Part-time vs full-time work?

[erik]

I'm getting a bit sick of working most of my life and not having enough time to work on my bikes or do my own stuff. When I got the sv, I just wanted to check the valve clearances and do a few small things and it ended up sitting in the garage for 2 months while I worked on it bit by bit. Now I've got that going but my bandit needs attention (it's only running on 3 cylinders) and has been sitting in the garage for about a month now too.
I've got to push myself to work on the bike in the evenings, I get home tired and want to relax, not work on the bike. Getting the sv ready for the trackday I was working on it in the evenings modifying the clutch and making a camera mount etc. I think I must've stayed up late a few nights which tired me out and I caught a cold. Still did the trackday though :D. I still have the cold though. I think that's 3 or 4 times I've been sick this winter.

I'm starting to think I don't actually need the full 40k salary I'm on, that I'd be better off with more free time and I could get by working 4 maybe 3 days a week. I'm still living at home, haven't got any plans to move out, I pay board so I'm not just freeloading.

I completed a BEngTech in mechanical engineering before getting my current job as a turret punch programmer/operator. I did well at uni but I'm not using anything I learned at uni in my job, it's a bit of a shame. I've been there since march '07.

I've asked my boss if it'd be possible for me to work 4 days a week, he said he's not opposed in principle, but that he can't do anything that'd be detrimental to the company. He's looking for someone to operate the press brake so the current guy that's doing it can focus on managing the workshop and doing other stuff (including learning how to operate the turret as a backkup).

I don't know if I should wait and see if I am able to work 4 days a week at my current job or if I should look for something else. This is my first proper job, first job out of uni. Previously I've done a little work for my aunt's partner painting/wallpapering. The days go more quickly at my current job, I'm not keen to go back to painting. I think I'd like to try something else for a change, but am worried I could end up worse off.

[CB ARGH]

Come to Pak'n Save and be just like me at the checkouts...


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[Drum]

The humanity!

You "me generation" types need to get your shit together!

Get a proper job using the qualification you (or your parents) paid good money for.

And for gods sake leave home. Think of your poor parents. Not freeloading my arse!

[Subike]

The humanity!

You "me generation" types need to get your shit together!

Get a proper job using the qualification you (or your parents) paid good money for.

And for gods sake leave home. Think of your poor parents. Not freeloading my arse!

sorry mate I agree with drum.
Regardless of what you "wish" to do with your time, a fact remains
you need money to live in this world.
A days loss of earnings can NEVER be recovered.
Really you say? "I will just work extra hours to make it up"
nope, all you are doing is working another day.
You are young, work hard and pay someone to repair your bike, so that your free time is riding time, not the druggery of fixing that which you want to ride.
"so your telling me to pay to get my bike fixed with the money I earn, rather than do it cheaper myself?"
Yeap.
Cheaper does not give you quality relaxation time riding your bike.
Work hard and earn the money, spend it on the needed repair, then enjoy the fruits of your work.
Less work means less money means less enjoyment means more frustration.
Get your ass into gear and work, then you can get your ass into your gear and ride!
Simple 1 + 1 = fun

[MadDuck]

You "me generation" types need to get your shit together!

Get a proper job using the qualification you (or your parents) paid good money for.

And for gods sake leave home. Think of your poor parents. Not freeloading my arse!

In fairness Erik is a sensible and intelligent young man and if his parents are happy for him to hang around then thats not such a bad thing...surely?

By the time I was his age I had travelled the world with a back pack and no money but times have changed somewhat. Erik if you can afford to put your career and hold to pursue what you enjoy....ie your love of motorcycles. Then go for it. You may not get the opportunity again.

I doubt very much you will ever end up as a checkout boy Pak n Save.

[slimjim]

holy fuck you on a salary of 40k and no time to get out an enjoy yea right ! you got no rent . no power. no insurance .no kids . no handbrake or sink (girlfriend) . yup you pay broad what=120 buck's aweek .you can come and go as you like an what Fuck ......... GET OUT THERE......... AND DO It!!

