When / how did you put your foot down and draw the line on consistently working 80-85 hour weeks? Seems cultural and I am seriously on the verge of burnout.

likesmarthelpful
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Don’t and see what happens. End your day at like 6:30 and if nothing blows up you’re in the clear. A lot of people overwork for no reason. If there is an impact it’ll teach your leadership to set reasonable expectations instead of committing to a months worth of work to be delivered in a week. If you keep working the extra hours leadership will get used to the extra work delivered in shorter timelines.

likesmarthelpful

Really look at your day. I thought it wasn't possible either, but then I really taught about it- closed my laptop during the day at times and did not respond for an hour or so, respected my lunch, asked how necessary for me to be in a call if I'm not really contributing. You find a way if you try harder

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Have never worked over 50 hours a week. Had a case where I saw the potential for the 80 hours and I put my foot down aggressively (didn’t answer my phone or check email 6-8, didn’t work on weekend, and left all night work for the morning). No repercussions I could see years later

likesmartuplifting

What?

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Good lord, I'm paid for 40, I work my 40. When I was paid overtime years back, I would work 80's because it was worth it to me.

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Since COVID, have been assigned to national and global work-streams. It seems the normal to take EU calls early AM hours and APAC calls late hours (live in EST). Work is starting at 5AM and ending at 11PM. Feeling grateful to have a job right now, working on interesting projects, and making an impact locally/globally. This isn’t sustainable, but I know that COVID response/recovery also isn’t forever. I’m not sure how I’ll eventually transition out of giving 400% but amid the current climate, I’m not complaining. I’m curious how everyone is planning to go “back to normal” once the world resets? Leadership must know this sprint doesn’t last forever...

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The bad thing about “agile” sprints is that you’re always sprinting. Its a bullshit hamster wheel

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You are right. This depends on the team. You really can’t put your foot down without risk.

I would have a Plan B and work on my resume before doing something.

Personally, I just keep telling them that I expect to be promoted the next cycle if I’m working that many hours. It works out for me either way because they know I’m not bluffing.

People saying they work 80 hour weeks are like people commenting on a tweet typing that they’re ‘literally crying’ as a response to something.

Actually, there are people who do probably cry to tweets so.... 🤷🏼‍♂️ oh well.

To those who say “I work my 40 because that’s what I’m paid for” I understand where you’re coming from but it simply doesn’t work like that.

Especially for my fellow strategy consultants, culture is a real thing. Everyone is Type A hyper competitive, saying “I work my 40 and not one bit more” is almost a sure fire way to get counseled out of a firm.

I’m totally good with 60-65 hour weeks and I enjoy my work so I don’t mind, but, it’s become the norm to go 80-90 and that’s where I’m getting concerned.

I will try your guys’ tips on “putting my foot down” and logging off by 7-8pm, but when you’re a team of 5 people and the other 4 are working till 11pm, it’s going to have repercussions.

You need to change your mindset from “people need to see I’m working” to “people need to see the work I do.” What are the actual *tasks* that are keeping you working for 80 hours a week? What are your team members working on at all hours? Remember that if they and the SMS and MDs are truly working diligently, they don’t have time to stare at their teams’ statuses to see who is green and who isn’t. Focus on the tasks you need to do, get them done well, and then sign off for the day. They have your phone number, they can call you if something is critical. You’ve got to set your own boundaries and recognize that a) higher ups being “online” doesn’t require you to be online and b) not working 80 hours automatically is a bad review. It’s just not how it works. The quality of the work will be stronger than the number of hours every time.

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I’ll add, my MD has been hard at work over the weekend, I’ve already received 4+ emails / updates on things.

What would have happened if you hadn’t seen those emails until Tuesday?

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You must be a simp, huh

quit and leave. the problem with consulting nowadays is everyone wants work life balance. this isn’t the career for that and lowers the value of consultants.

I have never refused. I just demand another big raise to keep going. After awhile they will stop asking unless desperate. After 9 years my salary has increased 200% from my original starting salary.

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