Comments on: The Eight Hour Day is a Bunch of Crap http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/ You don't have to be a salaried employee forever. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:58:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Week 22 - The Overview http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-750 Week 22 - The Overview Sun, 11 May 2008 14:58:38 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-750 [...] explains that we are only human and that yes, we do have our [...] [...] explains that we are only human and that yes, we do have our [...]

]]> By: Robert http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-716 Robert Wed, 07 May 2008 21:08:10 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-716 Jeff, thanks for the comment. I wholeheartedly agree. It's impossible to be "on the job" for fewer hours unless you quit your day job. We have to get out from under our bosses to achieve that. Jeff, thanks for the comment. I wholeheartedly agree. It’s impossible to be “on the job” for fewer hours unless you quit your day job. We have to get out from under our bosses to achieve that.

]]> By: Robert http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-715 Robert Wed, 07 May 2008 21:06:32 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-715 Hi Lorraine, thanks for the comment. I understand that some entrepreneurial ventures require a lot of hours. But there are ways to automate/delegate some or a lot of your tasks to reduce the number of hours you work. If you want, e-mail me, and I can tell you more about this. There's no reason you can't work around 10 hours per week and making more than a living. Entrepreneurship, not employee life, is the way to go. Thanks for reading! Hi Lorraine, thanks for the comment. I understand that some entrepreneurial ventures require a lot of hours. But there are ways to automate/delegate some or a lot of your tasks to reduce the number of hours you work. If you want, e-mail me, and I can tell you more about this. There’s no reason you can’t work around 10 hours per week and making more than a living. Entrepreneurship, not employee life, is the way to go. Thanks for reading!

]]> By: lorraine http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-714 lorraine Wed, 07 May 2008 20:51:12 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-714 Hi, great article - very well put. I do however have to disagree with the entrepeneural aspect in that my husband and I have run our own business for 10 years now. Unfortunately, to pay the mortgage and make sure we have money for those lean times, we can't afford to turn work away. This means that we regularly take on more work than we would like, because you never know what is around the corner. Consequently, my husband works 7 days per week, 13 hours per day. I doubt that he is uber productive during the whole of this time, but truth to tell, as he works on his own, if he doesn't do it no-one else will and our clients will go elsewhere. The dream of being your own boss isn't all it's cracked up to be and I would advise anyone considering it to think long and hard about the implications. At least when you work for someone else, you don't usually have to worry about the day-to-day running of the company and just have to concentrate on actually doing the job at hand Hi, great article - very well put. I do however have to disagree with the entrepeneural aspect in that my husband and I have run our own business for 10 years now. Unfortunately, to pay the mortgage and make sure we have money for those lean times, we can’t afford to turn work away. This means that we regularly take on more work than we would like, because you never know what is around the corner. Consequently, my husband works 7 days per week, 13 hours per day. I doubt that he is uber productive during the whole of this time, but truth to tell, as he works on his own, if he doesn’t do it no-one else will and our clients will go elsewhere.

The dream of being your own boss isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and I would advise anyone considering it to think long and hard about the implications. At least when you work for someone else, you don’t usually have to worry about the day-to-day running of the company and just have to concentrate on actually doing the job at hand

]]> By: Jeff http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-711 Jeff Wed, 07 May 2008 07:12:08 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-711 I love the idea you presented. But unfortunately I will not get that work schedule until I can quit my day job and work from home full time. I love the idea you presented. But unfortunately I will not get that work schedule until I can quit my day job and work from home full time.

]]> By: Robert http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-709 Robert Tue, 06 May 2008 21:58:37 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-709 Anca, thanks again for reading. It's loyal readers like you who help bloggers succeed. You point out some good motivations for getting out of the 9 to 5 grind, and you're right. Being an entrepreneur means taking orders from no one, building your own business, and structuring your day as you see fit. Anca, thanks again for reading. It’s loyal readers like you who help bloggers succeed. You point out some good motivations for getting out of the 9 to 5 grind, and you’re right. Being an entrepreneur means taking orders from no one, building your own business, and structuring your day as you see fit.

]]> By: Robert http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-708 Robert Tue, 06 May 2008 21:57:19 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-708 Romina, thanks for your insightful comment. However, I don't think it makes the day "longer." If you structure your day around your most productive periods, the day is broken up into efficient periods of productivity and recharging. For example, the 3pm-6pm time is a drag for me. I would rather take that time off, exercise, nap, etc., and do work later on, like from 9 pm to 11 pm. I am more productive in the late night hours than I am in the late afternoon. I'm not making the day longer for myself. Rather, I do other relevant things when I take time off from "working" and I do the work I have to do when I am most productive. Romina, thanks for your insightful comment. However, I don’t think it makes the day “longer.” If you structure your day around your most productive periods, the day is broken up into efficient periods of productivity and recharging. For example, the 3pm-6pm time is a drag for me. I would rather take that time off, exercise, nap, etc., and do work later on, like from 9 pm to 11 pm. I am more productive in the late night hours than I am in the late afternoon. I’m not making the day longer for myself. Rather, I do other relevant things when I take time off from “working” and I do the work I have to do when I am most productive.

