How many hrs/week does your DH work?

lilone_06 · May 2010

I *hate* how much my DH works. He's putting in 12-15 hour days, plus another hour or two when he gets home at night. Aside from the fact that he doesn't have time to help with the girls/house (therefore give me a break), it just seems like he's buried in work and I think it's starting to get him down. I thing he's burning out. The one good part is that he generally doesn't work on weekends - Sat/Sun are for us, which is great.

I've tried to talk to him about it and let him know that we can easily scale back our budget so that he can have a little more flexibility career-wise, but he says that's not it, and that with the economy how it is now ALL jobs are like this. He thinks I'm just being naive. So, without trying to turn this into a competition ... I'd say DH works on average 70 hrs a week - not including commute - some weeks more or less. FWIW, he's in finance at a multi-national corp. Does this seem like par for the course? Am I just being PollyAnna? Just curious what other households are seeing. Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts!

sparky88 · May 2010

My DH works between 30-80 hours a week. He travels lots, and when he's not on the road he has a semi-flexible schedule. He is always available to his boss 24/7 via blackberry.

jnksmom · May 2010

DH usually works 9hr/day so about 45hrs/week. However, he works in finance as well so during month-end close he usually works about 60 hours a week. Also sometimes if they are working on a project or something he works closer to 60hrs/week.

DevonPow · May 2010

DH is in finance as well, and he works at least 65/70 hours a week (not including commute, but that is only 20 minutes each way, tops). He also usually goes into the office for at least 5 additional hours on the weekend. If I include time on the Blackberry, I just get depressed He also travels frequently for work.

So, he doesn't see DS during the week - literally. He usually leaves before DS wakes and gets home after he goes to bed. It is hard, but honestly his job has always been like this, and I knew it would be like this when we married and when we had DS. DH works very, very hard. That is just the type of guy he is. The good thing about it is that he provides a lifestyle that allows me to stay home with DS, he is fulfilled by his job, and he will be able to retire fairly early (at least, that is the plan).

At times he does get burned out...we are in the midst of one of those times right now. His work has been BRUTAL the past 2 months. When this happens, we make sure we take time to really reconnect as a family as soon as we are able to (his work is slowing down after next week, so we just rented a house in Maine for a long weekend in two weeks for a getaway). Also, we try really hard to make sure he is very present while at home (hard with the Blackberry, but I try).

To keep myself from getting burned out, I make sure I make time for myself during the week - the gym, DS goes to "school" 2 days a week, etc.

ali-1411 · May 2010

If your H is in finance...then yeah. 70+ hours a week is totally normal.

DH is a mechanic. He works 40 hours a week, 50 hours when he's on overtime.

MrsRebecca · May 2010

Usually 10 hours a day 5 days a week. Sometimes he can sneak out early. Not usuall though. He's gone about 12 hours a day.

yellowsnow · May 2010

I am so sorry! I get frustrated because DH works 4am-4:30pm THREE days a week, 36 hours. Every third week he has to work 48 hours. He's so exhausted when he gets home that he goes straight to bed. I can't imagine DH working 70+ hours! You are a saint!!

lilone_06 · May 2010

Thanks for the responses... reading through these, I realize that I think the heart of the issue, why it bothers me so much, is that I feel like there's so little left over for us. Like it's sucking the life out of him, KWIM? I sometimes feel like a single parent with the added benefit of a DH's income.

safy · May 2010

It's not the hours he puts in at the office that bugs me, but the hours he has to put in at home. He has to be on call sometimes and I dread that darn phone ringing. But on the bright side, he's employed, and for that I am very grateful.

susanmosley · May 2010

Right at 40.

His hours are 7:30-4:30 with an hour for lunch.

lms_bride · May 2010

Total hours my husband is gone during the day: approximately 12. But that includes:

45 minute commute each way

45 minute morning workout at the gym at work

The remainder is work time. So he probably works about 9 hours/day including lunch which he usually works through. Basically, his days are completely reasonable considering he is in upper management and has a lot of responsibility.

