Working overtime
Discussion
Are you a slave to the overtime God?
Always had a fairly manual job and never been one for doing overtime, preferring to be at home. One of my dads biggest regrets in life was spending too much time at work instead of with his family. Since he told me that, I've spent the least amount of time at work as I can.
Fast forward a few years and I've moved to an office role which is 50:50 home/office working. It's a piss easy admin job, can do it with my eyes shut, and I've found myself volunteering to work OT from home on some of my days off. The extra ££££ is nice but you soon get used to it and then it becomes your normal wage, meaning you have to keep working the OT. It's a bit of a trap, but seems criminal for me not to do it as it's so easy sat at home on the sofa tapping the laptop whilst watching TV, and it's currently unlimited so I can work as many days off as I choose. On the days off when I don't do it, I end up thinking that I should be.
Always had a fairly manual job and never been one for doing overtime, preferring to be at home. One of my dads biggest regrets in life was spending too much time at work instead of with his family. Since he told me that, I've spent the least amount of time at work as I can.
Fast forward a few years and I've moved to an office role which is 50:50 home/office working. It's a piss easy admin job, can do it with my eyes shut, and I've found myself volunteering to work OT from home on some of my days off. The extra ££££ is nice but you soon get used to it and then it becomes your normal wage, meaning you have to keep working the OT. It's a bit of a trap, but seems criminal for me not to do it as it's so easy sat at home on the sofa tapping the laptop whilst watching TV, and it's currently unlimited so I can work as many days off as I choose. On the days off when I don't do it, I end up thinking that I should be.
It's even more stupid when you do it for free.
My 33 year career as an engineer, and overtime was never paid. I started one job at Lucas in Burnley, in 1998, and my colleagues took umbridge that I point blank wouldn't come in on a Saturday morning. Unpaid.
I did 12 years contracting, and billed by the 1/4 hour. It really changed my outlook. Because most of the time I was away from home, I'd put in 10 hour days and then take 4 day long weekends every 3rd week.
Not I'm back permie with no.paid overtime, and an undercurrent of emotional blackmail, to achieve more than is possible in 38 hours, whilst all the time, having time wasting meetings, which prevent work getting done, I'm putting up a good pretence of helping out. But actually I'm working a completely unofficial flexitime.
If I needed to do some personal admin, I'd book a meeting room, and do it, then stay later to finish my work.
My 33 year career as an engineer, and overtime was never paid. I started one job at Lucas in Burnley, in 1998, and my colleagues took umbridge that I point blank wouldn't come in on a Saturday morning. Unpaid.
I did 12 years contracting, and billed by the 1/4 hour. It really changed my outlook. Because most of the time I was away from home, I'd put in 10 hour days and then take 4 day long weekends every 3rd week.
Not I'm back permie with no.paid overtime, and an undercurrent of emotional blackmail, to achieve more than is possible in 38 hours, whilst all the time, having time wasting meetings, which prevent work getting done, I'm putting up a good pretence of helping out. But actually I'm working a completely unofficial flexitime.
If I needed to do some personal admin, I'd book a meeting room, and do it, then stay later to finish my work.
As with most things it's all about balance. Having the opportunity to work as much OT as you want is a good thing as who knows when you might need a cash injection, especially in these crazy times, but feeling in any way compelled to do so is definitely a trap that can be fallen into and it's very easy to burn yourself out if you aren't careful.
I get paid overtime when I work it, it's regular but I can't choose when I do it if that makes sense, anyway despite having ready access to overtime I have never based my household budget around it as i've always believed that is a route to problems, my Mortgage affordability etc is all based on my basic wage.
Overtime pays for the nice extras, extra holidays etc.
I do work with people who do base their finances of a minimum expected amount of overtime each month but it's not for me.
Overtime pays for the nice extras, extra holidays etc.
I do work with people who do base their finances of a minimum expected amount of overtime each month but it's not for me.
I go through phases of doing lots of overtime to none. Few months ago I did 60 hours in the month. This month I've not done any other than when I'm kept on late due to a late arrest or something.
I try and do two a month as it makes things easier, but I have enough without any its just nice to have it.
My mortgage is based on my pay without any overtime etc.
I try and do two a month as it makes things easier, but I have enough without any its just nice to have it.
My mortgage is based on my pay without any overtime etc.
Lozw86 said:
What do you want the extra money for?
Generally I don't need the extra money for anything specific, but there are always unexpected outgoings that OT can help with. Todays OT wont appear in my pay packet until mid November, by then something will have found a use for it 
Though since I've started working it I find I'm doing it just because it's dead easy money working OT whilst at home. I normally get four days off at a time and I might spend one of those days just sat in the armchair, feet up, watching TV, browsing the internet on my laptop and doing not a lot. Working OT isn't much different to doing just that, but with the work laptop on my lap instead, and for time & half.
