# Poll: are you working yourself to death? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 22, 2004, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138 "2004-11-22T18:03:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/1 "2004-11-22T18:03:14Z")
[Australians at risk from long work hours](http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200411/s1247471.htm) > [@](#): > > … Australians work the longest hours in the industrialised world and are likely to work themselves into an early grave, a report has found. … Australian workers clock up about 1,855 hours each year compared to the developed country average of 1,643. … writes that four weeks’ annual leave is about one week under the developed countries’ average … so what are your average working hours and annual leave? mine’s about 1880 hours per year (considering the 14 days annual leave and 10+ holidays, not including the 14 days sick leave which might not be used.) actually i’m just peeved that they want \*\*five \*\* weeks leave when i only get two! on preview/search - found two related threads on annual leave: [2 week vacations only for Americans ?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=4486535#post4486535) [Do Americans get less vacation than people in other developed countries?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010302.html) ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/2 "2004-11-22T18:41:15Z")
All I gotta say, as an overworked American is…heh. Pussies. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/3 "2004-11-22T19:36:34Z")
Yeah. Somehow I don’t think this is going to get a lot of sympathy from most U.S. Dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/4 "2004-11-22T20:18:16Z")
Ok I’ll answer the poll. I’ve been at my job for about 4 years. In that time I’ve never taken more than 2 vacation days in a year. Since I mostly work alone, being out sick would mean closing the office. I’ve gone into work with the flu and sat at my desk with a blanket wrapped around me. I also don’t get a lunch break. ☹ Our paid holidays are Christmas and New Years Day(when not on a Sat/Sun), Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving. So at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks that’s 2080 hours. Minus the paid holidays is 2040 hours. Minus the 2 vacation days I take is 2024 hours a year. Holy crap! I need a new job. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/5 "2004-11-22T20:36:22Z")
We get eight paid holidays (64 hours) and two weeks’ vacation (80 hours) plus two personal days (16 hours). We don’t have a set amount of sick leave; it’s basically just “be sick if you need to, but if we think you’re sick too much, we’ll call you on it.” The ambiguity of that wigs me out a little. Anyway, I gotta tell ya, my work ethic is going straight down the toilet, because time was I’d work as much (unpaid) overtime as I needed to without a second thought (when I lived with my mom and sister, Mom used to send Sis to my office to make me come home if it got to be “too late”–i.e., 8 pm or so). Now . . . not so much. I mean, if there’s something that MUST BE DONE NOW, sure I’ll stay, but if I can in any way put it off until tomorrow, I am outta here at 3:45. And don’t even get me started on how antsy I get if I’m in a meeting that’s _supposed_ to end at 4:00, but lasts until, like, 4:10. Last Friday, I actually walked out of a workshop that was supposed to end at 3:30, because it was already 4:10 and all I could think about was how far along the Highway Towards Home I’d be if the damn thing had ended on time. I mean, it was FRIDAY, for cryin’ out loud! 😉 (And to be fair, other people had already left, but I still felt a little work-ethic-deprived for doing so, since I don’t have kids to pick up or anything–basically I just left because I wanted to go home, dammit!) ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/6 "2004-11-22T20:46:14Z")
Heh. Not to insult my Australian friends (they have a beautiful place and I really love it there), but Australia is one of the most laid back countries I’ve ever been in. Try the high-tech start-up world. Assuming the article in the OP has correct numbers, I’ve already worked more hours than an Aussie does in his entire lifetime. And I’m 40. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/7 "2004-11-22T21:04:51Z")
[I work in the Game Industry](http://www.livejournal.com/users/ea_spouse/), so, yeah, I’m a bit overworked. I’ve never had it as bad as those poor bastard working at EA, but I have worked tons of overtime without, you know, overtime pay or comp time. I once worked 36 hours straight. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/8 "2004-11-22T21:07:11Z")
Let’s see…I’m scheduled 36 hours a week. Sometimes I leave early, sometimes I stay late, but it usually works out about even. This time does not include lunches or other breaks, but only time that I am actually working. I get two weeks of paid vacation a year, and get three paid holidays (the clinic recognizes 6, but I have to work three of them.) At least one of the holidays I have to work will be on a day I normally have off, so I work extra for that. So, 36 hours times 50 weeks is 1872 hours, minus 18 holiday hours…1852 hours. That’s if I don’t pick up any extra shifts to cover for people who are on vacation or quit or whatever, and I usually pick up at least one extra shift every other month. So add at least 54 hours to that, for an average of 1906 hours worked a year. And no, I don’t think I’m working myself to death. I work those hours, manage to keep the house reasonably clean and the yard in not too bad a shape by myself, take care of the critters, and still usually find at least a little time to do the fun stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/9 "2004-11-22T21:14:50Z")
I’m Australian, but I work in the UK. I bill my company for 50-60 hours of work a week. My English SO does the same hours, or more. OTOH, I’m effectively self-employed, so I’ve taken about eight weeks of holiday this year. My boyfriend’s company gives him about seven weeks annual leave, but this is exceptionally high because of the long hours he works. ---
