The 8-5 slog and how to escape it

TheGoblinTurkey · 2020-06-18T16:59:40+00:00

Remote work my friend. I'm a software engineer, love the work, hate the 9-5 rat race office life. Been working remotely since the start of covid and it's changed the game for me.

Working remotely gives two main benefits.

Time. Finding the time to get a workout in, work on personal projects or enjoy myself is so much easier when I don't spend 2 hours of my day commuting, getting ready for work. Also when you're stuck in the office all you can do is talk to the people in the office. Whereas from home if you're waiting for someone to call you back you can start cooking the dinner, iron your clothes etc. Saves you time.
You can now live anywhere. Why not move somewhere sunnier and cheaper? Now you don't need so much money. Now you don't need to work so much. Think about how you would spend your life if you were rich, for me it would be travel + hobbies + girls. Oh wait a second, if I just work remotely then that dream comes true.

Powerfucking5000 · 2020-06-18T13:30:15+00:00

There's no way waking up every day at 7 just to go to a pseudo-tolerable job that pays your bills is worth the little free time and mediocre financial freedom it gives you.

Spend less money than you make. That mathematical equation always works.

I'm only 20 years old, and so I want to set myself up now so that by the time I hit 30, I don't have to do this anymore.

Cool. Start a small business. Check out The Sweaty Startup podcast. Lots of good ideas there.

To any of you who have escaped this slog, how did you do it and what advice can you give?

Setting up multiple streams of income is the rule of thumb. But you will always have problems no matter where you go and what you do. You're exchanging one set of problems for another set. Good luck.

gotmilo11 · 2020-06-18T17:03:05+00:00

Just started my first 40hrs a week .. I come home work out and it's already 7 o clock. Then I eat and relax it's about 8ish, 9ish.. then rainse and repeat. But like one person said, find a niche in the company, build an idea, keep it a secret and steal as much information from your boss, supervisor and co-workers that may benefit your business. And in steal I mean ideas, company structures and their weaknesses to make it better.

FrankTM26 · 2020-06-18T14:25:32+00:00

Man I feel you 100%! The corporate grind sucks. I've been at it for 8 years and I don't see it getting better, especially in the industry I'm in.

The best thing to do is to get the experience under your belt to get higher paying jobs down the line or learn a skill. Your income is your biggest wealth building tool and the more you can get, the more you can stash away and invest it so you can break away from corporate america earlier.

Never get stuck at a company for more than 3 years unless the salary is great or you get promoted within that time. Diminishing returns start to set in after that and your income potential goes down. It's always going to be a grind, but stay focused on your goals and know it takes time to get what you seek.

king_of_red_alphas · 2020-06-18T21:03:02+00:00

Sounds like somebody has a case of the Mondays.

Johnny_Monsanto · 2020-06-18T17:01:40+00:00

[deleted]

violetmonstermunch · 2020-06-18T19:13:39+00:00

I feel you. You spend all your time, energy, intellect to make someone else richer. At MOST, if you are lucky, you have enough free time to go to the gym, eat well and sleep well. It feels like there is no point because you don't do anything that really has value and meaning to you through the day. The week-end comes and you have to clean, buy groceries, take care of paperwork. You go out with friends and drink to have a good night, but it only help you forget, and not improve your reality.

The answer I found was to aim for FIRE while trying to live correctly on the way there.

Psychological_Radish · 2020-06-18T14:34:15+00:00

Early this year I quit my job to go off on my own.

Yes, fantastic timing with the pandemic, but so far it's worked out. I spent over three years saving and investing most of my salary. My investments did very well; two of them more than doubled in value. I also built up a side business running an e-commerce store. My weekly schedule is to spend about 20 hours doing menial labor to pay the bills (Uber Eats deliveries and personal shopping), but with those jobs I make my own schedule. The rest of my time is spent working on my other business ventures.

As a single guy with no family, you actually don't need that much money to pay rent and maintain a decent lifestyle. The income from my online store combined with investment income and doing 20 hours of shit menial labor is enough to cover my personal expenses. As time goes on, I hope to eliminate those 20 hours of unproductive time making deliveries by generating income from other sources. I live in a very expensive city, although if I moved somewhere cheaper I probably wouldn't even need to be working for wages at all.