I think 70 hours/week PLUS commute sounds like a TON but I don't know anything about your husband's job or industry. I disagree with him that ALL jobs are like that now so maybe he is just exaggerating to make his point, or maybe he's trying to say in his industry this is considered normal. He is obviously feeling pressure to just work his a** off thinking that equates to job security. It depends on your boss and where you work, but that isn't always true. Or, maybe he just is a workaholic. The husband of a fellow SAHM that I know is a workaholic, according to her. He works very long days and nights and stuff when he is home. That would be hard for me.

At least you have your husband on the weekends!

dec13th · May 2010

My dh is done 11 hours a day, so he works maybe 45 a week + commuting. Is it Q end or month end for your dh, or are they implementing a new system? if so, yes, par for the course. If not, I hope they hire someone to assist soon!

Stacyc625 · May 2010

Being ex-finance myself- yup. That is normal.

My DH is gone from 630am- until 530pm so 11 hr days PLUS he works from home and is a crackberry addict. Just how it is.

axr8111 · May 2010

I a grateful that DH has decent working hours probably right around 40 consistently. He usually leaves by 7:30 and is rarely home after 6. Sometimes he leaves later or comes home early too. He's in sales so it's flexible.

passar3588 · May 2010

Mine really works about 40 hours per week, give or take a couple hours. He's in sales and works from home.

hokies94 · May 2010

70 hrs/week consistently seems like a lot.

DH's schedule varies based on client needs (he's a consultant). There are weeks when he works 80+hrs but others where he works 30. I'd say he averages about 50-60/week. On busy weeks he works over the weekend but if he's not busy he's generally home.

gatogrrl · May 2010

8:45 to 4:45 with an hour for lunch. He works for a university, though, so his smaller salary reflects the less demanding hours.

mama2many · May 2010

Mine is in construction & until he was recently laid off, he would typically work12-16 hour days (like you thankfully, with weekends off). In fact, after our last baby, he was on a job out of town - for 14 weeks. Yes, 14 weeks alone with 3 kids and a brand new baby - good times.

Over the years when we've tried to address this, he's basically told me "that's the way it is" - so it has been a hairy subject. The blessing of the lay-off is that he's really enjoying time at home and is actively looking for work with another company that might provide him with a foreman/superintendent position and not want him to work himself to death like the one he's worked for for the last 15 years.

Daisy77 · May 2010

Lately it's been about 102 hours, minimum. No joke. From 8am to 1am, 6-7 days a week. We have a trucking/hauling business and he recently repainted 2 of our trucks. Due to the nicer weather last month the hauling season jumped up just a bit so DH has been putting in super long hours for the last few weeks to get the trucks done. It sucks:( On a normal week it's more like 60+ depending on the weather and job.

tabi_ja · May 2010

Hubby works from 9am until around 6 or 7pm most days - really not a lot of hours, but I hate that he's home so late. Plus, they've sent him out of town twice in the last three weeks, and he's leaving again on Monday, and again the following Monday. And when he has a project due, he sometimes works until 9pm or later, and has had to go in on the weekends. Ugh.

On the plus side, it's a pretty family-friendly company, so I can go in and visit him for lunch on occasion and he can take sick days when I'm sick. And he's employed in a field that he loves. In this economy, that in itself is a blessing beyond words.

wifeofaussie · May 2010

ali-1411:

If your H is in finance...then yeah. 70+ hours a week is totally normal.

DH is a mechanic. He works 40 hours a week, 50 hours when he's on overtime.

This. When I worked in the mortgage biz, 70 hour weeks were normal. My DH is a pilot and works about 15 hours a day, 5 days a week and another 9 on Saturday. He's currently looking for a new job though, these are not normal hours for the lousy, flat-rate-per-day pay he gets. That's just Colorado's exceptionally crappy economy Sad

starlingrose · May 2010

My so works m-f 40hrs dayshift and then additional 10-16hrs nightshifts on fri/sats. Its hard on him but he is managing well.

Amymarie13 · May 2010

I feel the same as you. Mine works about 12 hours and has a 2 hour commute (roundtrip). Plus I work most weekends so we NEVER have family time. I hate living this way.

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