4 answers
Zoey
Student
Zimmerman, Minnesota
3
Questions
Asked
260 views
How much overtime do you put in/how much time do you have for family, hobbies etc. ?
I'm in 11th, and looking into Marine Biology and/or Writing and would like to know how much free time these jobs have.
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4 answers
Rich Feitelberg
Novelist
9
Answers
Quincy, Massachusetts
Updated
Rich’s Answer
As a writer I set my own schedule. I try to leave time for family and a social life and rearrange my schedule as circumstances require. That said, I try to write Monday through Friday and leave the weekends for myself.
Thank you!
Zoey
Claudia Soares
Program Manager
2
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Claudia’s Answer
With any job the balance between career and personal time is challenging. In my experience, it's never perfect nor will it ever be 50-50. The goal is to find what works best for you and understand that that will always be a moving target. As your life changes so will the amount of time you dedicate to each part of it. At times, your career will be prioritized others it won't. At times you will feel like you have everything under control, while others you won't. The best thing you can do is find what works for you, what makes you feel balanced and take care of yourself so that you can juggle all the things that are important to you.
Thank you very much! I appreciate it!
Zoey
Sarah Jackson
7
Answers
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Hello Zoey!
Achieving a healthy work-life balance while managing a full-time job and personal commitments is a common challenge many of us face. The "right amount" of overtime can vary significantly based on personal circumstances, job demands, and individual priorities. However, there are general guidelines and strategies you can consider to maintain a balanced and fulfilling life.
1. Understand Your Personal Priorities
a. Identify What Matters Most:
Family and Relationships: Quality time with loved ones is essential for mental and emotional well-being.
Hobbies and Personal Interests: Engaging in activities you enjoy can reduce stress and enhance creativity.
Health and Wellness: Regular exercise, proper sleep, and relaxation are crucial for maintaining physical and mental health.
Career Goals: Assess how overtime impacts your long-term career aspirations and job satisfaction.
2. Assess Your Job Requirements
a. Nature of Your Job:
High-Demand Roles: Some professions, such as healthcare, law, or project-based industries, may inherently require more overtime.
Flexible vs. Rigid Schedules: Jobs with flexible hours may allow you to better manage overtime without sacrificing personal time.
b. Company Culture:
Expectations Around Overtime: Understand your employer’s stance on overtime. Some companies encourage extra hours, while others prioritize work-life balance.
Support Systems: Availability of resources like flexible working arrangements, remote work options, or wellness programs can influence your ability to balance work and personal life.
3. Determine a Sustainable Overtime Limit
a. General Guidelines:
Moderate Overtime: Working an extra 5-10 hours per week (totaling 45-50 hours) can be manageable for many people without significantly disrupting personal life.
Minimal Overtime: Limiting overtime to 2-5 hours per week (totaling 40-45 hours) helps ensure ample time for personal activities and family.
b. Avoid Excessive Overtime:
Consistently Working 50+ Hours: Regularly exceeding 50 hours per week can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and strained relationships.
Recognize Signs of Overwork: Fatigue, irritability, decreased job performance, and neglecting personal responsibilities are indicators that overtime may be negatively impacting your balance.
4. Implement Effective Time Management Strategies
a. Prioritize Tasks:
Use Tools: Utilize planners, calendars, or digital tools to organize tasks and deadlines.
Focus on High-Impact Activities: Identify and prioritize tasks that significantly contribute to your job and personal goals.
b. Set Boundaries:
Define Work Hours: Clearly delineate your work hours and stick to them as much as possible.
Communicate Limits: Let your employer and colleagues know your availability to manage expectations around overtime.
c. Delegate When Possible:
Share Responsibilities: Whether at work or home, delegating tasks can help reduce your workload and free up time for other activities.
5. Foster a Supportive Environment
a. Communicate with Your Employer:
Discuss Workload: If overtime becomes overwhelming, talk to your supervisor about adjusting your responsibilities or finding efficiencies.
Seek Flexibility: Explore options such as flexible hours, remote work, or compressed workweeks to better accommodate personal commitments.
b. Engage Your Support Network:
Family and Friends: Lean on your support system for help with personal responsibilities when work demands increase.
Professional Support: Consider speaking with a career counselor or coach to develop strategies for managing work-life balance.
6. Regularly Reevaluate Your Balance
a. Self-Assessment:
Reflect Periodically: Regularly assess how well you’re balancing work and personal life. Adjust your strategies as needed based on changes in your job or personal circumstances.
Seek Feedback: Ask for input from trusted friends, family members, or colleagues about your work-life balance and areas for improvement.
b. Adapt to Change:
Be Flexible: Life circumstances and job demands can change, requiring you to adapt your work-life balance strategies accordingly.
Continuous Improvement: Always look for ways to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary overtime without compromising your job performance.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how much overtime you should work to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It depends on your personal priorities, job demands, and individual circumstances. However, by understanding your priorities, setting clear boundaries, managing your time effectively, and fostering a supportive environment, you can find a balance that allows you to thrive both professionally and personally. Remember that maintaining this balance is an ongoing process that requires regular assessment and adjustment to meet your evolving needs and goals. I hope this helps!
Achieving a healthy work-life balance while managing a full-time job and personal commitments is a common challenge many of us face. The "right amount" of overtime can vary significantly based on personal circumstances, job demands, and individual priorities. However, there are general guidelines and strategies you can consider to maintain a balanced and fulfilling life.
1. Understand Your Personal Priorities
a. Identify What Matters Most:
Family and Relationships: Quality time with loved ones is essential for mental and emotional well-being.
Hobbies and Personal Interests: Engaging in activities you enjoy can reduce stress and enhance creativity.
Health and Wellness: Regular exercise, proper sleep, and relaxation are crucial for maintaining physical and mental health.
