Rant: The 5-days-in-a-row workweek is arbitrary and my body doesn't agree with it

Well, the article posted certainly has an axe to grind on the matter as well, so i wont fault you for recognizing your bias, but try this on for size

Saw blade x costs 50$, makes 10 cuts an hr

10 years later saw blade z costs 50$, makes 15 cuts an hr.

Same saw operator is 1.5 x more productive, but the raw technology (better blade) at the same cost is what made the whole difference, and to a sawcutting operation, its not like the operator should earn any more, they dont do that much more, maybe push the buttons a few times more an hr. Its not like its more work, but more cuts have been made. This helps a volume based operation, but if its a fixed production amount, the operator is simply wasting time if theres nothing to shift to. So now operator works 26.66 hrs a week, company makes the same whereas before the operator worked 40 hrs a week. More productive employee, less hours, less total wage even if hrly keeps up with inflation/cost of living, which translates to "higher efficiency" for the company

 

Those kids working 2 days a week would be on meth or cocaine to slow them down, they are natural workaholics, one of my sisters is similar, same as my dad. Personally, i dont begrudge them what they choose to do, but id rather not work more than i have to to keep my family fed clothed and occasionally have some more fun, i need me time too, something they never or rarely have

 

All the money in the world won’t buy back the time spent making it.

 

You put it more eloquently than i did

 

hah, I work 6 days in a row, 9 hours each day driving local. It feels no different than being OTR. Only difference is that I get to sleep and shower/poop at my own place. Basically my own permanent truck spot. The 1 day off I get is just more work.(yard, groceries, laundry, cleanup, errands, etc)

the money is the only reason I'm not burned out from it. Everytime I feel like quitting i look at my upcoming paycheck and smile

 

my boss absolutely did not like it when i told him i was retiring. he said i was "irreplaceable",

that might be true, about 2 years after i retired?

the company closed up..

true.

 

Can't say I've put any places under by leaving; but I still get calls from my previous manager from the oilfield in Colorado, as well as my "driver manager" from Wilson. As Mike put it "all I had to do was send you a dispatch, you took care of everything else, or let me know within 10 minutes why it wouldn't work."

 

I know Morehouse wasn't real giddy when I told them of my plans to partially retire late this year and sell the truck in late 2025 but they did say I was welcome here in whatever capacity I choose until I hang it up.