# I am going to work 7 days a week. Am I insane? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 7, 2005, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432 "2005-07-07T08:53:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/1 "2005-07-07T08:53:29Z")
Last month I was hired to work part-time as a tutor at a major tutoring chain (It is the same company I used to work for, but a different type of tutoring center). This job pays an hourly rate based on the specific task I am doing at the time, but even if I average it all together I am easily making 50% more per hour than my previous job. In addition, I am working more hours than I previously had worked for the company. Granted, it is still only part-time, but it had the potential to allow for close to full-time hours (30-35 hours a week). I didn’t get that much right off the bat, but several other tutors are quitting this month and the next, and I will have an opportunity to take over their students. Additionally, I can volunteer to work before they open, helping the managers prep the day’s conferences, and other mundane tasks. This would let me work pretty much a 6-8 hour day. The only day I wouldn’t be there was Sunday. Saturdays the center closes early, which gives me time to give piano lessons to 5 students broken up into 30-minute lessons. Then I got an offer to work as an accomanist for a voice coach. He taught voice lessons 6-8 hours a day. As luck would have it, he gave lessons on Sunday, allowing me to work for him, continue to teach piano, and continue to work my other part-time job. I would be working 7 days a week, 6-8 hours a day. Am I completely insane? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/2 "2005-07-07T09:28:02Z")
Yes. I left my last job, which I loved more than any job I’d ever had, because I had worked 18 months without a day off. Giving notice had produced “one day off a week” which never materialized. It’s the only job I’ve ever quit with no notice. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/3 "2005-07-07T10:04:47Z")
Yes. The only question is when you will quit. If you’re working a small number of hours you’ll last longer, but if you’re putting in ridiclous hours you’ll burn out very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/4 "2005-07-07T10:25:21Z")
You’re insane if you’ve ever done it before and are willing a second shot. I’m insane because I’ve done it twice. And the thing was, on both occasions it was part time. Only a five hours’ work a day. It drove me batty. I would much prefer to do five or six twelve hour, hard shifts (the seven day a week work was easy work). Seven days a week, there is nothing to look forward to. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/5 "2005-07-07T10:47:16Z")
My father worked 9 hours a day, 7 days a week for over twenty years. It can be done. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/6 "2005-07-07T11:04:01Z")
Yes. Bit I’m sure you already knew that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/7 "2005-07-07T12:08:40Z")
> [@belladonna](#): > > My father worked 9 hours a day, 7 days a week for over twenty years. > It can be done. Was his job delivering toys to other, more wealthy, children? Did he have to sleep in the gutter on top of broken glass and then have to sweep up the broken glass to work all day in order to earn his food, and the only thing he could afford was a bowl of dry poison? ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/8 "2005-07-07T12:32:53Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Was his job delivering toys to other, more wealthy, children? Did he have to sleep in the gutter on top of broken glass and then have to sweep up the broken glass to work all day in order to earn his food, and the only thing he could afford was a bowl of dry poison? Is this just a failed attempt at humor, or are you really this rude? ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/9 "2005-07-07T13:36:52Z")
\*\*Am I completely insane? \*\* Nah, you’re just a hard worker! My SO usually works seven days a week, five at his regular painting job and his weekends are usually filled with non-stop side jobs. He’s hyper as hell though; if he has a day at home he goes around readjusting pictures and reorganizing every little thing. And he’s only a little bit insane. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/10 "2005-07-07T13:47:31Z")
I did it for a while in college. Worked one job(as a nights and weekend DJ) seven days a week. Had a lab assistant job during the day for two days a week. Then carried my full courseload. Also had a wife(who was also a full-time student) and two small kids at home. Crazy days. I probably would have lasted longer if I hadn’t felt that I was neglecting the kids/wife by never being home or being able to take a day off to be with them. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/11 "2005-07-07T13:53:08Z")
> [@belladonna](#): > > Is this just a failed attempt at humor, or are you really this rude? Not up on yer Monty Python, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/12 "2005-07-07T14:33:12Z")
It’s possible if you don’t feel like you’re missing out on other things and become resentful. If you enjoy what you’re doing and it doesn’t _feel_ like work, I’d say you’ll be OK for a while. It does sound like you have some flexibility, like maybe cancelling the piano students one week if you need to, maybe? Be careful it doesn’t sneak up on you and you get suddenly resentful. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/13 "2005-07-07T14:52:50Z")
I did it for a while. I had a regular 9-5 job. Saturdays I worked in the barn to help pay my horse’s board. Sundays (and thursday afternoons which I got off work when I worked till 6 during the week) I taught riding lessons. I kept it up about a year until I realized I was really exhausted from never having a day off. I cut back the most tiring, least renumerative job first (barn work) and gradually cut back on my riding lessons till it became more reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/14 "2005-07-07T14:58:36Z")
My husband worked 7 days a week for awhile (he works for himself) until I finally had to put a stop to it. It just wasn’t worth it - the toll it took on our marriage, our family life, his health - people need a break! ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/15 "2005-07-07T14:59:31Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Not up on yer Monty Python, eh? Not a bit! As long as you aren’t making fun of my pops, I’m cool, it just seemed…odd. Apologies 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/16 "2005-07-07T16:59:35Z")
If you like it, you’re insane, but you’re happy, so who cares? If you don’t like it, you’re sane but unhappy, and you’ll soon stop. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/17 "2005-07-07T18:30:35Z")
I work seven days in a row right now. Of course, I then get the next seven days off, so I guess I can’t really help here. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/18 "2005-07-07T18:41:54Z")
I did for about a year recently. It can be done, but I was starting to be a little crazy near the end. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/19 "2005-07-07T19:04:10Z")
I did it. I hated it. When can I get my car fixed? When can I go to the dentist? When can I do my freakin’ laundry??? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432/20 "2005-07-07T19:16:51Z")
Six is my limit for any extended period of time. I don’t live to work, I work to live. (And I _love_ my profession–photography–like nothing else.) Still, I don’t see the point of working seven days a week. If I’m that hard up on cash that I NEED to work seven days a week, I’d rather live on a tighter budget than not have a day to myself. Everybody’s different, I suppose, but I need balance. For several years, I got by on working an average of only one or two days a week. Problem is, the novelty wore off. I could probably pull it off this year, too, if I wanted to. But that’s just way too much leisure time–there must be balance. Four days a week would be ideal. Five is fine. Six is working hard, but still manageable. Seven is simply insane. I just thank God I decided against becoming a physician. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-work-7-days-a-week-am-i-insane/311432.md?page=2)