Office workers ever see builders and manual labour?
Discussion
Hey
Not trying to come across as any better or make this a judgement discussion. It really is not.
Those in offices (like me), do you ever see those covered in grit, in paint, those who have just left a house or building site and feel really jealous? By that I mean that they've done a truly decent days work, they have worked their socks off doing something practical other than just sending ridicuious emails.
Anyone else or just me?
Not trying to come across as any better or make this a judgement discussion. It really is not.
Those in offices (like me), do you ever see those covered in grit, in paint, those who have just left a house or building site and feel really jealous? By that I mean that they've done a truly decent days work, they have worked their socks off doing something practical other than just sending ridicuious emails.
Anyone else or just me?
redrabbit29 said:
Hey
Not trying to come across as any better or make this a judgement discussion. It really is not.
Those in offices (like me), do you ever see those covered in grit, in paint, those who have just left a house or building site and feel really jealous? By that I mean that they've done a truly decent days work, they have worked their socks off doing something practical other than just sending ridicuious emails.
Anyone else or just me?
Yeah ,just you .Not trying to come across as any better or make this a judgement discussion. It really is not.
Those in offices (like me), do you ever see those covered in grit, in paint, those who have just left a house or building site and feel really jealous? By that I mean that they've done a truly decent days work, they have worked their socks off doing something practical other than just sending ridicuious emails.
Anyone else or just me?
redrabbit29 said:
Hey
Not trying to come across as any better or make this a judgement discussion. It really is not.
Those in offices (like me), do you ever see those covered in grit, in paint, those who have just left a house or building site and feel really jealous? By that I mean that they've done a truly decent days work, they have worked their socks off doing something practical other than just sending ridicuious emails.
Anyone else or just me?
PH would be dead without all the office workers. The work is done on here. Not trying to come across as any better or make this a judgement discussion. It really is not.
Those in offices (like me), do you ever see those covered in grit, in paint, those who have just left a house or building site and feel really jealous? By that I mean that they've done a truly decent days work, they have worked their socks off doing something practical other than just sending ridicuious emails.
Anyone else or just me?
As I got older Ive envied them less. It seems that most trades are a young man’s (person’s) game. I get to sit in a warm office and earn enough that paying an expert is the obvious thing to do.
Yes I feel like an absolute loser that I don’t know how to do basics. But it makes no sense for me to buy the tools, try and fail enough times to learn how to do the thing, then do the thing I actually needed. I can just do a bit more of what I’m good at.
Yes I feel like an absolute loser that I don’t know how to do basics. But it makes no sense for me to buy the tools, try and fail enough times to learn how to do the thing, then do the thing I actually needed. I can just do a bit more of what I’m good at.
SlimJim16v said:
I've done both, both can be rewarding.
Good point, I didn't mean both couldn't be. I am just saying that sometimes you see those who physically have that lifestyle vs us in office jobsBlindedByTheLights said:
You’re not alone no, particularly skilled trades like carpenters producing something really nice, or a plumber getting someone’s heating working again. Now back to those reports and emails…
Sorry for delay, was preparing a spreadsheet for senior managers. I haven't got time to read your reply, I'll arrange a meeting at some point to discuss PBDirector said:
As I got older Ive envied them less. It seems that most trades are a young man’s (person’s) game. I get to sit in a warm office and earn enough that paying an expert is the obvious thing to do.
Yes I feel like an absolute loser that I don’t know how to do basics. But it makes no sense for me to buy the tools, try and fail enough times to learn how to do the thing, then do the thing I actually needed. I can just do a bit more of what I’m good at.
Thanks you totally get my pointYes I feel like an absolute loser that I don’t know how to do basics. But it makes no sense for me to buy the tools, try and fail enough times to learn how to do the thing, then do the thing I actually needed. I can just do a bit more of what I’m good at.
I see those guys who know what drill bit to use, and who have screws, attachemnts and stuff hanging around that they actually know what to do with. That is all vs me who has spent 8 hours trying to put some numbers into a table to send on an email, or to fill in performance numbers for a senior mangement review
redrabbit29 said:
SlimJim16v said:
I've done both, both can be rewarding.