]]> By: Anca http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-707 Anca Tue, 06 May 2008 21:15:29 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-707 Ramona, hello! I'm from Romania too, living in Vegas now. Glad to see you here! All the best to you and good luck with your company. Robert, I always enjoy your articles, and most of all your spirit, aversion against the system, and the way you find motivation for your readers to become entrepreneurs. I am aware that being your own boss would definitely mean more work, but you basically built something for you, not for someone else. You won't have "tasks" required by a boss, but it's up to you to make decisions. I think that's why the 9-5 job is dreadful, just having to do whatever your boss says, even if you don't feel like it. Having to work those 8 hours with no personal satisfaction, other than having been a good, obedient employee. Ancas last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Flipflopmoneycom/~3/284876647/" rel="nofollow">Carlos Slim Helú - “Alo, Alo, Mexico!”</a> Ramona, hello! I’m from Romania too, living in Vegas now. Glad to see you here! All the best to you and good luck with your company.

Robert, I always enjoy your articles, and most of all your spirit, aversion against the system, and the way you find motivation for your readers to become entrepreneurs.
I am aware that being your own boss would definitely mean more work, but you basically built something for you, not for someone else. You won’t have “tasks” required by a boss, but it’s up to you to make decisions.
I think that’s why the 9-5 job is dreadful, just having to do whatever your boss says, even if you don’t feel like it. Having to work those 8 hours with no personal satisfaction, other than having been a good, obedient employee.

Ancas last blog post..Carlos Slim Helú - “Alo, Alo, Mexico!”

]]> By: Ramona Iftode http://flimjo.com/the-eight-hour-day-is-a-bunch-of-crap/#comment-706 Ramona Iftode Tue, 06 May 2008 19:55:50 +0000 http://flimjo.com/?p=135#comment-706 The problem is that the plan you present would make the work day longer. Sure, we'd have more breaks, but in the end it would be working from 9 to 7. Believe me, no one would like this :) Many employers have no other way to measure the work load other than the hours. Sure, we can finish the tasks in 3 hours, but still we have to be there. Do you know what would happen if your boss realized you can finish the work in half the time? You'd get double work for same money. This is why I advise all people who are still in the 9-5 system to just shut up and relax. I worked like this too some years ago since my employer didn't think that paying me for the projects only was a good idea. I got something like "I don't pay you for being here only 4 hours a day, when I need you more". That "need you more" meant being the "secretary" in the small firm or just mending the PC. Sure, it was relaxing, but she still thought she has the right to use me for these too. So, I worked from 8 to 4 (this is the system in Romania) and believe me it was a blast. I was able to finish work in 1-2 hours and would be alone there for days. I can tell you my sites haven't got a better time than those months. I was able to create articles, post in forums, manage my small network (back then it wasn't a 25 site network, I had 5-6 projects) and still get paid. She was thrilled to see me there, even if she knew I don't have work for 8 hours and she wasn't able to bring me as many clients as she needed to really make me worth the wage. The 8-5 system is dreaded by most people, but believe me many of these wouldn't last in a "own firm system". I also have my own web design firm and I can't remember the last normal vacation I had. Ah, I do . it was 1 year BEFORE the firm. I work through the night, I work in the morning, I work anytime I can spare some minutes, I work in the weekends and even on small trips (2-3 days) I feel the need to check my small "empire". Most of the people who claim 9-5 is hard would die of exhaustion while trying to work 80-90 hours a week as we do in our small starting firms. Being your own boss is cool, but the work load is horribly high. I suffer from exhaustion and to be honest, I don't quite see any solution to this. Sure, I don't have a demanding boss anymore, but I am the worst boss I ever had. Because I do have huge expectations and want to succeed :) The problem is that the plan you present would make the work day longer. Sure, we’d have more breaks, but in the end it would be working from 9 to 7. Believe me, no one would like this :)

Many employers have no other way to measure the work load other than the hours. Sure, we can finish the tasks in 3 hours, but still we have to be there. Do you know what would happen if your boss realized you can finish the work in half the time? You’d get double work for same money. This is why I advise all people who are still in the 9-5 system to just shut up and relax. I worked like this too some years ago since my employer didn’t think that paying me for the projects only was a good idea. I got something like “I don’t pay you for being here only 4 hours a day, when I need you more”. That “need you more” meant being the “secretary” in the small firm or just mending the PC. Sure, it was relaxing, but she still thought she has the right to use me for these too.

So, I worked from 8 to 4 (this is the system in Romania) and believe me it was a blast. I was able to finish work in 1-2 hours and would be alone there for days. I can tell you my sites haven’t got a better time than those months. I was able to create articles, post in forums, manage my small network (back then it wasn’t a 25 site network, I had 5-6 projects) and still get paid. She was thrilled to see me there, even if she knew I don’t have work for 8 hours and she wasn’t able to bring me as many clients as she needed to really make me worth the wage.

The 8-5 system is dreaded by most people, but believe me many of these wouldn’t last in a “own firm system”. I also have my own web design firm and I can’t remember the last normal vacation I had. Ah, I do . it was 1 year BEFORE the firm. I work through the night, I work in the morning, I work anytime I can spare some minutes, I work in the weekends and even on small trips (2-3 days) I feel the need to check my small “empire”.

Most of the people who claim 9-5 is hard would die of exhaustion while trying to work 80-90 hours a week as we do in our small starting firms. Being your own boss is cool, but the work load is horribly high. I suffer from exhaustion and to be honest, I don’t quite see any solution to this. Sure, I don’t have a demanding boss anymore, but I am the worst boss I ever had. Because I do have huge expectations and want to succeed :)

]]>