What is your goal here? To retire and live out your years in a beach town? To start a business? It's difficult to give advice when we don't know what you want.

absolutelynp · 2020-06-18T19:11:07+00:00

I realized that mid twenties but was too late, slaving away had already taken its toll, I needed time to recover and to kick bad habits. Then I deepened my knowledge in coding and started my first idea which failed, second failed too now Im on my third and can almost see the light. When you hate the corporate world and actually see how everything is, goind back is hard and its hard to keep sane. Its possible but its takes hard work. So if you can, stay away from it, working towards that is maybe the best thing you can do for yourself.

My suggestion would be to learn to code and then not pursue the big money topics like AI, Blockchain or whatever is trending now but to learn to write an end to and application with whatever you may fancy. And learn everything so you can work alone. (Use a web near language then you can utilize cloud services and web APIs this way you can build nearly anthing). Then you go out and help small to mid sized businesses. They may pay little at the beginning but you will see their needs and there wont be much (good) competition because its just small business right?

Also watch Office Space :)

EDIT: bro I just read you can already code...what are we talking about here? Go to small businesses, find out what they need, laugh at their pityful small problems, write the code and sell...

LeatherBoundWisdom · 2020-06-18T16:12:23+00:00

I'm an intern, in the same boat, but I don't mind it as much. The slog keeps you busy. I get home, and instead of viewing it as too tired to do anything, I go lift, I'll read sometimes, cook some good healthy nourishing food, and have a beer or smoke a cig with a buddy. Then I sleep like a baby and wake up the next day like a baller.

Of course, work gives you a lot of stress but overcoming this and imposing by sheer will a pleasant and powerful disposition is a great challenge. At the end of these few months I know I'll make great gains mentally and physically. As far as doing this full-time, I don't know, but for a short burst of improvement I'm more than content.

SteveJobsIdiotCousin · 2020-06-18T22:29:33+00:00

I have the same thoughts. I finally negotiated one work from home day per week, but even that wasn’t enough.

Coronavirus actually saved me. Now we have multiple work from home days per week and it’s pseudo permanent. Much easier to have a life during the week when you work from home.

Other than that, life is hopeless. Maybe bust ass and build your own business once you have a good foundation w your regular job (ONLY then is it safe to try risky shit like starting a business or trying to be an artist or musician).

As for your job choice, I find the “do what you love” platitude to be garbage. Doing what you love still feels like work when you’re forced to do it for 40 hrs on someone else’s terms, and it leads a lot of people down a path of poverty bc they choose “fun” yet low paying career paths.

Find something you’re decently passionate about that pays well and that you don’t HATE - that’s the key imo

W_O_M_B_A_T · 2020-06-18T15:19:20+00:00

So what you're asking is for the social expectation of showing up at a given time in the morning, yield precedence to some other kind of performance goal.

So what happens when the person or people you're working for don't care about time constraints like that?

Well, then the expectation tends to naturally fall onto work, work, work, perform perform, perform. "We don't care where or when you show up as long as it's delivered by Thursday." In that situation you have to negotiate a lot harder in order to get personal time off and leave sooner than, say 7pm.

While it can be done, you have to be very good at time management and under-promising while over-delivering. You can't just say. "It's the weekend you'll have to wait X number of business days on that because that's how we traditionally run our business."

See: doctors for example. Sick people don't stop being ill on the weekends.

So you have to understand that the expectation of "I'm only working 8a to 5p" was created for a reason, and it's a relatively recent invention, if you know anything about the history of labor movements.

But, leave it to entitled kids who are new to the workforce, to think a hard-won privilege of only working 45hr a week is actually a chafing social restriction that's too boring for them.

BetterCallSaulsa · 2020-06-18T19:37:55+00:00

You don’t have to love your job but tolerate it. I hate my job but I’m great at it and do more work than those above me. Do your job and own it in every aspect. You’re there for money and to do your job correctly and not anything else. If you’re unhappy it could be the type of work you’re doing. Are you sitting down all day in front of a monitor? Are you moving around more than not? My job has me running from place to place daily so I don’t usually feel any crash until I get home and then i just go to sleep in 2 hours. What might be working for me is that i bust ass at the gym before work anywhere from 1-2 hours and it wakes me up and energizes me for the day. Ditch the energy drinks, soda, and coffee if that’s what you’re drinking that shit is terrible for you. Stay hydrated with water throughout the day. So many people forget water is necessary and we need it to keep bodily functions working so they feel fatigued if they don’t get enough. Most importantly if you work a high paying job be grateful you have one as thanks to the Chinese Government we have a 14% unemployment rate. You’re better off that a lot of people right now. Don’t forget that.