Good point, I didn't mean both couldn't be. I am just saying that sometimes you see those who physically have that lifestyle vs us in office jobsBlindedByTheLights said:
You’re not alone no, particularly skilled trades like carpenters producing something really nice, or a plumber getting someone’s heating working again. Now back to those reports and emails…
Sorry for delay, was preparing a spreadsheet for senior managers. I haven't got time to read your reply, I'll arrange a meeting at some point to discuss redrabbit29 said:
abzmike said:
So unless work is manual it isn’t valuable? OK, you’re entitled to your opinion.
You need some extra education as that is not what I said. Thanks though but come back when you're a bit more advanced in reading the English language. redrabbit29 said:
I see those guys who know what drill bit to use, and who have screws, attachemnts and stuff hanging around that they actually know what to do with. That is all vs me who has spent 8 hours trying to put some numbers into a table to send on an email, or to fill in performance numbers for a senior mangement review
Could it be that you’re in the wrong role or working for the wrong company? Every day I feel very grateful that I go to work attacking a big hard problem and I know there’s more that could be done but there isn’t time for… I absolute value the work of exquisite trades of all kinds, but I also get a great deal of satisfaction from the thing we’re building and what we’re trying to do with it.So (giant leap knowing nothing about you) is it (maybe?) the case that it’s not office work you hate per se, rather than a complete lack of any meaning of what your work is driving towards, or how you’re moving the needle, or any satisfaction in having produced something exquisite. (Yes I’ve seen exquisite financial engineering
)BlindedByTheLights said:
Be sure to bring the latest dashboards for review.
Urgh, this. I took a stand a few years back saying no. I won’t write a presentation in a particular format. No I won’t fill your form out. My dashboards are there, live, 24/7. If you want information you go there and you look and if you don’t understand what you’re seeing I’ll help you. And permitted/ encouraged/ coerced everyone who reports to me to do the same and point any complainants at me.…it worked wonders… (your corporate environment may vary)
SlimJim16v said:
I've done both, both can be rewarding.
Same here. Both can be rewarding, but both can be tedious.
The one thing I will say, is that as the years pass, it is far better to be in an office, sitting in a comfortable chair, warm, not exposed to dust or other health risks, and not knackering your body even further with every passing day at work.
I often meet friends for a drink after work, and there is an eclectic bunch of us who meet up. Mostly office workers, but a couple of tradesmen/builders, and one guy I know who works as a mechanic/welder/fitter.
It’s always the manual workers who mention stuff like ‘their back has gone’ or their hips hurt this week, or their knees are ruined, or they’ve been working on an outside job which has made them absolutely cold to their bones, and so on.
Manual work can offer wear you out and age your body well before time, and I am incredibly grateful that I don’t do it.
I get a great deal of satisfaction from a lot of manual work. Heavy gardening work, fixing cars, detailing, making things.
But fundamentally, I am choosing to do it, I don't have to do it.
I've done manual, physical jobs, and while yes, it's satisfying, and feels like you've accomplished something once you go home tired and sweaty, I wouldn't want it permanently for the last 20 years too.
I feel skilled trades are a bit different, as if you're decent, you can have a lot more freedom to pick and choose where you sit on Apollo Creed's "be a thinker, not a stinker" maxim.
But fundamentally, I am choosing to do it, I don't have to do it.
I've done manual, physical jobs, and while yes, it's satisfying, and feels like you've accomplished something once you go home tired and sweaty, I wouldn't want it permanently for the last 20 years too.
I feel skilled trades are a bit different, as if you're decent, you can have a lot more freedom to pick and choose where you sit on Apollo Creed's "be a thinker, not a stinker" maxim.
Chicken_Satay said:
In no way was it intending to mean that trades people don’t to big hard meaningful things. Because I don’t think that for a second. (Although some trades allow for this more than others)
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