Would you work 75-90 hours a week in exchange for wealth

Michiyo-Fir

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#1
I find this topic very interesting. Much of my own family are bankers and hedge fund managers so I see personally how much they work...

However, the current standard for new recruits in these types of careers literally have new grads working 75-90+ hours a week. Family members have worked 3 days straight before and went to the hospital due to collapse from fatigue. Also sometimes you can't make it to your SO's birthdays, or a kids' ball game. But not all the time if you can manage your time well.

The pay on the other hand is good, it's great, it's amazing even. Depends on what you do, yearly bonuses are $1-10 million. You can live anyway you want, private jets, best restaurants every night, expensive wine, travel every weekend, buy anything you want, provide everything your family could possibly ever need. Plus, you can help others in need, donations, starting foundations for research for illnesses, etc.

I'm just curious, how many of you guys would trade so much of your time for wealth, financial stability for you and your family?
 

sillysally

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#2
Absolutely not.

I like financial security as much as the next person, but working so many hours that you have no time to be with family and no time for things you truly enjoy just isn't worth it to me.
 

Michiyo-Fir

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#3
Well I wouldn't say there's no time for family.

Maybe not as much time as if you worked 35-40 hours a week. But definitely still vacations, maybe one day of the 2 day weekend, take the kids/family/dogs out.
 

JacksonsMom

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#6
I'm the first to admit, it would be nice to not ever have to worry about money. But I don't think I'd be willing to sacrifice THIS much of my life. I've seen it effect families a lot. Even my good family friend who is a lawyer... he may not work THAT many hours but he works quite a bit, especially during his large cases, and yep.. they live VERY comfortable lives and do not have to worry about money... but I've seen the stress it causes him personally, his family, I've literally seen him age so much in the past 7 years... I'm just not sure when it's worth it. Some people just have those types of personalities and are okay with it. I wouldn't be. I don't think I'd want to be married to someone like that either. I also have seen that some of the people (not all) that I know with the most money are typically the least happy.
 

BostonBanker

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#7
Forever? No. I'd be willing to do something like that for a couple of years with the knowledge that it was setting me up for a hugely successful career that would have more appealing hours down the line.
 

Elrohwen

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#9
Nope, definitely not. I work about 45 hours a week and still think it's too much. I want to have time to enjoy the money I earn and I couldn't working that schedule.

If I could work a year or two like that and be guaranteed $10mil then sure, but that's not how it works.
 

Paviche

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#10
No, no way. As long as I'm making enough to live comfortably (and I think my definition of "comfortable" is lower than a lot of people's) then that's all I need. At that point I value my free time far more than any potential extra earnings.
 

DJEtzel

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#11
I am absolutely not willing to sacrifice the things I want to do with my life for a job. I've left them before when they took too much time/energy out of my time. I was working 60+ hours a week two summers ago and couldn't do anything with my days because I was so exhausted every evening. I was making more money than I could spend because I didn't have time to spend it. And it sucked.

So I quit. *shrugs*
 
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#12
At end of year I was logging 10-12 hours a day, with a few busy days being a literal - Wake Up, take Hudson out, check my email, shower, check my email again, get ready for work, check it a third time before heading out the door, work for 11 hours, come home, log a few more, go to bed. I've had a taste at working super long hours, and while it was fun to make more money than my husband, it is not a lifestyle I could keep up long term. 2 or 3 weeks every 3 months is more than enough for me.
 

Michiyo-Fir

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#13
Forever? No. I'd be willing to do something like that for a couple of years with the knowledge that it was setting me up for a hugely successful career that would have more appealing hours down the line.
I think most think you work like 90 hours a week for 3-5 years and then it goes down to maybe 60-70.. Then at one point maybe 40-50.
 

Ozfozz

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#15
Maybe if said job involved frequent agility training sessions with my dogs, and hiking....:rolleyes: I can dream right?
 

Fran101

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#16
Forever? No. I'd be willing to do something like that for a couple of years with the knowledge that it was setting me up for a hugely successful career that would have more appealing hours down the line.
Yup.
I would not do it forever, but for 5 years?
You bet your bottom I would. The hours would either get better or I'd just quit, with my money saved, and get a more relaxing job without the constant worry about money problems.

My brothers hours during med school/intern years were beyond awful (48 hour work days, being on call on his days off, studying when he was "off" etc..), but he sure is happy he got through them now.
 

Julee

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#17
Even 70 hours a week... that's 10 hours per day. Every day. Figuring you get 8 hours of sleep per day like you're supposed to, that leaves you what? 6 hours per day to do what you want? That doesn't even factor in a commute, showering, getting dressed, eating, going to the bathroom... and I don't know about you, but I do way better on 9-10 hours of sleep vs 8.

If it was for a year or two with the $10mil/year mentioned, 65-70 hours/week, maybe. It'd also depend on what kind of work it was.
 

JazzyTheSibe

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#18
Right now, I couldn't because of school.

If I wasn't school, probably not. Too many hours, I like sleeping, I want to visit family & friends,I want to actually do things.

Now, if was something I really loved, then maybe, but still, probably not.
 

RBark

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#19
I guess I can answer this question fairly accurately as I can speak from experience here.

I can't say it's worth it or not. I gained financial security and probably won't have to truly struggle financially unless I go a long, long time without a job.

On the other hand, almost all of my friendships and relationsihps with SO's failed in large part due to my job, I lost Priscilla due to my job, my family and I don't get along at all in significant part due to my job (and many other reasons).

So sure, it's nice in some ways. I'm going to have to spend many years piecing my life back together though.
 

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