RedPillD · 2020-06-18T22:25:32+00:00

You can always make more money, you can’t make more time. You’ve realized giving 5 days for a return of 2 days is a shitty deal.

Right now your income is tied to your time. That’s the way it is with every job. So what’s the solution?

Start a business.

I’m not saying to quit your job. You’ll need to fund your life and your new business somehow. Realize that if you are to break this cycle, you may have to work even harder until your business starts making some real money.

Unscripted by MJ DeMarco. Listen to this audiobook with every spare minute you have. It completely changed my trajectory in life, not too unlike when I first discovered TRP.

oooKenshiooo · 2020-06-19T02:25:21+00:00

Quite a lot of answers already.

Here is my take:

I never had a 8-9 job. I actually very rarely did a job for more than a year. I am 32 now. I have been:

A wedding singer (5 years and going))
A vocal coach (10 years and going))
A music teacher (8 years)
A tech journalist (3 years)
A self defense teacher (2 years)
A hypno- and regressiontherapist (1 year)
A copy writer (3 years)
A ghost writer (3 years)
A burger cook (0.5 years)
A delivery boy (0.5 years)
A camp councellor (1 year)
A cleaner (2 months)
A business consultant (2 years and going)
A music publisher (1 year and going)
An audio engineer (3 years and going)

As you can see, there is substantial overlap - I am always working more than one job per week. At times it used to be a different job every day of the week.

Right now an app I am developing has been funded by an investor - so for the next 18 months I will be developing said app full time whilst being paid handsomely - and I get to cash royalties afterwards as well. What comes afterwards? Who knows.
I still retain a few side hussles though - some of them are easy money and it's always good to have a backup.

I don't care about having a career. I care about making money, not-being-bored and experiencing live.

So... what is my takeaway?

Pros:
Rarely bored
Experiencing lots of interesting stuff
Experiencing many facets of live
Learning diverse skills and combining them in unique ways
Work is 90% fun.
If picked and combining smartly, jobs profit off eachother
Pretty much cryptonite for any woman looking for a stable guy

Cons:
Lots of working hours, more than in an 8-5 job
Really, I am pretty much always working (not that big a deal, since I turned most of my hobbies into sources of income)
No security, health insurance can be hassle
complicated taxes
Bluepill HR people will take a look at your CV and think you are either a hobo or a criminal
Pretty much cryptonite for any woman looking for a stable guy

DigitalDragonSlayer · 2020-06-18T13:58:18+00:00

Yeah buddddy. I feel you on everything you wrote...best advice I can give is to learn as much as you can about a niche—this involves spending time working for others. But work towards running your own business.

Especially in today’s culture there is nothing more I like than working for myself. Ain’t no one canceling me.

FrickOffAHS · 2020-06-18T20:02:01+00:00

Make some friends at work. My last summer internship was a lot of fun just because I ate lunch with 10+ other interns and went out after work with them. Also when you get older, make sure you live within 30 minutes of your workplace, because time spent commuting can really add up

mr_Tobbor · 2020-06-18T15:38:20+00:00

Ancient Greeks have spoken about doing your work in the community. If you don't do your job then you wouldn't get food. Put this aside. What is your problem? To have a new job?

AuberyBitoni · 2020-06-18T17:35:33+00:00

Find a job where you can work from home.

russian-jewboi · 2020-06-18T21:48:18+00:00

Lol 8-5. That’s if you’re very lucky. Find something that appeals to you that you can make money with. I’m tired in the evenings but I’d be a lot more tired if I wasn’t making a lot of money.

russian-jewboi · 2020-06-18T22:00:28+00:00

[deleted]

russian-jewboi · 2020-06-18T22:03:45+00:00

[deleted]

Dogeayy · 2020-06-18T22:09:17+00:00

Sounds like you should read The Millionaire Fastlane

sir_shitfuck · 2020-06-18T23:34:15+00:00

I am working on my business which entails machine learning, stream processing, complex event processing (CEP) & quantitative finance. It's nearly done and once it's going it's going to pull big-time (ETA about 1-3 months).