[nodrog]

By the time I was his age I had travelled the world in a back pack.

is that what stunted your growth?

[PirateJafa]

You are young, work hard and pay someone to repair your bike, so that your free time is riding time, not the druggery of fixing that which you want to ride.

What happens if he is one of us who enjoy fixing our bikes?

[scootnz]

I did that. I was in a stressed IT job, on call every other week. My contract came up for renewal, and I asked for a drop in pay to work four days a week. I had Fridays off.

It was the best thing I ever did.

Never regretted it.

Never missed the money.

And I went crazy Thursday evenings at the release of stress, knowing I had a 3 day weekend to look forward to.

(I ended up still burning out and left the job after two miscarriages and nearly dying from the second one.)

If you have something else in your life that is important to you, and you have enough power to negotiate your work days, and you can manage on the drop in pay, why not? You could be dead in 5 years. If you don't do something now you may not get the chance.

[GurlRacer]

My peice of advice, for someone who still lives at home too (Well I haven't got to uni yet!) - Live each moment the way you want to, you don't want to die with regrets. My father always drummed in to me to "Live with no regrets" - so I got up off my ass, spent a year in Europe, involved myself in motorsport, and am now looking at volunteering with St John, along with many other things along the way. I barely have time for myself, but I'm loving it, and know that when I die, whenever that may be, I've given everything I wanted to do a shot.

Zukin also used to say: Die with memories, not with dreams.

(Which is why he brought bikes, and rally cars, and fancy computers, he liked his toys, and at the end of the day, he'd tried everything he wanted to, and when he passed away, that was peice of mind for me and my family :) )

[homer]

id say fuck it
just enough money to get by and more free time .
whats the point of work if you cant get time to do what you want to do .

[CookMySock]

Yeah do something about it quick. You aren't on this planet for everyone else, you are here for you, and you don't have to kill yourself just to earn a living when you aren't living at all.

On the other hand, I think you will find you will still get the same amount of leisure time stuff done, regardless how how much extra leisure time you get.

Steve

[Pwalo]

Are you seriously expecting to get advice from a web site? You are old enough to make your own decisions, and if you need advice ask someone you know and trust.

If you want a better job, find one. If you want to go racing that's splendid. Just do it.

[Hoon]

Dude you don't know how well you've got it.

Stay at home and milk it for everything while you can.

If you are earning more than you need then SAVE IT!!! Don't take a cut in hours as your earning potential is decreased and you aren't worth as much.

Spend that money you save on better tools/equipment to make your garage time more productive. Hell, the tricky/time consuming tasks you can just pay someone else instead.

Also (this is the motivational Army NCO in me so don't take it the wrong way) maybe you might need to harden up a little. When the going gets tough you need to get tougher - making everything else easier is not the solution. Challenge yourself (mentally and physically) and push past your comfort zone...success under difficulty/pressure will do wonders for your motivation and confidence.

A common problem I see with intelligent/tertiary educated/city dwelling young adults is that when faced with tough jobs they often try to "think" up an easier way when the best solution is just to roll up the sleeves and get stuck in (I was one of them!!).

[Motu]

I don't know about being a selfish ''Me Generation'' Erik - you sound exactly like me over 35 years ago.In my 20's out of my time and qualified - I lived at home and drifted from job to job which was easy in those days.I would work somewhere for a few months or up to a year,then leave and have a few months off - I'd give my mother a few hundred bucks and say ''tell me when it runs out''...but of course she never would.Then I might look for a job,be offered one,or in the case of the place where I served my time - I'd drop in to say hi or use the welding plant,and they'd ask if I could give them a hand for a couple of weeks....and that would end up as another year there.I had plenty of time to work on my bikes,spend the whole time off building another bike even.I could live the life of an unemployed bum,riding around during the day,getting out of it any night of the week.It was the best time of my life - I didn't need the money,got huge work experience,and my mother never got on my back about not working...although she did expect the lawns to be done.

I used to know your parents well,and you were a very treasured little boy - they will be proud of your achievements so far,and wouldn't kick you out even if you were an axe murderer.