Career Goals: Assess how overtime impacts your long-term career aspirations and job satisfaction.
2. Assess Your Job Requirements
a. Nature of Your Job:
High-Demand Roles: Some professions, such as healthcare, law, or project-based industries, may inherently require more overtime.
Flexible vs. Rigid Schedules: Jobs with flexible hours may allow you to better manage overtime without sacrificing personal time.
b. Company Culture:
Expectations Around Overtime: Understand your employer’s stance on overtime. Some companies encourage extra hours, while others prioritize work-life balance.
Support Systems: Availability of resources like flexible working arrangements, remote work options, or wellness programs can influence your ability to balance work and personal life.
3. Determine a Sustainable Overtime Limit
a. General Guidelines:
Moderate Overtime: Working an extra 5-10 hours per week (totaling 45-50 hours) can be manageable for many people without significantly disrupting personal life.
Minimal Overtime: Limiting overtime to 2-5 hours per week (totaling 40-45 hours) helps ensure ample time for personal activities and family.
b. Avoid Excessive Overtime:
Consistently Working 50+ Hours: Regularly exceeding 50 hours per week can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and strained relationships.
Recognize Signs of Overwork: Fatigue, irritability, decreased job performance, and neglecting personal responsibilities are indicators that overtime may be negatively impacting your balance.
4. Implement Effective Time Management Strategies
a. Prioritize Tasks:
Use Tools: Utilize planners, calendars, or digital tools to organize tasks and deadlines.
Focus on High-Impact Activities: Identify and prioritize tasks that significantly contribute to your job and personal goals.
b. Set Boundaries:
Define Work Hours: Clearly delineate your work hours and stick to them as much as possible.
Communicate Limits: Let your employer and colleagues know your availability to manage expectations around overtime.
c. Delegate When Possible:
Share Responsibilities: Whether at work or home, delegating tasks can help reduce your workload and free up time for other activities.
5. Foster a Supportive Environment
a. Communicate with Your Employer:
Discuss Workload: If overtime becomes overwhelming, talk to your supervisor about adjusting your responsibilities or finding efficiencies.
Seek Flexibility: Explore options such as flexible hours, remote work, or compressed workweeks to better accommodate personal commitments.
b. Engage Your Support Network:
Family and Friends: Lean on your support system for help with personal responsibilities when work demands increase.
Professional Support: Consider speaking with a career counselor or coach to develop strategies for managing work-life balance.
6. Regularly Reevaluate Your Balance
a. Self-Assessment:
Reflect Periodically: Regularly assess how well you’re balancing work and personal life. Adjust your strategies as needed based on changes in your job or personal circumstances.
Seek Feedback: Ask for input from trusted friends, family members, or colleagues about your work-life balance and areas for improvement.
b. Adapt to Change:
Be Flexible: Life circumstances and job demands can change, requiring you to adapt your work-life balance strategies accordingly.
Continuous Improvement: Always look for ways to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary overtime without compromising your job performance.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how much overtime you should work to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It depends on your personal priorities, job demands, and individual circumstances. However, by understanding your priorities, setting clear boundaries, managing your time effectively, and fostering a supportive environment, you can find a balance that allows you to thrive both professionally and personally. Remember that maintaining this balance is an ongoing process that requires regular assessment and adjustment to meet your evolving needs and goals. I hope this helps!
Roger Maxwell
Freelance Writer
15
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Roger’s Answer
Hello!
I wanted to be a marine biologist too! But my mom wouldn't allow me to take scuba lessons since I wouldn't get home early enough to do homework.
Marine biologist's typically work for the government, research labs, non-profit organizations ... which may have more regular 8-5 working day. However, writers usually have a greater range of hours depending on what type of writer you are - freelance/copywriter, journalist, novelist...
If you are a freelance writer, you make your own hours. You determine your hours based on your workload. If your client needs you to write one 2,300 word blog a week for $800 a blog, and you can write that blog in 20 hours (4 hours in 5 days), that's $3200.00 a month. Will that allow you the spare time you need or want.
If you are a journalist, you will probably be working for a news agency and they may have standard hours, or even extended hours.
The other thing you should consider ... do you love what your doing? I wanted to be a Marine Biologist because I loved the ocean and the beauty of the sealife and wanted to use my photography to take pictures. And I loved science. I thought it would be perfect. But I also loved to write. I ended up doing neither and got sucked into the world of Information Technology. I've only recently gotten back to serious writing - copywriting.
My point: You need to do what you love. And the hours you spend doing that won't seem so long ... in fact, it may fly by sooner than you think!
-Roger
I wanted to be a marine biologist too! But my mom wouldn't allow me to take scuba lessons since I wouldn't get home early enough to do homework.
Marine biologist's typically work for the government, research labs, non-profit organizations ... which may have more regular 8-5 working day. However, writers usually have a greater range of hours depending on what type of writer you are - freelance/copywriter, journalist, novelist...
If you are a freelance writer, you make your own hours. You determine your hours based on your workload. If your client needs you to write one 2,300 word blog a week for $800 a blog, and you can write that blog in 20 hours (4 hours in 5 days), that's $3200.00 a month. Will that allow you the spare time you need or want.
If you are a journalist, you will probably be working for a news agency and they may have standard hours, or even extended hours.
The other thing you should consider ... do you love what your doing? I wanted to be a Marine Biologist because I loved the ocean and the beauty of the sealife and wanted to use my photography to take pictures. And I loved science. I thought it would be perfect. But I also loved to write. I ended up doing neither and got sucked into the world of Information Technology. I've only recently gotten back to serious writing - copywriting.
My point: You need to do what you love. And the hours you spend doing that won't seem so long ... in fact, it may fly by sooner than you think!
-Roger
Thank you so much for the advice!
Zoey