Why is overworking a flex?

@atlkate Block your calendar. Be firm with your boundaries. It took a long time for me to get to this point. Your kids are young for such a short time. You have plenty of time to spend on your career later.
 
@atlkate just block out those hours on your calendar & decline those meeting invites. it's not a time you are all available - its a time when you are NOT available. or go back to 9-5.... but i'm a mom in manager level - i've negotiated fridays off in exchange for flex time elsewhere in the week. i regularly decline friday meeting invites without explanation - people grumble & then they find a new time.
 
@atlkate This is so annoying!!!

I would definitely email your manager about it and say “If the Friday afternoon meeting isn’t on the books by that Monday morning to allow me to do 9-5 instead of an extra hour every day, I will not attend the meeting.” Otherwise you’re literally working for free!
 
@atlkate It’s a flex because we live in a capitalistic society. More so for women in the workplace because often in corporate America we have to “prove” ourselves. Plus imposter syndrome. Balance isn’t valued but hopefully you can set your own boundaries and cultivate more balance for yourself
 
@atlkate While I agree that it is unfair not letting OP take her fRiday afternoon off in this case (since compensated by working extra hours during the week), I have a hard time understanding those who think it is unacceptable to book meetings on regular Friday afternoons. We are getting paid for that time, so to me, that means we need to be available for meetings or any work in general. I also care about my work and want to move things forward, and sometimes Friday afternoons are the only time that works. I have bumped into a couple of people that have been clearly upset over Friday afternoon meetings and it is just so frustrating to me. Like, you are getting paid for it, and you expect to be baking cookies with your kids? Am I missing something here? And I do not consider myself a workaholic, but I definitely work hard during my working hours, but once work is done, I play hard and fully enjoy my time off!
 
@jeremiahslaton344 My reasoning is meetings are for collaboration and sharing new ideas, which require more brainpower than other mundane tasks. Yes, I am on work time, but my mind isn’t as fresh at hour 38 of a 40 hour workweek. You’ll get more creativity in the morning or M-Th.
 
@phareztamar Personally how fresh my mind is depends mostly on how my zzz was the night before. All things equal then yes, probably Friday is at a disadvantage. But sometimes it is the only day that works though!
 
@atlkate I feel this so much right now. I work about 50-55 hours a week and respond to messages frequently on off hours and sundays (I'm US-based but work for a global company).

My boss (one of those "work hard/play hard" dudes with no family) refuses to listen when I tell him a task will take x amount of time. I say it takes a month? He wants me to make it take 3 weeks.

All the while he's not protecting my time, so I frequently find myself in a dozen time sensitive, "extremely high priority" situations.

3 weeks later he's pissed I haven't met the deadlines he's set for me.
 
@wendy1990 Just came across this comment and hi, are you me? Every detail is my life right now. It's driving me to want to quit because I feel like I can't do my job well in the crazy deadlines and hours they want. How are you dealing (if at all)?
 
@babwryter Since writing my post, things changed for the better.

My company is based in a country that culturally is very direct and assertive. So I was fucking direct about it. To multiple people. I had a conversation with the director of HR about it (HR here is actually pretty decent and does support employees). I had a separate conversation with the COO and, separately, the CTO, both of whom value my expertise and my judgment. Also to a VP or two.

I've also gotten in the habit of making sure anything "high priority" gets the official signoff of leadership. So I'll slack the CTO, COO, and maybe a VP and say "hey, I understand this is high priority. Task X is going to have to wait as a result of that. Is that cool?" and I make them take ownership for the prioritization.

As a result: I got a bunch of shitty tasks taken off my plate, a small raise, and support for hiring staff. Company leadership (VP level and above; I'm just below that) had an all day meeting about company priorities, and my priorities are now company priorities.

I mean, there were reasons this worked, but I'm super happy now:
  1. I'm a subject matter expert that the company would suffer greatly without.
  2. I know how to make an argument that they'll listen to; they care about employees' well being but they really hear "shit isn't going to get done".
  3. I work for a company where such assertiveness is welcomed and encouraged. There's no weird gender double standard, either. Or at least I'm actively ignoring it.
  4. Leadership is actually pretty cool and willing to own their mistakes and decisions.
  5. I'm unwilling to work 80 hours a week because fuck that noise. It'll burn me out and relieve management of the consequences of their poor decisions. 50-55/week is MORE than reasonable.
I love my job. :)
 
@atlkate Oh my god the hills I would die on for all of this!
  1. If I get paid for 40 hours, I will work my 40 and not over that! And yes meetings for work count toward my work hours. I swear Salary was invented so management can ask (expect) you to work more hours but not have to pay you overtime!
  2. Friday Meetings should be 100% outlawed. What person in their right mind would schedule Friday Morning meetings let alone Friday afternoon meetings.
  3. Honestly if someone scheduled a meeting for Friday afternoon I would tell them I will not be available. Such utter bullshit whether you are a working mom or not!
 
@atlkate You should really lean into the challenges and take a deep dive into the opportunity to identify your own personal brand pillars as you strategize your thought leadership with your superiors.
I have no idea what I just said, I work night shift at a hospital because I hate management. I used to work from home, but got so tired of everyone “flexing” by working 12 hours 5 days a week, plus at least 6 hours on weekends, so I left to work at a job that I punch in, punch out, and am only expected to work in between those two times (and if I wanna pick up OT I get paid extra). The r/antiwork sub might be your thing, if only to relate to people who think living and breathing work is a waste of life.
 
@atlkate I feeeeeeel this. It's actually the only major downside to my job and I am trying to willfully ignore it because otherwise I like the benefits of my job / the location. I am the "office manager" (glorified receptionist) at a CPA firm.. which means during tax season + a month or so after, things are crazy. Then summer hits and it's dead. I'm salary, so I'm excepted here from 8-5. But like... why? Why can't we close at 3 on a Friday? No one is coming in :|
 
@atlkate I’ve found that for some people, work is the ultimate distraction from their reality outside of work. They leech on and obsess over work. That will never be the life for me. I enjoy my family, friends and quite honestly, if I didn’t have bills to pay, I wouldn’t work.
 
@atlkate That’s so annoying! Honestly it feels like Summer Fridays is not being honored by upper management. I understand it’s hard to say no when your leadership is involved…

My company had “No meetings Wednesdays”. Everyone kind of ignored it until our CEO said in an all hands meeting that we are serious about it, and if anyone schedules a non-urgent meeting with him on Wednesday he will personally decline it. That’s what your leadership needs to do….
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top