[retro asian]

Do it.

Your younger years are precious...its all downhill once you get a full time professional job.

If you can afford it, why not get some more free time to LIVE before it all starts to fly by in the wink of an eye....

[brendonjw]

I work in IT, am currently doing 4 10 hour days a week, the 3 day weekend is great and i love it, and really, 10 hour days are pretty easy. The only thing i dont like is that im doing shift work, starting at midnight finish 1030 :angry2: so currently on the look out for somthing else (I want to get into networking if anyone knows of any positions going :sweatdrop )
But yeah seriously man, maybe you could negotiate a 10 hour day so you dont have to take a pay cut

[Number One]

I'm getting a bit sick of working most of my life...

rah rah rah

I'm still living at home, haven't got any plans to move out, I pay board so I'm not just freeloading.

I've been there since march '07.

rah rah rah

This is my first proper job, first job out of uni.

WTF??? I'm getting a bit sick of working most of my life? So you've been doing it for what in perpective amounts to around 5 minutes and you already planning to live at home and pay board for the rest of your life :laugh: WOW you sound a real catch! Bet the girls are lining up! Hope at least you wash your own undies :bleh:

Seriously though...(well on topic of your question I should say)....part time work is awesome - work life balance becomes really important especially if you have a young family. I worked hard on my career established myself and now have the luxury of choosing how much I work and for what pay...I feel quite proud that I have gotten to this place by now as I am only 30..yes yes I understand for you young whippersnappers 30 is like ages away but one day you just might want to get out from under your parents roof (in fact have you asked whether they plan on kicking you out at any stage! Might pay to if you are even slightly considering reducing to part time work now) putting in some hard yards to get yourself into a position where you can do that without having to loose heaps of dosh is well worth it! Keep in mind too that all that 'hard' work at uni goes totally out the window if you plan on not using it and choose to work a part time JOB.

BTW you may not see yourself as freeloading but don't you think your parents might like (and deserve) some time to themselves at some stage after having worked MOST OF THEIR LIVES raising you?

[McJim]

I have been working 50-70 hours per week and have decided to cut back. I'm taking a huge drop in pay but I will be able to meet my 4year old and 2 year old son for the first time in ages.

I'm looking forward to the short period of hapiness that will occur between the reduction of working hours and the repossession of the house :2thumbsup:

[erik]

Are you seriously expecting to get advice from a web site?
I'm not really sure what I was expecting. But it's interesting reading other people's opinions, getting other perspectives.

Work was ok today. The job I'm doing actually suits me pretty well, I'm not a people person but in this job I only have to deal with a few people at work. There's a mix of using the computer (getting the programs ready) and hands on stuff (changing tools, loading material into the turret etc). The days usually go pretty quickly.
It gets stressful when there are orders due which are set to impossible deadlines and jobs with lots of parts and different material types and thicknesses, then other jobs get juggled in between them and previously punched parts have to be remade when they're folded wrong or if the design has to be changed. This month looks like it's going to be really busy.


yes yes I understand for you young whippersnappers 30 is like ages away...
Only 3 years (I'm 27)!

[Number One]

Only 3 years (I'm 27)!
You OLD Bastard!!! Time to retire for sure :laugh:

[McJim]

I understand for you young whippersnappers 30 is like ages away

Is it any consolation that it's fuckin' ages away for us old farts too? I'll never be 30 again.:crybaby:

[Flatcap]

Is it any consolation that it's fuckin' ages away for us old farts too? I'll never be 30 again.:crybaby:

On the plus side, you will experience nappies again...

[Conquiztador]

Erik, you have no responsibilities. No kids, wife, house, loan etc. The money you make goes. Do a list for 2 weeks on what you spend the money on. And include it all! The Red Bull, the magazines, the takeaways the...

Then have a look at what you can live without, and what you need to get by.

You sound like a clever guy. Honestly! So you will be able to sort this out.

I did not have my first kid before 34. Before that I lived. I travelled, did what I wanted to do. There was bikes, girls, parties, countries.

