Working slower...

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OK, so I have a good job now, working in an office. This wasn't always the case, I've done almost everything under the sun from retail to landscaping to cooking. These are all jobs where you make hardly any money, and you are constantly working your butt off. Now i'm making more than ever (by, like, over 2x) and there is so little actual work to do it really bothers me. Despite others claiming to be really busy, when they summarize their actual workload, it sounds like they're doing little to nothing either. I feel really guilty about this, like i should be really doing more to earn what i make... and even feel guilty about taking paid days off (or sick days) and things like that. A few months ago i was even having bad dreams about not really earning what i make. The best thing I can figure out is to constantly remind myself to work slower... which is frustrating. Also take breaks to look at forums *cough* As long as I'm getting the work assigned to me, i don't feel too bad... but it's just so different and makes me anxious sometimes. Has anyone else experienced this kinda thing?

Sign me up, yo.

hehe i know... really dumb thing to be complaining about. ill just call it job karma to make up for the last decade :p

It sounds like you are in the right job!

I'm in a similar situation--I can do much more work much faster than any NT.

What I've done with my extra time is to learn NT skills in small doses. A classic win-win, as it makes me a much more productive worker, in addition to helping me outside the work place.

Your employer pays you what they think you are worth. If they decide they are paying you too much, or your workload is too light, they'll do something about it.

my thoughts exactly. I've told my manager that I was available for more if they had any lingering assignments. and i thought of CEO's who do even less and make 10x as much, so suddenly i don't feel so bad.. yay, job karma!

You now have to worry about stuff like office politics--it isn't a good idea to actually do way more than folks getting paid the same as you--raising the bar for everyone isn't very smart. In fact, that is what you are really being paid for--being smart and making the proper decisions. Also for keeping your skills up to date and sharp--office technology is constantly changing these days.

Don't feel guilty about it. You will have to learn how to work slower and waste time though.
I have worked in some places which were low paying and fast paced and some others that were so slow-paced it was ridiculous.
I am forever amused when someone will do about 2-3 hours of work in an 8 hour day and than--in all seriousness complain they don't have time to do a new task. Some workplaces are like this.

I can understand how it all seems unfair sometimes when higher paid people can work so little while lower paid people can work so hard. Life is full of inequalities like this, don't feel guilty about this. It is just the way the world works.

Definitley. Like I said, it was funny during a team meeting the manager was catching up on each person's projects. It was funny to hear people trying to make simple things sound so involving. One girl was like "I'm not actually working on anything right now..." LOL!

Though even back when I was a cook, people would have literally HOURS to stock a salad bar and slice some deli meat. People were always complaining about the dumbest stuff and claiming to be overworked and how they never make enough... im like... obviously you've never worked at something like Labor Ready...

I've had this problem at four different jobs now, so I think it's more about me than the jobs.

I think that Aspies not only work faster but take work more seriously than NTs. When I'm at work I feel bad unless I'm doing "work" stuff. Meanwhile, my co-workers socialize, shop or play video games for a portion of the day. There's a balance between working and goofing off that is socially acceptable that NTs can reach without even trying but I could never even attempt.

The long term solution is to start your own business or find some other way to work independently. I think that's still along way off for me, though.

I have worked in an office job and in a manufacturing job for the same company. "Office people" waste waaaaay more time than "Production people." They don't think they do, but they do. I was quite frankly astonished at how much time they can waste.