When do you draw the line...

[Phat Matt]

...of working too much?
I just got home from one of my promotions and still have too much work to do before tomorrow. I will probably be up all night before I have to go back into the office so I can get things done. I feel like I need to clone myself so I don't leave money on the table. I am completely motivated by money so it is hard for me to stop working if I know I can make more. But at what point do you tell yourself stop? Even if I tried to go to sleep right now (3:40am) I wouldn't be able to because I would be thinking about what I need to get done.
I gotta get back to work! :messedup: :mix:
At least the cat is up with me. :)

[Stupid Fast]

I think you may have crossed it....... :supp:
I know how you feel. I don't know your buisness is but mine is feast of famine. I am either swamped or I am twirling my thumbs.....(more swamped lately). Tough call.....

[JetBoatRich]

You have the right motivation :squiggle: some times you have to say WTF the work is not going any place and will be there when you return :notam:
If possible walk away and get it done when you return :eek:

[spectratoad]

If this is a daily ritual and your wife and kids are wondering if you are part of the package any longer, or the boat sits there collecting dust then maybe you have crossed. I guess it is up to your wife to tell you sometimes.
Me I am not motivated enough to be self employed. I would love to be but at least I admit it now rather than try it and lose everything. But I am not one to stay at work late to get something done. It will still be there tomorrow; however, if it is imperitive that it gets done I am in until completion.
Tough call though. :hammerhea

[Kachina26]

BEFORE the wife says you have crossed it. Once she has it will be tough to not only back off but everytime you need to do more she will wonder if it's gonna happen again. Tough call, that's one good thing about my 8-5 gig.

[NashvilleBound]

If you have put money before your family..firends..you values..you've crossed the line. Your living to work, where you should be working to LIVE!

[Garrddogg]

If you ask, you've prolly crossed it..I knew the good job was comming,she said enough,I said wait,she said BYE! a month later I got the better job..
one word,
BALANCE. :wink:

[PHX ATC]

What good is the money you get from working all those hours if you can't spend it with your family?
Work to live, not live to work.
Still give it 110%, but throttle back on ocassion to spend some quality time with your family. And yourself. :shift:

[shockwavebd]

Work to live, not live to work.
key phrase there toby.................. :220v:

[Scream]

You whiner, get back to work...j/k
Matt, if your work is getting in the way of life, you need to move on, but if this is just occasional, you're still young enough to handle the extra load. As long as you and Jen and Buddy don't suffer from the extra hours/days then take the money. My dad always said "Make hay while the sun shines" because there will come a time when it's not so sunny any more. If you do decide to move on, there are always good jobs for self starters like yourself, so don't ever worry about finding another job.

[MagicMtnDan]

Like Force 26 said the idea is balance. It's one of the most difficult things to do in life - balance your career and your personal lives. Usually one is going much better than the other but there are those times when they're both clicking and it feels real good.
When one side is way up in the air and the other is way down you need to level them out.
Good luck :smile:

[Tremor Therapy]

What good is the money you get from working all those hours if you can't spend it with your family?
Work to live, not live to work.
Still give it 110%, but throttle back on ocassion to spend some quality time with your family. And yourself. :shift:
Exact call Toby! A couple years back I found myself pulling the 12 hours a day routine, logging back in once I got home, going to work on Saturdays, the whole ball of wax. :hammerhea
Home life started to suffer, so I scaled way back! I'll give the company 110% for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, and the occassional Saturday if it is the difference between being awarded a contract or not......other than that the rest is for me and the family!

[FastTimmy]

Hey Matt what you need a few good friends to come over there and KICK your ass and drag you out to havasu!!!! WTF drop the work and lets PARTY... :rollside:

[Flyinbowtie]

This one hit home with me,I have not been able to work since March 1st. Due to some debilitating back injuries and the fact that I tried to ignored them for a couple of years, I am now stuck at home until the docs figure out what to do. Work is a curse. The only thing worse than working is not working at all.
Matt, I lived the life you are describing a couple for a couple of years. Made what to me was big $ and had an absolute blast doing it, going all over the state working with some of the sharpest folks in my profession.. Unbeknownst to me, the Mrs. was keeping track of how many hours per seven day week I was home. It averaged less than 15.
I had a new big screen TV that I didn't know how to use.
I had a brand new truck that rolled on less than 3k in two years. The batteries went dead once.
I had a motorhome that I put less than 100 on in two years. Tires rotted away.
I had two teenage sons that needed me.
You are asking yourself the right questions. At some point, you must either get some help, or start turning some work down. Once you get past the income level needed to sustain a decent lifestyle, family and time with the family need to move up on the priority list.
Another guy in my biz got in my face once about letting my team handle a detail without me. I hadn't been home in a couple of weeks, and was completely submerged in a task. He knew it and said, "Ya know, you never see anybody near the end of their life saying they wish they had spent more time at work. Tombstones have words like, Father, Husband, Friend on them, they never say a damn thing about burning the candle at both ends."
I went home for a couple of days.
FBT

