Why its OK to Work Long Hours - The Muse

Why its OK to Work Long Hours - The MuseWhy its OK to Work Long Hours As Im writing this very article, its 930 PM on a Thursday. Ive already put in at least a solid 11 hours of work today and- in all honesty- I still feel like Im going pretty strong. I have another full day on the schedule for tomorrow, and will likely spend several more hours working over the weekend.Does that thought fill me with dread? Nope. Quite the opposite, actually. During an average week, I spend about 60 hours parked in front of my computer. Yes, its longer than the traditional workweek, but I really dont mind.Granted, Ill be the first to admit that my situations a bit different from somebody who works in an office. Im a freelancer, which means that- in addition to fulfilling that whole working in my pajamas clich- I also get to set my own hours, choose the projects Id like to work on, and occasionally even have trashy daytime television playing in the background. Its not the same as being surrounded by cha tting co-workers and a boss breathing down my neck- I get that. (And Ill be the first to say that maybe Id feel a little differently about my demanding schedule if I was in that sort of scenario.) However, right now I love what I do, which means I spend a lot of time, well, doing it. Ive said before that being passionate about my work doesnt mean that I think every day is a walk in the park, but it does help to make those long hours far more tolerable- and sometimes even enjoyable.But, being that I make my living writing and reading an abundance of career advice, Im constantly surrounded by recommendations, tips, and phrases that look something like this (hey, Ive even written some of them)Maintain adequate work-life balance. Dont become a workaholic. Shut down at a certain time each evening. You should only work this number of hours in a day. Dont check your email on the weekends. Youre going to burn out.Listen, I understand it- this advice comes from a well-meaning place. I never want to be the one to advocate letting your job consume your life, and I definitely dont want to glorify becoming a workaholic. However, I do feel the need to stand up and be a mouthpiece for those of us who work what others might consider crazy hours. Because seeing these tips over and over and over makes me feel guilty when I take a look back at my week and see that the majority of my time was spent working. And thats not fair to meDont get me wrong I believe work-life balance is important. But, much like the rest of your career, what you consider to be an adequate balance is personal. And if theres one thing I want you to realize, its this Its not anybody elses job to dictate what another persons idea of career happiness should look like. If your current schedule truly fulfils you, who is anybody else to tell you otherwise?When it comes to our work lives, I see this same principle come up again and again- the idea of living up to someone elses standards and expectations, rather t han your own individual ideals. You should be on this career track, or youre doing it all wrong. You should do this before heading to the office every morning, or your day will be off to a bad start. You should want to chase promotion after promotion and climb that proverbial ladder, or youre going nowhere.But, when you boil it all down, what all of us really want is simply a job that makes us happy. And, ultimately, the key to finding that is knowing yourself and then using that knowledge to build the career and the life that you want- whether that fits with the standard advice youve grown used to hearing or not. Because, at the end of the day, nobody knows you the way that you do.

