nice meal, or splurge a little and order from that one restaurant you really like. Taking time to just be is very important, the other stuff doesn't matter if you are suffering because of it.
Coming from someone who's been working since they were 15 and really truly believed in the hustle culture and doesn't anymore, do not over work yourself and miss out on life. Work at places that guarantee a full weekend. Places that offer paid occasional absences and have good vacation options. Make sure you use them. The world won't explode because you didn't finish that contract because you needed time off.
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Nandita’s Answer

Hi! I'm currently working a full-time job as a supply chain co-op, and also a full time student outside of this. Because of this, it can sometimes be hard to find time for myself and make sure I'm getting everything done that needs to get done. I found that the best way I do this is by scheduling most parts of my day to make sure I not only get everything done, but also making sure to schedule in time for myself to relax and not worry about my responsibilities each day. The more I've started to implement this within my week, I've realized it is definitely doable to have the balance between work and my life!
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Shakia’s Answer

Great question!
In my first full-time job out of college, I worked from 8a-5pm mon-fri. I would commute 30 minutes each way. During the summer we would have overtime and to keep up with demand that included working evenings and weekends . I would say I still had a considerable amount of free time.

As I progressed in my career, my work-life balance improved. I was able to stabilize and really lock in a 40 hour work week without the longer hours.

Some ways to improve your work life balance is to really plan ahead and outline your work day/work week. Commit to clocking out! Sometimes if you really enjoy what it is you do, it can be hard to call it a day. So make sure you keep that in mind.

I keep a notepad at my desk prioritizing important tasks for the day. If I get side tracked I reference my notepad to ensure I don’t fall behind.
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