[Froggystyle]

I think you should come to San Diego and spin some records personally...
Works for me!
;)

[clownpuncher]

I used to put work before anything. I had all I wanted, except happiness. One day, years ago, I was cruising to work and I heard this song. Changed the way I think about busting ass. Like was said before - BALANCE
Song by Billy Ray Cyrus (Don't laugh fockers :wink: )
"There's a little boy out in the driveway
His basketball in hand
Saying Daddy could we play a little one on one
You pat him on the back and say not now son
I'm a busy man
His sister's out on the sidewalk
Setting up a lemonade stand
Hey Daddy don't you want to buy a glass from me
You say maybe later, can't you see I'm a busy man
You got to go, got to run
Hit it hard and get it done
Everyone can see you're going far
You got responsibilities
A crazy schedule that you keep
And when you say that time's a-wasting
You don't know how right you are
Busy man
There's a woman in the bedroom crying
Saying I thought we had plans
You say honey I'm sorry I'll make it up
When the job slows down and I'm not such
A busy man
You got to go, got to run
Hit it hard and get it done
Everyone can see you're going far
You got responsibilities
A crazy schedule that you keep
And when you say that time's a-wasting
You don't know how right you are
Busy man
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work"
There's a call one day from the office
They need you down in Birmingham
You say no way, the weekend's mine
I got plans with the kids and a date with my wife
I'm a busy man
You got to go, got to run
Take a break and have some fun
Those that love you most
Say you've come far
Got some new priorities
In that schedule that you keep
And when you say that time's a-wasting
Now you know how right you are
Busy man"

[Phat Matt]

Everything you guys say makes total sense. I do get out though, almost every weekend. It's usually go crazy all week long and then we are off to Havasu or Vegas during the weekend where we go full throttle and then back to work on Monday. It just seems like I never slow down. Jen gives me flack during the week as I am out doing my promotions and checking on my clients but then I ask her if she likes the things we have and the places we go. She's been cool lately asking me if she can help out at the "home office" (I think she's tired of work herself and would rather just work for me) but I am one of those people who would rather take on a big load myself because I know I will get the job done right. Plus most of the time I can get things done faster myself instead of trying to teach people how to do it over and over. Most of my income is comission based so when it's available I try to get as much as I can. And then I think of the whole "it takes money to make money thing" and I start thinking of how to take my money to make more. It's a vicious cycle.
Phuck it. I think I go buy a bunch of lotto tickets. :D
Nah, I'll just get back to work! :hammerhea

[Phat Matt]

I think you should come to San Diego and spin some records personally...
Works for me!
;)
That's sounds like a good idea to me! Especially since I just took down my turntables to make room for and fax/copier/printer/scanner thing! DJ room or office? What the hell am I thinking. I got 12 new records in the mail last week and haven't even listened to them yet!
I now realize I have a problem! :jawdrop: :D

[Froggystyle]

It's usually go crazy all week long and then we are off to Havasu or Vegas during the weekend where we go full throttle and then back to work on Monday. It just seems like I never slow down.
This is where I started going nuts. Same spot.
Working hard is one thing. Playing hard is another. Doing both at the same time for a long time is suicide.
For the last two years, as you all have seen I have been burning the candle at both ends. Check the post times. They usually stopped about 2:00am and started up again around 7:00 when I got back to work. I was working 7 days a week.
Then I started to take some "time off" every now and then. Problem was, time off was hitting a club to see a DJ or something and getting home at 4 in the morning. Back to work. Or, if I took a Saturday off, I would fill it with mountain biking or paintball. That isn't really rest. Fun, but not rest. Neither is blazing to Havasu or Vegas.
Matt, it seems that you are as bad as I am with filling every single hour of the day. It seems like wasted time if you don't.
I am still trying to figure out the balance between committment to my freinds (who never see me anymore), my family (who I work day in and day out with) and my business (see above examples).
I hope that things settle down once the boat hits the water, and I am able to get into a rhythm, but until then, I am just trying to fend off the inevitable brain aneurism. :D
When you figure it out, let me know what you did.