I did this while working a shitty factory job on the side to save up enough to invest into it. Right now I am developing this full-time and loving it (12+ hours a day).

Never went to university. However have been programming since about 14 (so around 9-10 years experience).

Start your own projects on the side that you are passionate about even if there is going to be a steep learning curve, and just keep grinding until it's finished. Preferably projects that will pull enough cash to make you financially free.

Go monk mode for a couple of months to focus. Cut the social media for a while, preferably forever. Make it your purpose and you'll come out good, even if it fails you'll learn a shitload and be able to apply yourself for your next idea.

Get used to extreme focus and concentration. Take up a meditation practice, not new age but one where you drop away all conceptual thinking (Zen meditation). When you come across a gnarly problem your first instinct should be to take it head on, not escape and waste time on some other shit (i've been guilty of this many times).

Best of luck

Johnny_Monsanto · 2020-06-18T23:38:58+00:00

Welcome to adulthood kid. Strap on its gonna be a wild ride.

2020-06-18T23:57:33+00:00

Slack it my man.

dark_rabbit · 2020-06-19T00:19:35+00:00

Ah this is cute.

OpenComparison · 2020-06-19T02:08:21+00:00

Hey I'm 20 too! And hey I'm in comp sci too! I had the option of going into DS/ML/AI, but it wasn't for me (maybe I'll get into it later on in my career). I do plan on becoming a software engineer when I graduate though. Been grinding on leet code and building a personal portfolio (it currently has a hamburger menu and is responsive I am somewhat proud lol). I have the same dilemma as you I don't really want to be a corporate drone for so long, commuting back n forth, office politics, etc. Until I'm 30 I plan on budgeting, investing (IRA & index funds), and having an emergency fund with most of my money. During those 8-10 years I want to try building a business with shopify or getting into real estate. I don't know what it is about real estate, but I find myself just watching/reading so much about it. Anyways, since we're both 20 sometimes we just gotta take it slow, we can only do so much, who knows tomorrow you and I could both drop dead. It was cool seeing someone else my age thats kind of like me on this subreddit, take care and I wish you the best on your goals bro.

rockyp32 · 2020-06-19T08:38:16+00:00

Isk the thought of this hit scared me tbh. I’ve been my nkt to not have to work much. But im 20 and I need to dive into something. I had shit happen in my childhood I lost my dad and mom and got a awesome foster family but they wanted to hide me from the world. My foster mom just wanted me to not be sad and feel good so let me do whatever and now it’s biting me in the fucking ass hard. I wish I had fucking a harder childhood. I had the shitty moments without the fucking grind to make a come back moments. So I would get shit on and just sit in the shit so I never built confidence. But fuck man 9-5 sounds terrible

ValorElite · 2020-06-19T12:01:40+00:00

You have much to learn, young one.

FKNay · 2020-06-18T13:20:37+00:00

Affiliate marketing / e-commerce

Sergelano · 2020-06-18T19:29:58+00:00

Check forex trading man, it may take months to fully learn it.

But once you know what you’re doing you can make thousands a month from your home.

Massap24 · 2020-06-18T13:39:17+00:00

I feel like this is why modern America is depressed and anxious. There's no way waking up every day at 7 just to go to a pseudo-tolerable job that pays your bills is worth the little free time and mediocre financial freedom it gives you. I'm only 20 years old, and so I want to set myself up now so that by the time I hit 30, I don't have to do this anymore.

I don’t know what you’re talking but plenty of people are perfectly fine with a 9-5, I’ve known plenty of people that could’ve retired early but kept working on different businesses. A lot of them worked more than your average joe, the reality is you aren’t satisfied with what your doing. For now I think you should try to work towards the highest salary you can, then you’ll have extra money to start investing into things that interest you. At least that’s how I played it I’m just now dipping into some real estate and looking into fashion retail because I’m really interested in that.

Title	The 8-5 slog and how to escape it
Author	russian-jewboi
Upvotes	99
Comments	118
Date	18 June 2020 01:07 PM UTC (8 months ago)
Subreddit	askTRP
Link	https://theredarchive.com/post/696709
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/hbe8tt/the_85_slog_and_how_to_escape_it/