Today I don't have all what many my age have. I rent. But I have a very decent job. And I do not regret anything! I never understood the logic that says: When you are young and healthy and have heaps of energy, that is when you should work your azz off, have wife, buy house, have kids. Then when you are 40+ and the marriage has failed and the kids are out of your hands and your health is failing and you have assets, thats when you can start living... try to travel and sleep under the stars, live at backpackers, hitchike and score young willing girls when 45...

Nah Erik. Live now. Phuck the "harden up" brigade. I'ts your life. Build memories. You have a trade that nobody can take away from you. All the other you can loose. G/F, health, house etc.

The only thing that holds you back is you.

The only things I regret are things I never did...

[skidMark]

sorry mate I agree with drum.
Regardless of what you "wish" to do with your time, a fact remains
you need money to live in this world.
A days loss of earnings can NEVER be recovered.
Really you say? "I will just work extra hours to make it up"
nope, all you are doing is working another day.
You are young, work hard and pay someone to repair your bike, so that your free time is riding time, not the druggery of fixing that which you want to ride.
"so your telling me to pay to get my bike fixed with the money I earn, rather than do it cheaper myself?"
Yeap.
Cheaper does not give you quality relaxation time riding your bike.
Work hard and earn the money, spend it on the needed repair, then enjoy the fruits of your work.
Less work means less money means less enjoyment means more frustration.
Get your ass into gear and work, then you can get your ass into your gear and ride!
Simple 1 + 1 = fun


What he said ^^^

When i was living in Greta Valley with Subike i did slack off sometimes, and regretted it the following week when, oh shit no money for gas etc...

eventually i woke up, then was spending $100pw at the pub, $200 on living expenses....

$150-$200 on gas.


Came back no better off financially than when i left.

But for the first time in about 2 years.

I felt alive.

[Zoolander]

Jeezus, for somebody the same age as me you come across like a whiny little princess! Sorry, but you just need to make time if you want to work on your bike. Like the rest of us do. And at 27 you should be giving your folks a break and developing a bit of independence by leaving home. Just harden up man!!

[RC1]

stop being a whore on kb and spend that time on the bike, maybe try get out in the real world for a while :crybaby:

[crazyhorse]

Stop being so lazy. Your poor parents - why should they continue to look after you - ever thought they might want their freedom.

Move out - get a real job and be a real motorcyclist like the rest of us. Everyone has commitments and we can still do what we want with our bikes and have a life.

[Beemer]

I can see both sides here. I'd always had fulltime jobs and the weekends and evenings were crammed with all the other things I wanted to do. Fast forward to 1999 when I lost my job and did some temping work to get by. The money was good, but it was irregular and not that secure, so I went back to working fulltime. I moved from that job to another fulltime job but it was working shifts so I often worked weekends and evenings and hated it.

In 2002 I was left some money so I went freelancing and have survived doing that (with a few short-term contracts of a few months or so as well) ever since. I loved the lifestyle as it meant I could work from home and usually take a day off whenever I wanted, as I could shuffle my work to suit the hours. In summer I would work the mornings and then spend the afternoons in the garden or I'd go for a ride. In winter it was great because I could do all the boring things I had to do (put out the washing, get dinner on in the crockpot, etc) during the breaks I took from working, and I could sit by the fire if it got too cold in the study!

Unfortunately the recession has hit and my work has slowed almost to a stop so I've been looking for some regular work. Like you, I would prefer part-time and thought I had a great opportunity last week but two days after offering me the job, they rang to say there was no money in the budget to employ me so I'm back to square one. There are sweet FA jobs advertised locally anyway, so I've had to apply for a fulltime job that I'm not really that keen on but don't have much choice as I need the money. I'd be more than happy with a couple of hundred a week (about what I'd get on the dole, if I were eligible to apply for it) rather than a fulltime income, but beggars can't be choosers.

Working part-time is great and I much prefer it as I don't get so tired, so grumpy (my husband can confirm that!) or so stressed. If you can get shorter hours in your chosen field I would say go for it.