**Author:** ![Tio\_Gringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5e925/32.png) [@Tio\_Gringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tio_Gringo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/10 "2004-11-22T21:45:23Z")
Theoretically, I _could_ work as little as 1696 hours per year. If we started with a base of 40 hours times 52 weeks to get 2080 hours. I get five weeks of vaction per year: 5x40 = 200 hours I get 4 hours of sick leave a pay period: 4x26 pay periods = 104 hours I get 10 holidays a year: 10x8 = 80 hours Total paid off days per year: 200 + 104 + 80 = 384 hours or 9.6 weeks However, in real life, with overtime factored in, I probably work inexcess of the base of 2080 hours. I rarely take sick leave, and I am banking my annual leave and holidays for when I _finally_ graduate (I’m on the 20 year plan). We can carry over our annual leave to the next year (up to 440 hours or 11 weeks), so as a graduation present to myself I plan to take **all** my annual in one fell swoop and drive to Alaska (from Texas). 🆒 I can’t frickin’ wait. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/11 "2004-11-22T22:41:48Z")
I work 2,275 hours a year, minus a week for vacation…so…2,235 hours a year. No sympathy from me. But I am definitely for mandatory vacation reform. I got it pretty good though. It looks like I work a lot, but in essence, one week I work 37.5 hrs within 3 days, and the next week is 50 hrs in 4 days. So I work many hours, but get plenty of days off. 4 days of time off every other week, 3 days off the next. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/12 "2004-11-22T22:55:50Z")
Put me at about 2200 hours per year, and that includes deducting 4 weeks vacation and 8 paid holidays. ---
**Author:** ![Aagramn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Aagramn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aagramn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/13 "2004-11-22T23:44:32Z")
~1,700 hours a year. ---
**Author:** ![Adoptamom\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/14 "2004-11-23T00:01:42Z")
52 weeks x 40 hours = 2080 less 6 weeks x 40 hours= 240 (vacation) less 2 weeks x 40 hours= 80 (sick and personal leave) less 8 misc holidsays = 64 (misc. holidays) Total hours worked annually = 1696 I really like my new job and am enjoying this entire week off for Thanksgiving 😃 and I get another two weeks off for Christmas!! ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/15 "2004-11-23T01:59:14Z")
Poor widdle Aussies get “only” 4 weeks of vacation? Between that and most of 'em living on the beach, I just don’t know how they LIVE in such horrible conditions! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jweb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@jweb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jweb)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/16 "2004-11-23T04:26:08Z")
Let’s see here. 2080 standard work-hours per year. Subtract 7 paid holidays (New Year’s day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day): 2024 hours. Subtract 3 ‘floating holidays’: 2000 hours. Subtract the 3 days of Paid Time Off I’ve actually used this year: 1976 hours. Add in the fact that I’ve been working 50+ hour weeks for the last 3 months or so: approximately 2100 hours… grr… In fact, my boss told me the other day “You know, jweb, you’re the only person in our department that’s taken less vacation then I have this year”, said on the same day that our company not only laid off 10% of our IT staff but the same manager openly discussed the possibility of mandatory Saturday workdays… yeah, I’m a bit bitter. I’ve only worked at this company for 3.5 years, and I have 33 days of vacation in the bank as I type this. And I’m getting 20 more next year… I’ll have to take a significant amount of vacation next year, if only because I can’t carry over more then 40 days from one year to the next. And I’m only 26. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/17 "2004-11-23T04:41:40Z")
2168 to 2213 ☹ Depending on whether I take my vacation or cash in the $$. 2 Weeks a year is supposed to be the minimum but it’s actually been over 2 years since I’ve had a week off. So in reality 2258 but I don’t want to be an opposite-bragger. I haven’t called in sick in about 4 years. ---
**Author:** ![lightingtool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@lightingtool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lightingtool)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/18 "2004-11-23T16:34:02Z")
To answer the OP: Yes, I think I am. Average work week: around 60 hours, or 3120 per year Two weeks paid vacation (only paid for 40 hours) - 3040 hours I’m supposed to get 8 holidays, but I’m only going to get two this year (Thanksgiving and Christmas) - 3024 hours I’m saving my vacation from this year so I can afford to take 3 weeks next year for my wedding and honeymoon, so I’ve only actually taken 2 days off this year, which leads us to: My total hours (projected) worked this year:3088 Total hours in a year: 24x7x52=8736 I spend 35% of my year at work, about 30% sleeping, about 1% commuting, which only leaves around 34% to shower, eat, cook, and waste time here. Crap. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/19 "2004-11-23T18:34:12Z")
Just an aside, but again I find myself surprised at how little vacation time some American workers get. I can’t imagine working with less than four weeks off a year (and I’ve always had at least six weeks off, plus public holidays). What on earth do you look forward to when you’re working week in and out? ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138/20 "2004-11-23T18:36:45Z")
> [@Jervoise](#): > > Just an aside, but again I find myself surprised at how little vacation time some American workers get. I can’t imagine working with less than four weeks off a year (and I’ve always had at least six weeks off, plus public holidays). What on earth do you look forward to when you’re working week in and out? I know one guy that gets about 4 or 5 weeks vacation, but he has been at the same place for over 30 years and has seniority. Most people I know with what I would call a “good job” get 1-2 paid weeks off per year. What do people look forward to? The weekend. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-are-you-working-yourself-to-death/276138.md?page=2)