Lee Iacocca Engineering Icon

Lee Iacocca Engineering Icon Lee Iacocca Engineering Icon While Lee Iacocca may be recognized for his shrewd business sense as arguably the best-known U.S. automotive executive since Henry Ford, it welches his engineering training that gave him an appreciation for the importance of product quality.I know that his background as an engineer paid off handsomely for Ford Motor Company and for Chrysler, says Keith Crain, editor-in-chief of automotive industry newspaper Automotive News, who has followed Iacocca since the 1970s and considers him a friend. Even though he has been known as a product guy and a marketing guy his whole life, that basic (engineering) training gave him a wonderful sense of product.A first-generation American born in 1924 to working class parents in the steel-making region of Pennsylvania, Iacocca had a sternfrmig career, leading both of those giant auto makers.Training at FordAfter graduating with a B.S. in industrial engineering from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, Iacocca was awarded a prestigious Wallace Memorial Fellowship from Princeton University, where he earned an M.S. in mechanical engineering, and in 1946 was hired as an engineer by Ford. Very quickly, he realized that he didnt want to make cars, he wanted to sell them, especially after working on a mechanical engineering drawing of a clutch spring in a training course at Fords large River Rouge plant near Detroit.Within a couple of years, his bosses agreed, and he was transferred to a Ford district sales office in eastern Pennsylvania. By 1956, he was serving as manager of Fords Philadelphia sales district when he came up with an imaginative promotion that involved an easier payment plan for customers. The idea was something like $56 a month in 1956 for your new Ford, says Crain. He aligned the payment amount with the year, and he sold the hell out of Fords in that zone, Crain adds. The districts sales went from worst to best in three months. That got the attention of Ford manag ement, and he was transferred to headquarters in Dearborn, MI, ultimately finding his true calling in product development.The first-generation 1965 Ford Mustang.Image Wikimedia CommonsHe rose quickly, becoming the youngest man to head the Ford division, was named vice president of the car and truck group in 1965, executive vice president of Ford North American automotive operations in 1967, and president of Ford Motor Co. in 1970. Known as the Father of the Mustang, Iacocca spearheaded the design project of this sporty, moderately priced car that became an instant hit in 1964 and set sales records.Mechanical KnowledgeCrain also credits Iacocca with coming up with the idea of what was known internally at Ford as a points car. This was a drivable prototype based on mechanical engineering drawings that had all the important points so that both the interior and exterior could be evaluated, Crain says. Now its fairly common, but it wasnt in the 70s, and I think a lot had to do with Iacoc cas mechanical knowledge, he adds.Built up to two years prior to production, the cars were driven around by Ford people. If something didnt feel right, they could change it and make sure the production car didnt have any of those problems, Crain explains. Iacocca understood that, You can look at an interior and you can even sit in an interior but its only when you get in a car and drive it that you might say this thing hits me in the shoulder or I have a hard time getting to the switches. Thats where Iacoccas mechanical engineering background helped him tremendously in his career even though he didnt follow an engineering career path.Iacocca has said that becoming president of Ford in my forties was a dream-come-true for the son of immigrants. While the 1960s and 1970s were excellent years for Ford, it all ended quickly in 1978. Henry Ford II fired Iacocca as the company was coming off posting a $2 billion profit. It was an action that some say was inevitable because the two strong personalities could not co-exist.Four months later, Iacocca turned up at Chrysler and the following year became CEO, rescuing the automaker from bankruptcy. Iacocca again called on a combination of his engineering training and customer insight to think about what new types of vehicles should be developed. On his watch, which lasted until he retired in 1993, the company introduced the economical K-cars to compete against fuel-efficient, low-cost Japanese imports revived the convertible market with the introduction of the LeBaron convertible created a new market segment called the minivan, which was a precursor to the SUV and was the first U.S. automaker to make drivers side airbags standard equipment.Aside from the major contributions he has made to the auto industry and American business, Iacocca is a best-selling author and has been involved in many philanthropic activities.Nancy S. Giges is an independent writer. For Further Discussion Becoming president of Ford in my forties was a dream-come-true for the son of immigrants.Lee Iacocca, former president of Ford Motor Co., and former CEO, Chrysler

Survey 14% of women use streaming services every day

Survey 14% of women use streaming services every day Survey 14% of women use streaming services every day Let’s face it: Who hasn’t spent hours on the couch, tuning into TV shows and movies on a streaming site before? But while hopping onto a streaming site to catch up on your faves every once in a while is one thing, doing this every day of the week is another thing entirely.But while there are some TV shows that may even help you get a leg up in your career, a recent survey from COUNTRY Financial found that 14% of women “use services like Netflix” daily. Only nine percent of men do this just as frequently.The research also found that “four-in-ten (42 percent) are sharing mobile plans and shopping accounts (41 percent) like Amazon Prime and Costco.”But the results were also wide-ranging - overall, 54% surveyed “are using some type of streaming, ride-hailing, home sharing or maintenance service often.”  But just 3% reported using things like these to make money.Independent research firm GfK surveyed 1,006 American adults for COUNTRY Financial.The nature of sharing stream ing services in AmericaThe data shows that a  whopping 74% of Americans who take advantage of TV streaming sites such as Hulu and Netflix (the two most popular sites, at 47%) let other people use their accounts. Sound familiar?In addition, 36% of people surveyed “who share their accounts, log-ins and passwords” aren’t having people help pay for the monthly expenses.Here’s who gets to be part of a shared account: “Family:” 73% “Significant others:” 34% “Friends:” 10% “Ex-significant others:” 2% Americans also take advantage of other servicesAs mentioned, more than 50% surveyed take advantage of all these different services “often.” But still, three in five people who make money using Uber or Lyft say they haven’t bought insurance for those they drive, or even for themselves.Here’s what people use to make cash: “Uber and Lyft:” 2 in 5 people “Airbnb:” 1 in 5 people “TaskRabbit:” 1 in 7 people But the data also shows how much money people spend on different services - when it comes to “things like Uber rides, Netflix and Airbnb,” 72% of Americans surveyed say they shell out less than $50 monthly.Doyle Williams, an executive vice president at COUNTRY Financial, commented on the research in a statement:“Individuals who are considering earning income through the sharing economy should keep their goals in mind, whether it’s paying down debt, saving for retirement or just paying the bills. Working in the sharing economy can mean drastic shifts in income, so creating a budget is vital,” he said.This data certainly makes you think about how much you spend on regular conveniences.