[Phat Matt]

This is where I started going nuts. Same spot.
Working hard is one thing. Playing hard is another. Doing both at the same time for a long time is suicide.
For the last two years, as you all have seen I have been burning the candle at both ends. Check the post times. They usually stopped about 2:00am and started up again around 7:00 when I got back to work. I was working 7 days a week.
Then I started to take some "time off" every now and then. Problem was, time off was hitting a club to see a DJ or something and getting home at 4 in the morning. Back to work. Or, if I took a Saturday off, I would fill it with mountain biking or paintball. That isn't really rest. Fun, but not rest. Neither is blazing to Havasu or Vegas.
Matt, it seems that you are as bad as I am with filling every single hour of the day. It seems like wasted time if you don't.
I am still trying to figure out the balance between committment to my freinds (who never see me anymore), my family (who I work day in and day out with) and my business (see above examples).
I hope that things settle down once the boat hits the water, and I am able to get into a rhythm, but until then, I am just trying to fend off the inevitable brain aneurism. :D
When you figure it out, let me know what you did.
That's just it. I work and play hard! We should hang out, when we get some time, you know, hit up a club or something. :wink:

[TheEduKATor]

I think you should come to San Diego and spin some records personally...
;)
Trust me, you don't want Matt here in San Diego. Sure he can spin some records but he makes shitty drinks. Seriously though Matt, don't burn yourself out before we get to see you doing your thing out in Vegas. :D

[MRS FLYIN VEE]

these are my thoughts about this from the otherside of a work aholic..
Jamie (MR VEE) started his own business as a plumbing contractor.. I was working in a beauty salon and a grocery store as a manager.. mine stared at 7:00 a.m to 5:00.. which was fine I got home did the dinner and the whole wife mommy thing..
His day started at 7:00 a., to whatever time he was done.. sometimes 9:00- 10:00 p.m.. we had alot of fights over the hours he use to work.. he would come home.. get something to eat, shower , bed then up again and did it again.. this went on for a few years.. well I got pregnant with our daughter.. and I quit my job to stay home with both kids and my neice..
He was working so many hours he finally got to sick to go to work.. it was from exhaustion(spck) he was told to take a few weeks off.. he didn't he went right back to work and kept on doing what he did..
One day he came home and our son was up late that night with the flu.. and he looked at Jamie and Said.. " Hi , Uncle Daddy" .. that was the night he thought about hiring someone else to help him out.. He know is known as Daddy..
soory for the long story.. but to me.. you are working too much.. one day you will have kids and you won't be able to find the time to watch them grow up , or take their first step, or be there for them when they need you the most.. you will watch them grow up and by the time you are off work.. Bammmmm they are teenagers.. Life is too short to take the most presious things in life and just toss them out the window and expect them to bounce back and say.. Hey dad.. my friends are here now.. where were you when I wanted to throw ball with you.. or have you watch my ballet dance ..
Just tryin to help you see the lite.. that is not to far away.. take the breaks you need when needed.. oneday you will have a teenager in the house and they are gonna wonder who you are.. :) :)
also .. this is why I started working with Jamie,... so we had sometime together.. the awesome thing about that is we don't fight while working.. he wears the pants in the field and I try to wear them at home.. :D

[Froggystyle]

Or don't have kids. ;)
This is probably one of the reasons I don't have kids right now. Too busy, and I like what I am doing.
Tough call man. Lighten up where you can.

[JustMVG]

Matt can't you get an intern do help you out at the office while you are out on calls?

[N2Lake]

Exact call Toby! A couple years back I found myself pulling the 12 hours a day routine, logging back in once I got home, going to work on Saturdays, the whole ball of wax. :hammerhea
Home life started to suffer, so I scaled way back! I'll give the company 110% for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, and the occassional Saturday if it is the difference between being awarded a contract or not......other than that the rest is for me and the family!
Good thing you posted that 5 minutes into your morning break :rollside:
It is a tough deal, I used to work like hell 15 to 18 hours everyday, now I work maybe 6 to 8 hours a day 4 or 5 days a week, unless I really get busy. I have gotten very good at delegation. On the flip side of that it is tough to find people that you can trust to take care of your business. It is also tough to look back at how much of your kids lifes you have already missed.

[Keithb87]

I used to be the 7 am to 2am work aholic... But it was for someone else.. All it got me was out of a job ...
Now, although I still work for someone else, I limit my hours to 50 max per week.. I know that being self-employeed it is not that easy, but you have to take time for yourself..
At the age of 24 I had major stomach problems, ulcers, acid reflux, headaches, fatigue, the list goes on and on.. Basicly if you don't take some time to relax, you body may shut down to the point that you have to take time to relax... :)
Try to take a break... :coffeycup

[Phat Matt]

Trust me, you don't want Matt here in San Diego. Sure he can spin some records but he makes shitty drinks. Seriously though Matt, don't burn yourself out before we get to see you doing your thing out in Vegas. :D
Well then you had better plan on being in Vegas on 8/21. It looks like it is going to be our last big party at Curve. The new owners are taking over the Aladdin and making a lot of changes. We are going to make that a night to remember!