Why Some Men Pretend to Work 80-Hour Weeks
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 12:35 pm
Law School Discussion Forums
https://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/
https://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=247242
That shit's so annoying and obviously bullshit. I have a friend like that. It's not like I'm trying to rage all night / do a three hour power lunch. The most overworked dude at the worst sweatshop has 30 min to an hour free at some point over the weekend. Last time I visited his city he got all butthurt I didn't try to meet up with him even though the last three times I was there he was too "busy."NotMyRealName09 wrote:http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/ ... yness.html
Here's one about women. I work with a girl like this - a good friend, but always "SOOOO BUSY!!!" Can't make lunch, sooo busy! Can't do drinks, gotta write a brief! Yada yada, we get it, you're super busy because you're sooo cool.
http://www.theguardian.com/news/oliver- ... g-epidemic
Here's one that apparently coined the phrase "busy-brag."
https://hbr.org/2013/09/please-stop-complaining-about/
Another one from HBR - behind a paywall so I haven't read it.
You should read the article, it's not about this at all.NotMyRealName09 wrote:http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/ ... yness.html
Here's one about women. I work with a girl like this - a good friend, but always "SOOOO BUSY!!!" Can't make lunch, sooo busy! Can't do drinks, gotta write a brief! Yada yada, we get it, you're super busy because you're sooo cool.
" “My God, people are competing about being busy,” Burnett realized. “It’s about showing status. That if you’re busy, you’re important. You’re leading a full and worthy life. … As if you don’t get to choose, busyness is just there. I call it the nonchoice choice. Because people really do have a choice.”Yukos wrote:You should read the article, it's not about this at all.NotMyRealName09 wrote:http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/ ... yness.html
Here's one about women. I work with a girl like this - a good friend, but always "SOOOO BUSY!!!" Can't make lunch, sooo busy! Can't do drinks, gotta write a brief! Yada yada, we get it, you're super busy because you're sooo cool.
I meant the article in the OP but whatever. Sorry to hear about your friend.NotMyRealName09 wrote:" “My God, people are competing about being busy,” Burnett realized. “It’s about showing status. That if you’re busy, you’re important. You’re leading a full and worthy life. … As if you don’t get to choose, busyness is just there. I call it the nonchoice choice. Because people really do have a choice.”Yukos wrote:You should read the article, it's not about this at all.NotMyRealName09 wrote:http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/ ... yness.html
Here's one about women. I work with a girl like this - a good friend, but always "SOOOO BUSY!!!" Can't make lunch, sooo busy! Can't do drinks, gotta write a brief! Yada yada, we get it, you're super busy because you're sooo cool.
That's where a vision of my friend popped into my head.
Oh I see, yeah I know they aren't quite the same, but still in the realm of "being busy is a measure of worth" realm of thought.Yukos wrote:I meant the article in the OP but whatever. Sorry to hear about your friend.NotMyRealName09 wrote:" “My God, people are competing about being busy,” Burnett realized. “It’s about showing status. That if you’re busy, you’re important. You’re leading a full and worthy life. … As if you don’t get to choose, busyness is just there. I call it the nonchoice choice. Because people really do have a choice.”Yukos wrote:You should read the article, it's not about this at all.NotMyRealName09 wrote:http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/ ... yness.html
Here's one about women. I work with a girl like this - a good friend, but always "SOOOO BUSY!!!" Can't make lunch, sooo busy! Can't do drinks, gotta write a brief! Yada yada, we get it, you're super busy because you're sooo cool.
That's where a vision of my friend popped into my head.
This is pretty much how I feel about people who say working 60 hour weeks destroys any possibility of having a social life.NotMyRealName09 wrote:
“It’s very popular, the feeling that there are too many things going on, that people can’t get in control of their lives and the like,” Robinson says. “But when we look at peoples’ diaries there just doesn’t seem to be the evidence to back it up … It’s a paradox. When you tell people they have thirty or forty hours of free time every week, they don’t want to believe it.”
you still single though dude.KidStuddi wrote:This is pretty much how I feel about people who say working 60 hour weeks destroys any possibility of having a social life.NotMyRealName09 wrote:
“It’s very popular, the feeling that there are too many things going on, that people can’t get in control of their lives and the like,” Robinson says. “But when we look at peoples’ diaries there just doesn’t seem to be the evidence to back it up … It’s a paradox. When you tell people they have thirty or forty hours of free time every week, they don’t want to believe it.”
IMO, the article supports that it's really more about fronting that you are all in. You can be skiing with your family, yet, you take a call pretend you are slammed with work, and continue skiiing. You get shit for saying, "hey guys i'm with my kids, I'll do it later."JohannDeMann wrote:you still single though dude.KidStuddi wrote:This is pretty much how I feel about people who say working 60 hour weeks destroys any possibility of having a social life.NotMyRealName09 wrote:
“It’s very popular, the feeling that there are too many things going on, that people can’t get in control of their lives and the like,” Robinson says. “But when we look at peoples’ diaries there just doesn’t seem to be the evidence to back it up … It’s a paradox. When you tell people they have thirty or forty hours of free time every week, they don’t want to believe it.”
Biglaw is fine for having free times and hobbies just you individually enjoy. The problem is your available hours to do these things are basically limited and hard to plan for with lots of other people. It's easy if you are playing a video game or watching a sports game to pause the game and respond to a partner. Its a lot harder if you are hiking with your spouse or at a teeball game without your laptop to be available at all times. Al the people in that article that have it figured out are still basically available at all times of the day. That basically precludes family dinners outside of your house, attending children events, and doing things with your SO where you aren't within 5 mins of your laptop and an electrical outlet.
Sounds about right. I think some law students don't appreciate that 180 (honestly billed) hours is going to make for a very busy month compared to most jobs. People assume that anything under 200 hours is manageable--and maybe it is--but it can still be a ton of work.Anonymous User wrote:So I'm just closing in on a 180 hour month (so extrapolated out to about 2150 hours) in a second tier market where 1800-1900 is the general target.
To give some of you what sort of schedule that entails, this month I've done the following:
Generally worked 9-7:15 M-Th., 9-6 F.
Had two business trips -- one overnight, one day.
Prepared for and did two oral arguments (both only about an hour).
Had two fire drills (emergency 15 page motion prepared and filed in 48 hours and a 12 page memo assigned on Friday and due Monday COB).
Worked three late nights (10:00 pm or later).
Worked one full weekend day and two halfish weekend days.
Took off early to watch opening day (worked from home afterward).
Took off early for my kid's birthday.
Worked from home one morning and one afternoon.