Edited by LeadFarmer on Wednesday 19th October 22:35
Nope and my boss knows it. Out of a team of nine, I'll be the last one to be asked. I think I've done three extra days this year. The reason? I work a four on four off shift pattern of days only. I get up at 4.20am and don't get home til 6.15pm. Those four days off are important for me to catch up on things which I couldn't do because of being at work. Some of the guys are mad for doing overtime and wont say no.
When I was a permie with an unaffordable mortgage in the late 80s and early 90s, I was fairly pleased to do a lot of overtime.
As a single bloke, you can often find a lot of hours in your life which are not that enjoyable or productive, if you can clock a few hours and still do the things you really want to do, and your work is OK, it can make a big difference.
Work overtime , can afford a pint in the pub and my bike insurance. I didn't value being at home with no cash.
When I was a contractor, I was happy to do long days, because I would anticipate gaps between contracts. An extra week off in Summer is way more valuable than getting home earlier each night, it worked for me because my wife worked long hours too.
When I was self employed 'regular work hours' was not a meaningful concept.
I've never had an unpaid overtime permie job. But some roles 50 hour weeks were always the norm. You take the whole package in the round, with your eyes open. Some fields you have to go through a 'long hours' role to progress. Probably different now, you can go home at 4pm to be a trans parent or something.
As a single bloke, you can often find a lot of hours in your life which are not that enjoyable or productive, if you can clock a few hours and still do the things you really want to do, and your work is OK, it can make a big difference.
Work overtime , can afford a pint in the pub and my bike insurance. I didn't value being at home with no cash.
When I was a contractor, I was happy to do long days, because I would anticipate gaps between contracts. An extra week off in Summer is way more valuable than getting home earlier each night, it worked for me because my wife worked long hours too.
When I was self employed 'regular work hours' was not a meaningful concept.
I've never had an unpaid overtime permie job. But some roles 50 hour weeks were always the norm. You take the whole package in the round, with your eyes open. Some fields you have to go through a 'long hours' role to progress. Probably different now, you can go home at 4pm to be a trans parent or something.
I prefer to get out the factory at reasonable o clock, spend time with kids, get to bed then, log back on. I’ll log in over weekend to catch up, like Sunday night.
I don’t get paid overtime, but when I took the job, I knew I’d need to do extra.
Wife WFH and bills by hour. Some weeks she’ll bill 20 hours, other weeks, 50 hours. Completely flexible
I don’t get paid overtime, but when I took the job, I knew I’d need to do extra.
Wife WFH and bills by hour. Some weeks she’ll bill 20 hours, other weeks, 50 hours. Completely flexible
41 here, dad also worked all hours under the sun, full time job as a blacksmith, fixed clocks/watches/pigeon clocks as a side hustle, also worked the doors and drove taxis.
I worked hard in my 20's and early 30's. Now I work bare minimum. Life is short and its way to easy to burn yourself out.
I worked hard in my 20's and early 30's. Now I work bare minimum. Life is short and its way to easy to burn yourself out.
Brainpox said:
Lost most of my 20s to chasing the last penny. I ended up just buying stuff to make it feel like it was worth doing. Now I'll only do extra if I have something specific in mind.
Agreed worked all the time in my 20s got my house 28 now 30 and that desire to do overtime vanished more to life than money.I’m single, live alone and lead a bit of a boring life, I’ve never really pushed myself at work as I prefer the easier life so full time job I’m on about £30k,
The way things are in my full time job I seem to do at least an extra hour a day, I’m not sure how much longer I can keep it up and if it’s worth it. I also have a part time job that I split between mortgage overpayments, holiday savings, and long term savings.
I’m at the stage where I’m thinking of cutting back and doing something else, just need to keep an eye on the mortgage as only got 18 months left on the fix and don’t want to struggle. I want to drop the part time job but with the way things are I’m not sure now is the right time.
The way things are in my full time job I seem to do at least an extra hour a day, I’m not sure how much longer I can keep it up and if it’s worth it. I also have a part time job that I split between mortgage overpayments, holiday savings, and long term savings.
I’m at the stage where I’m thinking of cutting back and doing something else, just need to keep an eye on the mortgage as only got 18 months left on the fix and don’t want to struggle. I want to drop the part time job but with the way things are I’m not sure now is the right time.
king miserable and work any old sI have always tried to do / say yes to any overtime that has been on offer because I know I would rather have the money in the bank for when it’s the rainy day. Use to work full week as an apprentice and a Saturday in retail when in my early 20’s. This year I have done over 500 extra hours over my standard 37 hour work week. The thing is I would not do the extra hours if it was all single time (get 1.5, 1.75 and 2.0 rate of overtime depending on midweek, Saturday or Sunday).
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